Honda Racing Corporation has moved from promise to product. The division responsible for Honda’s IMSA prototypes and TCR race cars is now selling performance parts directly to owners of the Civic Type R, Acura Integra Type S, Honda Passport, and Pilot. The initial catalog is slim, just wheels and exhaust systems, but the pedigree behind them is real.
The first offering is a set of 19×10-inch forged aluminum wheels exclusive to the 2023-and-newer Civic Type R and 2024-and-newer Integra Type S. Built in partnership with 2elle-engineering, the Italian firm that supplies wheels for the Acura ARX-06 prototype racer, each one tips the scales at 20.8 pounds. That is 5.5 pounds lighter per corner than the factory units.
The bronze finish is a deliberate nod to the Honda RA272 that Richie Ginther drove to Honda’s first Formula 1 victory at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix. Tested at the Nürburgring by HRC engineers, not marketing consultants, the wheels represent the kind of parts program that Honda has teased for years but never quite delivered. Until now.
What catches the eye is the second half of this rollout. Honda is not aiming HRC exclusively at the track crowd. The 2023-and-newer Pilot and 2026-and-newer Passport get their own forged off-road wheels, developed with Titan 7, another HRC supplier with Pikes Peak credentials.
These 18-inch units are pressed from aircraft-grade 6061 aluminum under 10,000 tons of force. Each wheel adds 220 pounds of load capacity over stock, a practical gain for anyone hauling gear into the backcountry.
The SUVs also receive a tuned cat-back exhaust system co-developed with Borla. The stainless-steel setup bumps flow rate by up to six percent and lets the V-6 breathe with more authority without droning on the highway, according to Honda. A compact design raises ground clearance by 1.9 inches, which is the kind of functional improvement that separates a genuine off-road part from a dress-up kit.
Two product categories across four models is a modest start. Honda knows it. The company plans to use this year’s SEMA Show to preview prototypes of adjustable coilovers with camber plates, Brembo brake kits, and short-throw shifters.
Those are the parts that will determine whether HRC’s street accessories program becomes a serious revenue stream or fades into a footnote. The timing matters. Toyota’s GR division has been selling factory-backed performance parts and entire vehicles for years.
Hyundai’s N brand keeps expanding. Ford Performance has deep roots. Honda has long had the racing credibility to compete in this space but lacked the retail infrastructure to connect its motorsport DNA to the showroom floor.
Forged wheels and cat-back exhausts are table stakes. The coilovers and Brembo kits teased for SEMA will be the real test of whether HRC is building a catalog or just running a limited drop. Honda’s racing engineers can design the parts.
The question is whether the company will commit to the kind of sustained, expanding program that turns casual enthusiasts into repeat customers. SEMA is weeks away, and the prototypes are already being prepared for display.
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