Acura and USA Bobsled/Skeleton Form Official Premier Technology and Automotive Partnership to Advance Performance Utilizing World-Class Honda Wind Tunnel in Ohio

• Partnership includes Acura support of USA Bobsled/Skeleton (USABS) at World Cup/World Championship events and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and French Alps 2030
• As Official Premier Technology Partner, Honda R&D will apply technical resources and 50 years of advanced engineering capabilities to aid in the training and performance goals of USABS
• Initial testing has begun at the Honda Automotive Laboratories of Ohio (HALO) Wind Tunnel
• Partnership builds on Honda support for USA and as Founding Partner of LA28 Games which includes Honda and Acura vehicles

EAST LIBERTY, Ohio, July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- American Honda today announced a new Official Premier Technology and Official Automotive Partnership with the USA Bobsled/Skeleton Team (USABS), supporting these exceptional athletes in their pursuit of excellence through 2030. The partnership will leverage the advanced technical knowledge and engineering expertise of Honda R&D engineers in America at the Honda Auto Development Center in Raymond, Ohio, amassed over five decades of product development activity in the U.S., in support of extensive USABS race experience and elite athletes.

Additionally, USABS and Honda engineers will utilize the extensive capabilities of the HALO aeroacoustic wind tunnel (Honda Automotive Laboratories of Ohio) in East Liberty, Ohio, a world-class testing facility that began operations in 2022 and provides aerodynamic flow quality for the development of vehicles. This same technology, together with Honda R&D engineers, will provide essential engineering data, analysis, and design input to ensure the elite USABS athletes and equipment are set up for optimal performance. USA Bobsled/Skeleton will also feature Acura logos on their sleds in both national and international competitions in recognition of the brand's Precision Crafted Performance DNA, a commitment to creating vehicles with precise engineering, innovative technology and advanced performance.

"In this, our 50^th year of R&D activities in America, we are proud to help the USA Bobsled and Skeleton athletes in their pursuit of gold at the Winter Games and beyond," shared Larry Geise, executive vice president of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC (HDMA), with responsibility for the North American Auto Development Center (ADC). "In sports where sleds can reach speeds of over 90 miles per hour and the difference between first and last can be measured in fractions of a second, our Honda engineers are eager to apply their engineering skills and racing background to the USABS programs."

The multi-year partnership will benefit the USABS team at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Support will continue over the next five years at the World Cup and World Championship competitions, leading up to the Olympic Winter Games French Alps 2030. To deliver the best overall performance to USABS, Honda will rely on the same fundamental approach used in automotive development, carefully matching the equipment to the athletes. Additionally, Honda is learning about the speed and extreme forces the athletes endure to help fine-tune their performances. Athletes will also spend time at HALO to study the aerodynamic impact they have on the sleds. 

"This partnership with Honda marks an exciting moment for USA Bobsled/Skeleton," shared Aron McGuire, CEO of USABS. "Bringing together the precision, performance, and innovation of Honda's U.S. based engineering teams with the athletic excellence of our bobsled and skeleton athletes will give the USA team a distinct edge on the world stage. With Acura leading the way as our official automotive brand, we're proud to align with a company that shares our values of speed, teamwork and relentless pursuit of excellence."

"We are thrilled to welcome Honda to the USABS family, and we are grateful for the support of their U.S. engineers," said Chris Fogt, head coach of the USA Bobsled Team. "Honda is a known leader in the racing world. We are already seeing how Honda will apply its resources and technologies to advance the training and performance of USABS and can't wait to see the results."

"In skeleton, an athlete's head, shoulders, arms, and leg positions are all imperative to aero and performance. Time at Honda's HALO wind tunnel will provide valuable feedback to our athletes about their sliding positions to allow them to optimize their results," shared Matt Antoine, Head Coach of the USA Skeleton Team.

Honda will help the world's greatest athletes pursue their dreams in 2028 as a Founding Partner of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Honda, which established its first U.S. operations in Los Angeles in June 1959, is the Official Automotive Partner of Team USA, supporting the United States Olympic and Paralympic teams during the LA28 Games and upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. As part of this support, the company will offer a wide range of Honda and Acura mobility products for usage throughout the Games, maximizing the use of electrified vehicles like the upcoming Honda 0 Series and Acura RSX.

About Honda Research & Development in America
Honda has been conducting research & development operations in America for 50 years, beginning with the establishment of a research facility in California in 1975. Today, Honda conducts R&D activities at 21 facilities across the country responsible for creating advanced products and technologies that provide new value to Honda and Acura customers.

Honda conducts all facets of product development in the U.S., including market and technology research, product styling, engineering design, prototype fabrication and testing, collaboration with parts suppliers, and support for mass production. With major R&D facilities in California, Ohio, and North Carolina, U.S. Honda associates are engaged in the development and testing of Honda and Acura automobiles, Honda powersports and power equipment products, and also play a lead role in the development of leading-edge safety, driver-assistive and environmental technologies.

Honda in America
Honda started operations in the United States with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. in 1959. Today, Honda employs over 30,000 associates in America engaged in the development, manufacturing, sales and service support of Honda and Acura automobiles, Honda power equipment, Honda powersports and marine products, and the HondaJet advanced light jet.

Based on its longstanding commitment to build products close to the customer, Honda operates 12 major U.S. manufacturing facilities, working with 620 U.S. suppliers to produce a diverse range of Honda products using domestic and globally made parts. Honda has built automobiles in America for over 40 years, and in 2024, nearly two-thirds of all Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in America.

Honda also conducts research and development activities at 23 facilities in America where we fully design, develop and engineer many of the products the company manufactures in America. 

Learn more with the Honda Digital FactBook.   

About Acura
Acura is a leading premium auto brand committed to delivering expressive styling, innovative engineering and engaging dynamics, all built on the brand's Precision Crafted Performance DNA. The Acura lineup consists of two sport sedans, the Integra and TLX, and four sport-utility vehicles, the first-ever ADX, RDX, MDX and all-electric ZDX. High-performance Type S variants further demonstrate the virtues of Acura Precision Crafted Performance. Over 90% of Acura vehicles were made in America in the first half of 2025 using domestic and globally made parts

More information about Acura is available here: https://acuranews.com/en-US.

About USA Bobsled/Skeleton
USA Bobsled/Skeleton (USABS) is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sports of bobsled and skeleton in the United States, representing Team USA on the world stage. Headquartered in Lake Placid, NY, USABS is dedicated to developing and supporting American athletes at all levels, from grassroots programs to elite international competition. Through world-class training, innovation, and a commitment to excellence, USABS strives to uphold the rich tradition of American success in sliding sports while fostering the next generation of world-class athletes.

SOURCE Honda