A little while ago, Acura showed off the Integra Type S HRC Prototype. At that time, we learned about the automaker’s plans to bring some of the car’s performance components to customers via its parts program, and now, Honda says it will offer a line of performance upgrades under the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) banner.
If HRC sounds familiar, it’s because it was previously named Honda Performance Development (HPD). The automaker created a new division to engineer and sell the parts, and the first prototypes will likely be available for testing next year.
Beyond the Integra, HRC massaged a Honda Pilot for this year’s SEMA show. Though we don’t have any details on the full build, Honda’s teaser image showed a Warn winch, a lift kit, unique wheels, beefy skid plates, a Jerry can, a roof rack, and more. We’re still talking about a Honda Pilot, but it certainly looks the part of a legitimate off-roader.
Honda’s new division is a similar approach taken by other automakers looking to inject performance into everyday vehicles. Nissan’s Nismo, Ford Performance, Toyota’s TRD and GR lines, and others turn plain-Jane vehicles into something more exciting, but we’ll have to wait to see how far Honda’s willing to go with upgrades and parts. It would be nice to see something similar to Ford’s performance division, which offers legitimate chip tunes for some models to boost power.
[Images: Acura]
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