Acura Named Official North American Vehicle Sponsor of the BMC Racing Team

TORRANCE, Calif., April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Acura today announced the brand is now the official North American vehicle sponsor of the BMC Racing Team, an American-registered professional cycling team headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif. Acura will provide the BMC Racing Team with a fleet of specially-equipped TSX Sport Wagons for use as team cars at all North American races.

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"The BMC Racing Team is one of the top teams in professional cycling," said Steve Center, vice president of national marketing operations for Acura. "Their aggressive approach and commitment to the best technology and constant improvement make them a perfect match with the Acura brand."

BMC, makers of carbon-fiber racing bicycles used by top professional riders throughout the world, is coming on strong as one of the top teams to be reckoned with. In March, former world champion Cadel Evans won the Tirreno-Adriatico race, which currently has him in the top 10 of the WorldTour rankings, and the BMC Racing Team is set to compete in the famed Tour de France with a nine-rider team.

"A winning team is as much about having a top rider as it is about having a top support team," said BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz. "Thanks to its sporty driving character and ample cargo capacity, the Acura TSX Sport Wagon is a perfect match for the needs of our team."

BMC Racing Team Acura TSX Sport Wagons will serve as team cars at North American races including the Amgen Tour of California, the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, the Grand Prix of Montreal and Quebec and the all-new USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado. The vehicles are equipped with Acura's hard-drive-based Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition™ and a custom Thule® roof rack system (capable of holding seven BMC bicycles and six spare wheels). During races, each modified TSX Sport Wagon will serve as a rolling command center, repair shop, hospital and cafeteria to support BMC Racing Team riders as they compete in grueling multi-day events through some of the most spectacular cycling terrain in North America. The BMC Racing Team Acura TSX Sport Wagons will debut at the week-long 2011 Amgen Tour of California, starting May 15 in South Lake Tahoe, CA.

About The BMC Racing Team

The BMC Racing Team is a United States-registered UCI ProTeam headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., and title sponsored by Switzerland-based bicycle manufacturer BMC. In 2010, the team achieved a number of successes, including leading both the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia (in its first participation in both events), a victory at Fleche Wallonne, two stage wins at the Tour de Suisse and one at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. The team's roster includes former world road champions Cadel Evans (2009) and Alessandro Ballan (2008), current Under 23 world time trial and U.S. national time trial champion Taylor Phinney, and past three-time national road champion George Hincapie (U.S.). For more information, visit www.bmcracingteam.com.

About Acura

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced performance luxury vehicles through a network of 270 dealers within the United States. The 2011 Acura lineup features six distinctive models including the RL luxury performance sedan, the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan and all-new Sport Wagon, the turbocharged RDX luxury crossover SUV, the award-winning MDX luxury sport utility vehicle and the ZDX four-door sports coupe.

For media information and high-resolution photos of all Acura vehicles, please visit www.acuranews.com. For consumer information, please visit www.acura.com.

SOURCE Acura