Earlier this week, Honda released the first official details and a photo of its new HSV-010 GT, which stands for Honda Sports Velocity, and has been developed to replace the racing variant of the NSX in the GT500 class of the 2010 Super GT Series. Now we have the first videos of the blacked out racer that's the closest we'll get to the next generation NSX supercar.
You see, the HSV-010 GT is based on the NSX's replacement that Honda canceled at the end of 2008 due to the economic recession. The Japanese company had previewed the supercar which featured a front-mounted V10 engine in concept form through the Acura Advance Sports Car Concept at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show.
According to company sources, the V10 supercar would have been the Japanese automaker's most powerful production model ever.
The HSV-010 GT carries the production-ready supercar's shape and underpinnings though Honda's engineers swapped the V10 engine for a 3.4-liter V8 churning out some 500HP and replaced the rear-biased all-wheel drive system for a simpler rear-wheel drive layout to conform to the 2010 GT500 Regulations.
Honda's new GT is slated to make its official racing debut at the Super GT season opener at the Suzuka Circuit, held on March 20–21, 2010.
The subtly revised 2010 Dodge Viper ACR, which is set to make its world premiere at next month's Los Angeles Auto Show, has set a new lap record at the Laguna Seca with a time of 1:33.915 as recorded by Motech in-vehicle data recorder (1:33.944'' as unofficially recorded by trackside clock) breaking the previous lap record of 1.35.117 set by a Devon GTX this past August. The 2010 Dodge Viper ACR was piloted by SRT vehicle dynamics engineer, Chris Winkler.
"It was definitely exciting but a somewhat uneventful lap overall from behind the steering wheel," said Winkler. "The Dodge Viper ACR has amazing power and handles like a dream, so following my first practice here last month, I came away pretty confident that we'd be able to set a new record."
In the final year of the Viper's production, the hardcore ACR, (first introduced in 2008), receives a series of upgrades including a shorter fifth gear ratio that changes from 0.74 to 0.80 for improved high-speed acceleration and higher straightaway speed, a new short-throw shifter and a redesigned rear wing to further optimize aerodynamics and improve rear yaw downforce.
Dodge says that these improvements result in an increase in top speed of 4 mph, to 184 mph (296 km/h) for the 2010 model.
There are no other changes for the Viper ACR that is powered by an 8.4-liter V10 engine with 600 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque, for a 0-60 mph (96km/h) acceleration in under 4 seconds, quarter-mile time in the mid 11-second range and 0-100-0 mph in 11 seconds flat.
Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand and Senior Vice President, Product Design Office, Chrysler Group LLC, said that the company plans to release several special edition models during the last year of the Viper including a Laguna Seca edition to commemorate the record lap. All in all, around 500 Vipers will be produced in 2010.
Building on the 911 GT3 Cup, Porsche has developed yet another racing car for the 2010 motorsport season. The new 911 GT3 R is based on the international FIA GT3 regulations and its designed to replace the 911 GT3 Cup S. The 'R' model is powered by a larger-displacement four-liter six-cylinder boxer engine that delivers an output of 480-horsepower driving the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox.
Weighing in at just 1,200 kg or 2,646 lb, Porsche's new racer makes use of the extra-wide body of the 911 GT3 RS street-legal sports car.
The German firm says that it has equipped the car with an anti-lock brake system (ABS), traction control and an electronic throttle with 'blip' function on gearbox down-changes in order to make the new GT3 racer easier for drivers to get used to than its predecessor.
According to Porsche, the new model is more appropriate for the ambitious amateur racing driver rather than purely experienced professionals.
The 911 GT3 R will make its world debut on 14 January 2010 at the Birmingham Motor Show with first cars to be delivered to Customer Teams from spring 2010. The base price of the 911 GT3 R is €279,000 (US$ 415,000) plus local sales tax/VAT.
According to company sources, the V10 supercar would have been the Japanese automaker's most powerful production model ever.
