Mid-Engined 550HP AWD twin-turbo J35 | Acura TLX GT [TECH TOUR]

Starting life as a 2015 Acura TLX GT, this RealTime Racing monster is now a twin turbo, 500HP mid-engined Pikes Peak 2018 Open class winner.

Mike gives us a rundown on the car which has been extensively modified with the dry sumped V6 J35 engine, prepared by Honda Performance Development, being mid-mounted to allow for an AWD setup to be installed with a 60:40 split on the Xtrac transmission and front and rear differentials. The engine is controlled by a McLaren ECU with the paddle shift system being managed by a MEGA-line pneumatic shifting package.

Also discussed are some of the cooling considerations for Pikes Peak, how useful the data from testing (which is not a full run) is and also some of the work that went into getting the engine to fit in this configuration.

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About the author

Andre Simon

Andre Simon is the technical co-founder of High Performance Academy (HPA), a leading performance industry-based education provider. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Andre brings a wealth of knowledge to the company. Before co-founding HPA, Andre owned and operated STM, an international performance dyno tuning workshop located in Wellington, New Zealand. During his time at STM, Andre developed and tuned hundreds of high-powered import drag, land speed, rally, touring & drift cars, many setting multiple World Records and winning championships.

Andre is deeply passionate about the performance industry and has been sharing his knowledge through training for over 10 years. He has trained thousands of individuals, ranging from professional mechanics & tuners to performance enthusiasts, in the art of high-performance tuning, wiring, engine building and more.