today's cars: Honda Releases New Photos and Spec Sheet on HSV-010 GT Racer

Today, Honda officially introduced its all-new HSV-010 GT racing car with which it will compete in the GT500 class of the Japanese 2010 Super GT series. The HSV-010 GT, which will take the place of the racing variant of the NSX, is all that has been left from Honda's V10 powered supercar project that got canned at the end of 2008 due to the recession.

Instead of wasting all the work that went into the development of the Honda / Acura NSX's spiritual replacement, the Japanese firm decided to use the supercar as a base for its Super GT contender.

Although the HSV-010 GT keeps the unfinished production model's front-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive layout, Honda's engineers ditched the V10 powerplant in favor of a naturally-aspirated 3.4-liter V8 unit that churns out more than 500-horsepower and over 392Nm or 289 lb-ft of peak torque.

Honda says that the blacked-out racing model tips the scales at a little over 1,100 kg or about 2,425 pounds and features a double wishbone suspension all around, steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters for the transmission and a rack and pinion system with electric power steering.

Honda HSV-010 GT Spec Sheet

Specifications and performance characteristics

Length x Width x Height (m): 4.675 x 2.000 x (not disclosed)

Wheelbase (m): 2.700

Vehicle weight (kg): 1,100 or more

Engine name: HR10EG

Configuration: Liquid-cooled, naturally aspirated, longitudinal V8

V angle (°): 90

Valve train: Gear-driven DOHC: 2 intake and 2 exhaust valves per cylinder

Displacement (cm3): 3,397

Bore x stroke (mm): 93.0 x 62.5

Compression ratio: (Not disclosed)