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Acura NSX GT3 swings through New York en route to the track

Supercars are developed for the road, but sometimes the prospect of putting them on the track proves just too tempting to pass up. McLaren found out just that with the legendary F1, and now its racing partner Honda is doing the same with the new Acura NSX GT3 you see here. Unveiled here at the 2016 New York Auto Show, the NSX GT3 is based closely on the road-going version, but with several key differences. For starters, it ditches the trick hybrid all-wheel-drive system, not unlike the Type R we're expecting to follow. It keeps the 3.5-liter V6, but purely in twin-turbo guise (with no electrical boost in sight), driving the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox instead of the nine-speed dual-clutch transmission. The aluminum space frame carries over, but comes draped in extensively modified bodywork with more extreme aero to keep it cool and glued to the track. Since it's been designed to FIA GT3 regulations (and not the more advanced GTE), we shouldn't expect to see it competing at Le Mans against the new Ford GT (among others). But it will be in prime position to take on championships like the Pirelli World Challenge, Blancpain Endurance Series, and even the lower GT300 class of Japan's own Super GT series. Wherever it competes, though, it positively looks the business even sitting still, and we're looking forward to seeing it run. Acura Unveils NSX GT3 Racecar in New York Mar 23, 2016 - NEW YORK, NY - Twin turbocharged NSX supercar to campaign in North American competition starting 2017 - NSX slated to undergo homologation this fall as an FIA GT3 class racecar - Racecar body to be built by the Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio, the exclusive manufacturing home to the all-new Acura NSX supercar; engine to be produced in Anna, Ohio Acura took the wraps off a NSX GT3 racecar today at the 2016 New York International Auto Show, announcing its intention to campaign the twin-turbocharged NSX supercar in North America starting in 2017. The NSX is currently undergoing testing and slated for homologation as an FIA GT3 class racecar this fall. The unveiled Acura NSX GT3 racecar featured custom bodywork and aero components including a large deck wing spoiler, underbody diffuser and enlarged hood vents for efficient engine cooling.

Honda CR-Z carbon-fiber prototype

When Honda rolled out the CR-Z a few years ago, it hoped to bridge the gap between those who would save the planet and those who would rather burn all of its resources in a glorious cloud of tire smoke. But enthusiasts recalling the CRX of 1980s vintage balked, imploring Honda to ditch the heavy battery packs and electric motors in favor of a lighter-weight, more conventional powertrain. At this point it seems less likely that Honda would do so at one end of the market than Porsche would ditch the hybrid component of its 918 Spyder at the other. But that doesn't mean Honda isn't still cooking up ways to curb the CR-Z's weight. And it had just one such idea waiting for us when we visited its Japanese R&D center at Tochigi last week.
Nestled in between the JDM hatchbacks, powertrain test mules and new technology prototypes Honda rolled out for us sat the experimental CR-Z you see here. While it may look mostly like the hybrid sport-hatch you can pick up at your local dealer (albeit blacked out), nearly all of this prototype's bodywork has been completely replaced, as have its basic underpinnings, with carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. The exotic material is usually reserved for high-end exotics, but like BMW is democratizing its use in the new i3, so too is Honda researching ways to implement the use of carbon fiber on a mass scale. This one-of-a-kind CR-Z prototype stands, for the time being, as the embodiment of that effort.
Driving Notes

2016 Honda Accord refresh adds Apple CarPlay, Android Auto

The ninth-generation Honda Accord gets a thorough refresh for 2016, and the big theme here is technology. Inside and out, the updated Accord packs a host of upgrades in an effort to keep Honda's best-seller fresh in the minds of consumers. The big news is a new, seven-inch Display Audio infotainment interface with two of the latest in-car tech must-haves: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. These come standard on EX models and above. The revised infotainment system doesn't replace the outgoing two-screen setup inside the Accord, however. There's a larger, 7.7-inch screen above the Display Audio screen, with steering wheel-mounted controls that allow access to things like audio information, the rear-view camera, and side LaneWatch camera. Outside, the car looks more tech-focused, with expanded LED lighting. All cars now have LED taillamps, and the Touring trim adds full LED headlamps. With its restyled front fascia, the 2016 Accord looks a lot more Acura than Honda, for better or worse. Both sedan and coupe body styles are available, with a new, larger 19-inch wheel option on upper-level models. Powertrains carry over largely unchanged. On the base end there's a 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated inline-four, available with either a continuously variable transmission or a six-speed manual 'box. Honda will continue to offer its 3.5-liter V6, as well, with six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. Check out the new Accord in the gallery above, and scroll down below for the official press blast. The 2016 Honda Accord hits dealers in August. Honda Introduces the Highest Tech Accord Yet in High Tech's U.S. Hub—Silicon Valley - Upgraded 2016 Accord features one of the first applications of both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ in a volume-produced vehicle - More dynamic styling, including first 19-inch wheels on Accord - Honda Sensing™ safety and driver-assistive tech available on all trims - New 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen interface MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 23, 2015 – Honda introduced a refreshed 2016 Accord loaded with advanced technology in Silicon Valley today, the first time the company has launched a new vehicle in the U.S. tech hub. Coming to market in August, the 2016 Accord will be the first Honda model and among the first high-volume cars in the marketplace to feature both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. These and other major upgrades to technology and features make it the most high-tech Accord ever.