Honda Racing Corporation USA, in collaboration with Mason Motorsports, has developed a purpose-built racing vehicle which introduces advanced electrification and global motorsport engineering to endurance off-road racing.
Known as the Honda Passport Baja Spec, it has 800V hybrid-electric architecture with an all-aluminium 2.4-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine mounted behind the cab.
Powertrain from Acura ARX-06 GTP
Derived from the powertrain utilized in the Acura ARX-06 GTP prototype, the internal combustion engine combines with the high-voltage electrical system to produce upwards of 1,300 hp. This output exceeds the traditional naturally aspirated 9-litre V8 powerplants typically found in contemporary Trophy Trucks.
Power is managed through a Masomatic twin-angled drive 5-speed transmission coupled with an all-wheel-drive transaxle developed by Mason Motorsports.
Drivetrain
The drivetrain utilizes dual rear driveshafts feeding angled high-pinion spiral bevel gears at each wheel to replace conventional ring and pinion assemblies, alongside a front differential utilizing portal gear sets to optimize ground clearance and drivetrain geometry.
Energy storage is in a lightweight carbonfibre battery pack with Formula 1-derived pouch cells, designed and assembled in-house at HRC US headquarters in California.
Control systems leverage software adapted from Honda’s involvement in Formula 1, IndyCar, and IMSA, incorporating dual-axle brake-by-wire, adaptive traction control, and algorithmic power management.
Carbonfibre bodywork
The carbonfibre exterior was shaped using computational fluid dynamics to reduce aerodynamic drag, enhance high-speed stability, and direct airflow to a rear-mounted cooling system designed to optimize the chassis centre of gravity.
The vehicle utilizes a Gen 2 All-Wheel-Drive chassis from Mason Motorsports featuring a custom rear frame section to accommodate the hybrid electric powertrain.
Weight distribution is managed through a centrally mounted carbon-Kevlar fuel cell and strategic placement of fixed-mass components such as fluid reservoirs and the battery pack.
Suspension duties are handled by dual FOX Racing shock absorbers at every corner to manage high-speed impacts across rough terrain.
Aiming for overall victory
The Passport Baja Spec will be entered in the premier Trophy Truck division of the SCORE World Desert Championship at the Baja 500 in June 2027. HRC targets an overall victory at the 60th anniversary of the Baja 1000.