Acura has revealed a radical 4-motor electric version of its new NSX supercar that will contest the 100th anniversary running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The radical Acura EV Concept will be driven by Tetsuya Yamano, who was behind the wheel of the Honda CR-Z-based electric prototype the firm entered last year. Set to compete in the Electric Modified Class, the Acura EV Concept is fitted with an more potent version of the automaker’s all-wheel-drive Electric SH-AWD powertrain used in the CR-Z that finished 11th overall and won the Challenge Exhibition class in 2015 at the 12.42-mile/156-turn Race to the Clouds. While Acura offered no specific output figures on the EV Concept, it did say this latest incarnation has roughly triple the motive force of that CR-Z’s setup — which was officially estimated to be around 450 horsepower. The Twin Motor Units on each axle of the EV Concept also have been tweaked to enhance the precise torque-vectoring control capability of each wheel.
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Although the EV Concept will be the Acura’s highest-profile competitor at the event, it also has entered a pair of production-based 2017 Acura NSX models that will be competing in the Time Attack 1 and Time Attack 2 classes. Both feature the NSX’s standard production powertrain, but the TA 1 car has a lighter, modified chassis and a unique freer-flowing exhaust system per class rules. The cars will be driven by brothers James and Nick Robinson, respectively. James works in the company’s North American powertrain development group while Nick oversaw vehicle dynamics development in the new NSX. Both have previous Pikes Peak experience, with Nick also being the current record holder in the 250cc Motorcycle Class.
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