Acura's Brand New 2021 TLX Will Race At Pikes Peak

Afterfielding 1,300 horsepowerworth of metal at the event last year, Acura announced Thursday that it intends to race a pair of brand new TLX sedans in the Exhibition Class at this year's Pikes Peak, driven by R&D engineers Jordan Guitar and Justin Lumbard.

The cars will be running with a few upgrades, mind you. Guitar's TLX features a larger turbo strapped to its 2.0L four-cylinder engine, an upgraded intercooler, four-piston Brembo front brakes borrowed from the TLX Type S, 19-inch HRE wheels with Pirelli racing tires, and some unique suspension and SH-AWD tuning. Lumbard's car will retain its stock turbo and intercooler, but with a revised tune, and a set of 18-inch HRE wheels with Pirelli racing tires will enshroud stock brakes with a high-performance pad compound.

Acura is all-in on the 2020 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, even providing the pace car for the event. Whereas in previous years, itprovided the Acura NSX, for this year's event the pace car will be a 2021 Acura TLX Type S development prototype, with a more powerful turbocharged 3.0L V6 rated at 355 hp and 354 lb-ft. And returning for the third straight year, a "Time Attack"Acura NSXdriven by Pikes Peak vet James Robinson will join in the fun.

The NSX boasts a larger rear wing and an aggressive front splitter for more aerodynamic downforce, plus more than 200 pounds' worth of weight reduction, upgraded turbochargers, and an upgraded engine management system for a total of 625 horsepower. The mid-engine Time Attack car rides on forged HRE wheels with Pirelli R-compound rubber.