- Honda's Passport Baja Spec combines a 2.4-litre twin-turbo V6 with an 800V hybrid system.
- HRC US and Mason Motorsports developed the purpose-built race truck for driver Bryce Menzies.
- Its competition debut is scheduled for the Baja 500 on 2–6 June 2027.
Honda has given its Passport name a particularly demanding assignment: chasing overall victory at the Baja 1000 with a hybrid desert racer delivering a claimed output of more than 969kW.
The new Passport Baja Spec was developed in Southern California by Honda Racing Corporation USA and Mason Motorsports. Two-time Baja 1000 winner Bryce Menzies will drive it in partnership with Menzies Motorsports, with its competition debut scheduled for the Baja 500 on 2–6 June 2027.
Before then, the truck will make its first public appearance at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas on 3–6 November 2026.
An endurance-racing V6 behind the cab
The 2.4-litre twin-turbo V6 sits behind the cockpit and is based on the engine used in Acura's ARX-06 GTP endurance racer. HRC US pairs it with a bespoke 800V hybrid system developed in-house.
Honda has also drawn on Formula 1 battery knowledge. Previous-generation F1-style pouch cells sit inside a carbon-fibre case, with the pack built and validated in a new clean room at HRC US headquarters in Santa Clarita.
The electronics include dual-axle brake-by-wire, adaptive traction control and what Honda describes as AI power deployment. HRC's software coordinates the powertrain, chassis and energy management.
Built around the desert job
Mason's Gen 2 all-wheel-drive chassis has a bespoke rear section to accommodate the hybrid hardware. A five-speed Masomatic transmission sits ahead of the engine, while portal gear sets at the front hubs help provide ground clearance.
The carbon-fibre body was developed using computational fluid dynamics. High-mounted exhaust outlets behind the cockpit incorporate aerodynamic fins, and a cooler sits low and towards the rear. Long-travel suspension uses dual FOX Racing shocks at each corner.
Honda's ambition extends beyond the first outing: it wants an overall Baja 1000 win as the event reaches its 60th anniversary in 2027.
