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Honda is spending $124 million on a new wind tunnel facility in Ohio

Ford isn't the only company building a multi-million dollar wind tunnel this year. Honda is also getting in on the action. Its new facility will cost less than Ford's at $124 million, and construction begins this summer. It will be built at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio, which is where Honda's NSX proving grounds are located. Honda will install a five-belt rolling road in the tunnel for testing of more pedestrian vehicles, and a wide, high-speed, single belt version for testing of sports cars and race cars. However, it seems the Honda facility will only be capable of testing wind speeds of up to 192 mph, whereas Ford claims a top speed of 200 mph. Cameras and microphones will also be set up inside the testing area at the Honda tunnel to help find wind noise trouble spots. Honda won't necessarily be the only company using the new wind tunnel either. The facility will be available for other groups and companies to use. There are even secure bays those groups can use for their work. Related Video:

Acura NSX GT3 swings through New York en route to the track

Supercars are developed for the road, but sometimes the prospect of putting them on the track proves just too tempting to pass up. McLaren found out just that with the legendary F1, and now its racing partner Honda is doing the same with the new Acura NSX GT3 you see here. Unveiled here at the 2016 New York Auto Show, the NSX GT3 is based closely on the road-going version, but with several key differences. For starters, it ditches the trick hybrid all-wheel-drive system, not unlike the Type R we're expecting to follow. It keeps the 3.5-liter V6, but purely in twin-turbo guise (with no electrical boost in sight), driving the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox instead of the nine-speed dual-clutch transmission. The aluminum space frame carries over, but comes draped in extensively modified bodywork with more extreme aero to keep it cool and glued to the track. Since it's been designed to FIA GT3 regulations (and not the more advanced GTE), we shouldn't expect to see it competing at Le Mans against the new Ford GT (among others). But it will be in prime position to take on championships like the Pirelli World Challenge, Blancpain Endurance Series, and even the lower GT300 class of Japan's own Super GT series. Wherever it competes, though, it positively looks the business even sitting still, and we're looking forward to seeing it run. Acura Unveils NSX GT3 Racecar in New York Mar 23, 2016 - NEW YORK, NY - Twin turbocharged NSX supercar to campaign in North American competition starting 2017 - NSX slated to undergo homologation this fall as an FIA GT3 class racecar - Racecar body to be built by the Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio, the exclusive manufacturing home to the all-new Acura NSX supercar; engine to be produced in Anna, Ohio Acura took the wraps off a NSX GT3 racecar today at the 2016 New York International Auto Show, announcing its intention to campaign the twin-turbocharged NSX supercar in North America starting in 2017. The NSX is currently undergoing testing and slated for homologation as an FIA GT3 class racecar this fall. The unveiled Acura NSX GT3 racecar featured custom bodywork and aero components including a large deck wing spoiler, underbody diffuser and enlarged hood vents for efficient engine cooling.

Japanese automakers ramping production for renewed American sales

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan took quite the toll on the automotive industry in that nation. Not content to lean on that tragedy as excuse for slagging sales, the Japanese automakers are planning on a major production expansion in North America. The aim is to reclaim the market share lost from the Tsunami-based dip, and overcome a dollar/yen exchange rate that makes exporting to America unprofitable.
Following the Tsunami, Japanese automakers ramped up production in their North American facilities to compensate, but according to Automotive News, Nissan, Honda and others have all reported plans for still-further increased production in the year ahead. As part of this ramp-up, Mazda will open a facility in Salamnca, Mexico before March of 2014. Part of that increase in output is 50,000 units of a Toyota-badged compact car, which Mazda will produce.
Other Mexican production facilities opening include a Honda plant, which will open in Spring 2014 in Celaya, and a Nissan plant, set to open later this year in Aguascalientes. Nissan also said that it will need another plant in North America within the next five years. According to Nissan Boss Carlos Ghosn, the company aims to raise its stake in the US market from 8 percent to 10, and adding production will help achieve that goal. Even Mitsubishi is aiming to boost production at its Normal, Illinois plant. Production of the Outlander Sport is currently at 50,000, which Mitsubishi wants to raise to 70,000.