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Honda bringing LMP2 racer to Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak always brings out an array of interesting entries. Honda has fielded quite a few of its own, but will take the unusual step this year of entering a Le Mans prototype. The new ARX-04b is the latest in a line of prototypes which Honda Performance Development and Wirth Research developed to compete in the LMP2 class in series like the FIA World Endurance Championship, the United SportsCar Series and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Though it's designed to race on closed circuits, Honda has announced that it'll be taking on the 156 turns and 12.42 miles of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this year. Driving duties will be handled by Justin Wilson, an accomplished British circuit racer who's competed in Formula One and won races in the IndyCar Series and in Champ Cars before it. He's also tried his hand at Formula E and competed in Le Mans prototypes before as well. Though it will be entered in the Unlimited class, it won't be gunning directly for the record set by Sebastien Loeb two years ago in the Peugeot 208 T16. At least not just yet. "This is an exploratory effort," said HPD chief Art St. Cyr, "to learn as much as we can in advance of a possible future assault on the outright record." We're looking forward to seeing what she'll do when the event takes place later this month. Honda-Powered HPD ARX-04b to tackle Pikes Peak Jun 17, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. - Indy car veteran, race winner Justin Wilson to pilot LMP2 machine - New coupe design debuted at 24 Hours of Daytona - Utilizes production-based 3.5 liter Honda V6 engine A number of different types of Honda and Acura vehicles have taken part in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in recent years, ranging from the Acura NSX to the Honda Fit, and even a high-speed Honda Odyssey, but Honda Performance Development has upped the ante this year by entering one its newest sports cars in the race up the 14,110-foot mountain. The new Honda-powered HPD ARX-04b LMP2 coupe that competed in this year's Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona has been entered in the 2015 Pikes Peak event, and will be driven by Verizon IndyCar Series race winner and former Formula 1 driver Justin Wilson. The ARX-04b will be the first full-carbon monocoque vehicle ever sanctioned for PPIHC entry and will be fitted with a 3.5-liter V6 twin-turbocharged engine. The ARX-04b will compete in the Unlimited class, which features highly-modified cars that can navigate the 156 turns of the 12.42-mile course in under 10 minutes.

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.

There was once a Honda Civic named the Honda Integra

So it turns out there was a Honda Integra that was actually a Honda Civic. This as opposed to the Honda Integra we already knew about that was just like our Acura Integra but with Honda badges sold in different markets. We noticed the oddity while crawling about used car listings (as one is wont to do). A sedan popped up that looked suspiciously like a mid-90s Honda Civic, but there was a shiny Integra badge on the back of it. Surely, this must be somebody’s idea of being funny, right? Wrong. The Honda Integra SJ exists, and itÂ’s essentially a rebadged Honda Civic Ferio. Or "Civic Sedan" as we knew it here. In other words, that means Honda sold two Honda Integras at the same time. One of them was the Integra that we all think of upon hearing the Integra name. The other was just a Civic Ferio that was half-prettied up to increase its appeal. After all, the Integra name was luxury. Maybe you already knew all of this, but the lack of definitive information online and presence of this car for sale prompted us to do a little research. In case you were wondering, SJ stands for Sedan Joyful, so this carÂ’s full name is the Honda Integra Sedan Joyful. It was sold as such from 1996-2001 in Japan. Its mini Wikipedia entry indicates that Honda created the SJ to bring a formal sedan to the Integra range. ThatÂ’s a bit weird, though, as there was literally an Integra four-sedan at the time. You could even get it as the hot GS-R version in the United States. Japanese buyers were even luckier, as Honda offered a sedan version of the Integra Type R there. Since the Integra SJ was a rebadged Civic Ferio, it came with the same equipment and engine. The 1.5-liter D15B four-cylinder engine was being used in the Ferio at this time, so thatÂ’s what the Integra SJ was rocking. ItÂ’s one of HondaÂ’s SOHC VTEC offerings, and it made a very respectable 128 horsepower. The D15B wasnÂ’t as potent as an engine like the B16A2 found in the 1999-2000 Honda Civic Si sold here that put out 160 horses, but it was also down one camshaft. Only the intake valves are affected by the cam here, which results in less power than the DOHC VTEC engines. All that said, the engine still revved to 7,200 rpm, and its power is respectable for the size of car.  ThereÂ’s a third name for the Civic Ferio/Integra SJ, as well. If you go to Thailand, you may come across the Isuzu Vertex, which is yet another rebadged Civic Ferio.