Honda Performance Development, Inc. (HPD), the racing arm of American Honda Motor Company, Inc., will offer a new LMP2 engine to customers participating in the 2011 American Le Mans Series, European Le Mans Series, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Intercontinental Cup competitions.
The new LMP2 engine, based on Honda's global V6 engine, is a 2.8-liter, twin-turbo variant utilizing HPD's exclusive engine-control system. The engine is the product of a joint effort between HPD and Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA). Product R&D engineers from HRA's Raymond, Ohio center worked with HPD race engineers to create a powerful racing engine at a very attractive price point. Engine costs will meet the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's (ACO) new, lower price targets for the LMP2 class.
"With the collective racing spirit of our associates at HPD and HRA, we have come up with an attractive product to align with the new direction set by the ACO," commented Erik Berkman, president of HPD. "We are pleased to offer another race product which features the traditional Honda values of performance, efficiency, and reliability."
Since 2007, HPD has provided engines to prototype-class teams in the American Le Mans Series, and these engines have scored numerous victories, beginning with an LMP2 class win in HPD's inaugural ALMS race at Sebring in 2007. HPD was the first manufacturer to score ALMS class wins in both LMP1 and LMP2 on the same weekend with its wins at St. Petersburg in 2009.
HPD went on to win LMP1 and LMP2 Manufacturers' Championships for Acura in 2009 - becoming the first ALMS manufacturer to do so - and in 2010, began providing engines and support for sports-car competition in both America and Europe.
HPD's engines are renowned not only for their performance, but also for their reliability. In four years of prototype sports-car racing encompassing over 90 race starts, HPD engines have failed only once. In HPD's role as single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series, during the 2009 season, a total of 40 drivers and teams completed 202,210 miles of practice, qualifying and racing with only a single in-race engine failure.
For the fifth consecutive year, Honda powered the entire 33-car starting field at last month's Indianapolis 500, and for a record-extending fifth consecutive time - the only five times in Indy 500 history - there was not a single engine failure in the event.
Honda Performance Development is the Honda racing company within North America. Founded in 1993, and located in Santa Clarita, Calif., HPD is the technical operations center for American Honda high-performance racing cars and engines. In an open-wheel racing history that dates to 1994, Honda has recorded 166 race victories, 12 drivers' championships, 10 Manufacturers' Championships and seven Indianapolis 500 victories. In addition to its sports-car efforts and its role as single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series, HPD is active in a growing number of grassroots motorsports activities.
For more information regarding the engine and associated chassis fitment, contact Stephen Eriksen at HPD (661-294-7331 or seriksen@hra.com)
