ACURA TAKES ON THE CLOUDS: INTEGRA TYPE S GUNNING FOR FWD GLORY AT PIKES PEAK 2025
When you think of performance and pedigree, Acura might not be the first badge that screams “hillclimb hero” - unless you live in the States and know what’s what. But don't let the corporate cousin of Honda fool you. The brand’s back at it again, aiming high - literally - for the 103rd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. And this time, they’re bringing Olympic muscle, factory-backed firepower, and a front-wheel-drive mission that borders on the insane. Returning for another crack at Colorado’s most legendary tarmac ribbon is motorsport veteran Katherine Legge, who made her Pikes Peak debut in 2024 behind the wheel of the Integra Type S DE5 race car. Despite being a rookie last year, she clocked a solid 10:51.359, putting her within arm’s reach of the FWD record of 10:48.094. This year, she’s back in the #93 Integra Type S, eyes locked on that record like a hawk on a hot lap.
“At Pikes Peak, you’re always competing against yourself, the mountain and the other drivers,” says Legge. “It’s my goal to leave my own legacy, setting the front-wheel drive record in the Integra Type S DE5.”
Backing her attack is Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US), which has taken its decades of race-winning knowledge and poured it into this purpose-built hillclimb weapon. It's not just a stickered-up street car, either. Think gutted shell, welded cage, race suspension, huge brakes, aero, cooling upgrades and nearly 270 kW of punch from a tuned K20C8 turbo four-pot - a powerplant co-developed by HRC Japan and HRC US. All of that fury goes to the front wheels via a proper 6-speed sequential paddle-shift gearbox, proving once again that FWD can still bring the fight uphill. Oh, and it's not just the race car making waves.
Rusty Smith, three-time U.S. Olympic speed skater and certified Honda-head, will pace the field in the official Pikes Peak pace car: a custom-wrapped Integra Type S HRC Prototype, finished in eye-searing Indy Yellow Pearl. He’s not just a face for the cameras either - the man owns a Spa Yellow first-gen NSX-T, so you know the blood runs high-octane. This show car does more than just look fast. It also previews a new line of HRC Performance Parts developed by the same engineers responsible for Honda’s motorsport success across the globe. First shown at Monterey Car Week in 2024 and confirmed for production at SEMA, this new HRC parts division will offer street, track, and off-road upgrades aimed at everything from engine performance and handling to serious weight reduction. It’s the first time HRC’s factory-fettled go-fast goodies will be available to the public - and that’s a very big deal for Honda and Acura loyalists. This year marks 15 consecutive years of Acura competing at Pikes Peak, racking up over 30 podium finishes and 12 division wins, along with a few course records for good measure. It’s all part of the brand’s Precision Crafted Performance mantra, and what better proving ground than the 12.42 miles and 156 corners of America’s most dangerous mountain pass? From 9,390 feet at the base to the 14,115-foot summit, the Race to the Clouds is the ultimate test of machine, driver, and engineering. With a factory race team, an Olympic legend in the pace car, and a record-breaking mission on the line, Acura’s 2025 Pikes Peak assault is a full-throttle flex from a brand that still knows how to have fun.
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows off the wicked concept that is the Acura Integra Type S Prototype - this thing is pretty damn freaking cool! It actually looks better than what sister company Honda has done with the Type R: Introducing the Acura Integra Type S HRC Prototype | Acura
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