2001 Honda Civic Lx, Sedan, Dark Green on 2040-cars

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Honda unveils new 3.5-liter racing engine

Honda is following Ford's lead and debuting the second twin-turbocharged V6 to be used by Daytona Prototypes in the United Sports Car Championship. The wait won't be long to see it on track because the new engine will debut with the Starworks Motorsport team in a Riley Gen3 prototype chassis at the 12 Hours of Sebring from March 12-15.
The new HR35TT engine is based on Honda's J35 production V6 found in a variety of its models, including the current Accord. The racing version benefits from dry sump lubrication, but is still similar to the production version with an aluminum block, direct injection and single overhead camshafts. It is fueled by 100-octane E10 fuel, but like many racing engines, exact power figures have not been released.
Starworks has had a close relationship with Honda since it won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012 with a Honda Performance Development ARX-03b chassis and Honda engine. We can't wait to see this new mill hit the track, and see how it fairs against Chip Ganassi Racing's EcoBoost-powered Riley. Scroll down to read the press release for the full details.

Automakers teaming with Google to bring Android to cars this year

Remember how we mentioned that Hyundai would be offering a BlueLink infotainment app for Google Glass? And how last week, we told you about a rumored partnership between Audi and Google? Well, both of these things were just part of a much bigger deal.
Google has teamed up with Audi, General Motors, Hyundai and Honda to form the Open Automotive Alliance. With the help of chipmaker NVIDIA, the group aims to bring Google's Android operating system to the auto industry on a large scale. While the speed with which Android will be adopted by the industry remains unclear - the OAA's own press release says "timing for each automaker will vary" - we could see the first Android-equipped vehicle by year's end.
For those that keep their ear to the ground in the automotive tech world, this is a big deal for more than just one reason - Honda, GM and Hyundai are all partners in the Siri Eyes Free program from Apple. The future of that relationship now that three of its automakers are in bed with Apple's arch-rival, though, could be under threat.

Watch the latest Civic Type R hit the track in Japan

The latest Honda Civic Type R is very sweet forbidden fruit because the launch of the new generation Civic in the US suggests that the 306-horsepower turbocharged hot hatch might not arrive on this continent in its current form. However, the next one should come here and could have an even more powerful version of the Ohio-made 2.0-liter engine. While North American buyers wait, Best Motoring host Keiichi Tsuchiya slips behind the Type R's wheel in this video to show us what we're missing. After the Drift King's drive, the CTR looks a little rotten. Tsuchiya seems to fight understeer from the moment he hits the first corner of the very tight Nikko Circuit, and it doesn't appear to let up over his couple of laps. Unfortunately, this clip doesn't have English subtitles, so we can only draw conclusions from Tsuchiya's driving – unless you understand Japanese. There could be a few explanations for the Civic Type R's performance in this video. There's still snow on the ground, so the performance tires could have trouble with grip in the cold. The track's layout also doesn't provide much opportunity to open the throttle. The tight corners really tax a vehicle's handling, and the hot hatch's front-wheel drive lap record at the Nurburgring suggests the Type R might prefer a quicker track. We also remarked on understeer during our First Drive, but it wasn't this bad. If you're unfamiliar with Best Motoring and Tsuchiya, you're missing out. The show puts racing drivers into mostly Japanese performance cars and lets them offer their driving impressions. Tsuchiya is the star and quite an accomplished racer, one of the drivers who took a class win in a Honda NSX in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. If you've missed out on these clips, prepare to waste a weekend watching the series on its YouTube channel. Related Video: