2015 Acura TLX GT Targets Starting Grid at Detroit Grand Prix

The 2015 Acura TLX GT racecar—based on the brand's new "Red Carpet Athlete"—is scheduled to make its competition debut during the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix weekend, which runs from May 30 to June 1. Running in the GT class of the Pirelli World Challenge, the car will be supported by long-time Honda/Acura motorsports partner RealTime Racing (RTR), with team owner Peter Cunningham behind the wheel.

Said Cunningham: "In our 27 years of racing Hondas and Acuras, we have developed a clear understanding of what it takes to win races and championships. In 2014, the Pirelli World Challenge GT class looks to be more competitive and diverse than at any time in the history of the series, and we look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. We will be working hard to develop the new TLX GT into a winning package. That's what we love to do."

The starting point will be some of the key advantages that are no doubt destined to make the 2015 Acura TLX a winner on the road, too. The racer, for example, relies on the same V6 engine offered in the production car, albeit with the addition of direct injection and a twin-turbo system from Honda Performance Development. The competition car also will leverage Acura's expertise with Super Handling All Wheel Drive technology to enhance performance yet further.

The party line from Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development and vice president for Product Planning and Logistics for American Honda: "The competition in the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge is incredible, but Acura has never shied away from strong competition, in the marketplace or on the race track. The 2015 Acura TLX is a true luxury sport sedan, so it is fitting that the car be raced against several of its natural competitors, and even some up-market brands, in the Pirelli World Challenge."

More information about the 2015 Acura TLX, including details about pricing, will be released closer to the car's on-sale date later this year.