Honda engineers race it too.
The 2022 Honda Passport receives a competition-ready model to race in the American Rally Association series. The more rugged Honda machine will be ridden by a team of Honda engineers. The machine debuted at the Lake Superior Performance Rally in Michigan, on October 15-16.
The automatic nine-speed transmission is still in use. The driver switches the Sequential mode on the gearbox and uses paddle shifters to move cogs. Because of the performance and torque distribution on loose surfaces, the terrain management system remains in Sand Mode. The team removes the cabin from the vehicle and then adds safety components for rallying. OMP seats are equipped with six-point harnesses and a roll cage. There is also a fire suppression system, rally computer, an in-vehicle communications system, and a roll cage. Lexan polycarbonate is now used for the rear and side windows. The Passport can be converted into a slide by using a hydraulic handbrake.
The rally-prepped Passport came in fourth place overall and 22nd among 42 competitors in its first race. It also finished fourth among six competitors within the Limited 4WD class. The crew was generally in the top 10 for stage times but a tire debead put them back nine minutes. Honda has just introduced the Trailsport version for customers of its Passport. The front and rear tracks are wider. It also features a unique design for the 18-inch wheels with 245/60 R18 tires.