The 800-horsepower “Beast” will get the kids to school on time GREENCASTLE, Ind. —
The driver puts the car in first gear, steps on the gas, and slowly pulls away. I think to myself, how novel.
A huge jolt kicks me in the back halfway down pitlane, and a million bees start buzzing away.
The Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer, which Honda refers to as “The Beast,” is a truly wild engineering experiment.
I’m at Putnam Park Roadcourse, which is just outside of Indianapolis and can be reached in 45 minutes by car.
I’ll be there one day before the 107th Indianapolis 500. However, the 2.2-liter twin-turbo V6 that Honda supplies to the series is making noise behind me, so the interior of this mid-engine “CR-V” is about as close as I’ll get to being in the driver’s seat of an Indy car.
It produces 800 horsepower when combined with Skeleton Supercapacitors and Empel MGU hybrid motor technology.
As the familiar sound of an IndyCar ferociously tickles my eardrums as I accelerate onto the track, I am slouched back in my seat.
Because this CR-V is loud and not for the faint of heart, I do mean ferociously.
Any IndyCar fan would adore the reverb and acoustics of the SUV body style in the cabin, which creates a chamber of sound — remember to wear your hearing protection.
