PIAA Honda Accord VTEC

Starting from 1994, the Japanese Touring car championship (JTCC) was competed under FIA (Federation Internationale de l"Automobile) Class-II race regulations. This is an international classification standardized by the FIA, for normally aspirated 2 liter 4 door sedan automobiles. The strict limitations imposed on engine and chassis modifications allow the spectators to enjoy watching competition of near-to-stock racing cars. In vying for the title, Honda entered their Accord for the 1996 season. Honda's latest racing technologies were fully packed in this low and sleek racer. The front transversely mounted, 4-cylinder 2 liter powerplant was tuned to yield 300 plus horsepower. The sequential 6-speed transmission was mated to this powerful engine. The standard double wishbone suspension system was totally re-fabricated using hi-tech materials. It used a refined geometry alignment setup suited for the wider and larger diameter wheels. The front and rear 18 inch wheels were fitted with wide racing slicks. The chassis ride-height was lowered to a minimum of ground clearance, giving the car an aggressive look. The Accords were entered from three different racing teams for the 1996 season. Among them, the PIAA Racing Team used a highly skilled driver, T. Kurosawa. Painted in a two-toned black & white color scheme, the PIAA Accord racer showed impressive racing performance at the track.