Acura’s streak of factory entries at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will continue this June, where it will race a specially prepared 2024 Acura Integra Type S. Better yet, the Integra will wear a special, fourth-wall-breaking livery that looks like it came straight out of cartoons.
The Integra Type S will be driven by Loni Unser, the latest generation of a racing dynasty that has claimed nine IndyCar championships over the years. The new Integra made its racing debut at Pikes Peak in 2022, so letting the Type S cut its teeth there would be a fitting follow-up. Unser’s car isn’t listed in the official 2023 entry list, so it’s unclear which class she will compete in, or how much the car has been modified.
The Integra has been decorated in a cel-shaded paint scheme inspired by comics—or cartoons, or manga, or whichever you choose. This type of paint scheme is a rising trend in car customization and was featured in a story in Business Insider. One graffiti artist who has painted a Mazda RX-7 in this way explained they worked with spray paint and eyed how light struck the car to determine where shading was needed. That way, these paint jobs always look dramatically lit, even in suboptimal conditions.
Having Unser at the wheel of a manga-esque car makes for a real-life mirror of Acura’s “Chiaki’s Journey” campaign, a string of anime-inspired ads featuring a fictional young racing driver. In its latest installment, it builds up to a race entry at Pikes Peak in the snow—not an unrealistic scenario given the mountain’s chaotic weather. It won’t be one that Acura hopes for come race day though, which will be on Sunday, June 25.
Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com