Honda IndyCar driver Graham Rahal takes to tuning Acura’s latest crossover.
The Acura RDX A-Spec is one of the brand’s latest offerings, packing 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque out of the gate. That’s not a bad power figure from a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, but it does fall a bit short of its rivals on performance. But good news, RDX fans – Graham Rahal Performance is on hand to give this tuned Acura RDX A-Spec a bit more grunt.
Go-faster parts
Specifically, this SEMA build adds power and styling cues to the normal RDX, using previous experience tuning cars like the Honda Civic Type R. Here, Graham Rahal Performance fitted a new turbocharger, intake and exhaust manifolds to the car’s standard 2.0-liter engine. What’s more, they also used a custom KTuning ECU map, giving this tuned RDX A-Spec 345 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque.
On top of adding more power, GRP also fitted Eibach sport springs and six-piston StopTech brakes. 21-inch HRE P101 lightweight wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires round off the GRP RDX A-Spec’s performance upgrades.
Beyond performance
On the aesthetic front, GRP gave the tuned Acura RDX A-Spec some carbon fiber accents all around the car. From the mirror caps and grille to interior trim, the carbon fiber complements a custom steering wheel and GRP-embroidered sport seats.
Of course, we’d expect nothing less than some real performance goods of any car going to SEMA. Sadly, while this is the most powerful Acura RDX A-Spec yet, you won’t see that much power in your standard RDX anytime soon. Still, it does show that the RDX’s standard 2.0-liter engine is capable of much more power.
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