The Japanese manufacturer Honda had a fairly original and above all very crazy idea to test a mechanism and promote both one of its most popular models and its IndyCar racing program. The engineers married the American single-seater championship powertrain to a placid Honda CR-V. An improbable and very captivating test bench.
According to Honda, the project aims to test the new hybrid system which will make its debut next season in IndyCar. The heart of this CR-V Hybrid Racer – that’s its full name – is therefore a 2.2L biturbo V6 supported by an electric motor supplied with energy by a supercapacitor.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY HONDA
Total power of this Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer: 800 hp
This technology essentially allows energy to be quickly stored in limited quantities and released just as quickly. Total power: 800 hp, almost 600 hp more than the SUV’s most powerful standard version. Lamborghini had inaugurated this technical approach in 2019 for a production vehicle with its Sián, a V12-powered supercar produced in only 63 copies.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY HONDA
The interior of the Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer is much more spartan than that of a production model.
A CR-V… or almost
This CR-V Hybrid Racer obviously has a rather tenuous technical connection with the model you could buy at the nearest dealership. From the beltline to the roof, the car uses steel parts as well as the windows and windshield of the sixth generation CR-V. It is below that the work recalls its close links with motor racing. Its exuberant aerodynamic treatment made of carbon composite exposes it and behind the envelope, there is a tubular racing chassis. Up front, an Acura NSX GT-3 suspension controls movement, while out back, an IndyCar suspension does the work.
For the curious, this improbable crossbreed will make appearances at various IndyCar championship events throughout the season.