If you’re like me, then you’ve been playing Gran Turismo ever since it first debuted on the Sony Playstation. I was introduced to a lot of cars I never even heard of. Cappuccino’s, FTO’s and even the coveted Pikes Peak Suzuki Escudo R were cars I learned a great deal about over a decade ago through the magic of video games. Yes, my eyes were open to all sorts of new JDM race cars as well. Among them, one particularly caught my eye, the very bright and colorful livery of the JACCS Honda Accord.

I still laugh when people tell me that rim tucked cars can never be raced competitively.

Now I’ve actually tried to read more about this lime green, orange and red car, but details are kinda hazy. Here’s a few things i’ve discovered though (please correct me if i’m wrong!).

There was apparently two different versions of this car, one made to compete in the JGTC GT300 class, and a slightly different JTCC spec’d one. Externally, they both look the same, except the motors were slightly different. Due to JTCC rules and regulations, race cars were limited to a maximum of 2 liters of displacement, so the JACCS JTCC 5th generation Accord was running (and this is where it gets hazy) a factory F20B from the Accord SIR to the tune of about 300whp, extremely impressive for a normally aspirated four bangin’ motor. Check out the first part of this VIDEO for a more in depth view of the car, although it’s all in Japanese. Check out the steering wheel placement! Sorry the embed code was disabled…

The JACCS pit crew probably eat a lot of Skittles too

Check out the JACCS Accord in action!

And for you guys that think “pssssssh, I can make 300whp in my SRT-4″, remember that 300 horsepower is no joke when the car weighs only 2150lbs and shifts gears with a quickness through a specially made race spec 6 speed transmission! Still don’t believe me? Then check out what happens when the JACCS Accord drag races (yes, I said drag) a Ferrari F355 (I know, it mis-shifts, but you know where I’m getting at)!

Not too shabby, huh? I bet sitting in this thing while it three wheels into a corner while blasting on a straightaway is unreal. Nowadays, the only way for you to experience that is virtually and maybe the new Gran Turismo 5 will stick to their roots and bring us back the JACCS Accord and give the new generation of gamers a look into what I experienced years ago. Let’s just hope GT5 comes out before 2015.

FWD NA 4cyl vs. AWD Turbo 6cyl

–David–
David@maydaygarage.com