Honda making iconic race cars available for sale through new HRC Heritage Program

HRC US is giving enthusiasts the opportunity to own iconic race cars through its newly-launched HRC Heritage Racing Program.

The first race car available for purchase and restoration is the Sebring-winning V8-powered No.26 XM Satellite Radio AGR Acura ARX-01a. The Andretti Green Racing 'XM' car was the first purpose-built Acura endurance racer, and the first car and engine designed and developed by HRC in the U.S.

Winner of the LMP2 class at the 2007 Sebring 12 Hours, its debut race, it was driven to victory by Dario Franchitti, Bryan Herta and Tony Kanaan.

"Classic race cars never die, their myth and aura just grow and the HRC Heritage Racing Program is all about keeping our incredible Honda and Acura race cars doing what they were born to do – race," said David Salters, president of HRC US.

"As the builder of these race-winning machines, and custodian of the original IP and knowledge, HRC is uniquely equipped to restore them to their original form, ensuring they can return to historic racing competition authentically and ready to be enjoyed by our customers and fans."

"The 2007 XM Acura ARX-01a made you feel like a hero, it made you feel like the best driver in the world, you just pushed harder and harder and it just kept coming back for more,” said Dario Franchitti, who drove the 2007 XM Acura ARX-01a to multiple victories. "It’s just a pleasure to drive. The 2007 XM Acura ARX-01a is a special car for anyone who was lucky enough to get to drive it, and you can’t say that for a lot of cars.”

The HRC Heritage Racing Program delivers restorations of unmatched authenticity, performed utilizing the race machine's original homologation documents, plus notes and photographs from the original HRC engineers involved in each project. The work is supported by extensive HRC archives of technical data ensuring each car and engine is restored correctly.

Each race car is completely torn down and reassembled with new and reconditioned parts and, in the interest of safety, some updated materials. Electronics are modernized and the engines are rebuilt at HRC US headquarters in Santa Clarita, California. Post-restoration, each race machine is track-tested and HRC engineers are available for track support and to assist the new owner in competition.

"HRC restores these historic Honda and Acura race cars to a level enabling them to be driven and feel as original as possible, while still making some updates – especially with regards to electronics," said HRC US Commercial Manager John Whiteman.

"Our approach maintains the authenticity of design and driving experience of these iconic race cars and adds modifications for safety performance and to ensure they are user-friendly for their new owners."

The HRC Heritage Racing Program grew out of the recent restoration and sale of a number of significant Honda and Acura race machines performing on track at the 2026 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca, and featured throughout Monterey Car Week.

HRC has restored four Acura ARX-05 DPi endurance racers that compete in IMSA's Historic SportsCar Racing Series, including a 2019 Acura Team Penske car that will be displayed at Laguna Seca this weekend. Competing from 2018 through 2022, the ARC-05 secured three teams', drivers', and constructors' championships (2019, 2020, 2022) as well as a Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona win in 2023.

Following its recent HRC restoration and track testing, the 2010 ARX-01c Strakka Racing Le Mans LMP2 class winner also will be on track at Laguna Seca this weekend, racing in the Scott Pruett Legends event on Saturday with current Acura GTP IMSA driver Nick Yelloly behind the wheel.

The HRC Heritage Racing Program also was recently involved in the refurbishment of the 2001 Reynard 01i raced by the late Gil de Ferran for Team Penske in the 2001 CART championship, offering a period correct Honda engine, supporting the engine fire-up and inspecting key electronic components for the car's current owner, Zak Brown.

Brown purchased the car from Roger Penske earlier this year and, with the help of HRC US, has made it track ready. It, too, will be making demonstration laps at Laguna Seca throughout the weekend.

De Ferran won back-to-back CART championships in 2000 and 2001 with Team Penske and Honda power, and set the fastest official closed-course qualifying lap in U.S. racing history with a speed of 241.428 miles per hour at California Speedway, a record that still stands today.

Additionally, the Acura NSX GT3 Chassis No. 5 will be displayed at the 2026 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca. Recently restored by HRC and currently available for purchase, the Acura NSX GT3 recorded 38 class wins in both IMSA and SRO; plus two manufacturers' championships, five drivers' titles and four teams' championships from 2017-2023. Chassis No. 5 is the winningest NSX GT3 of all time and displayed in its iconic 'Lady Liberty' livery.

While currently focused on the restoration of historic endurance racers, HRC US plans to expand the new Heritage Racing Program with future offerings to include more historic Honda-powered IndyCars.