Honda's 2025 SEMA Cars Are More Than Just Concepts (Video)

The most direct confirmation of this strategy came from the team behind the new Integra concept. "I'm the general manager for a new business that we're building up which... it's called performance parts, HRC performance parts," explained Honda's Rob Ray, General Manager for HRC Performance Parts.

This was echoed by Jeremy Lucas, Principal Engineer at Honda Racing Corporation. "We just started a new group... called HRC Performance Parts and that is the purpose of our group is to bring parts to our street car and truck customers," he stated. "And so here in the next year you will see parts available from HRC available at your local dealership."

This context changes the SEMA exhibits entirely. They aren't just "what ifs"; they are "what's next." Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), the brand's legendary racing arm—whose credibility was reinforced by the 550-horsepower, Baja 500-placing Passport race truck also on display—is officially branching out to sell parts directly to consumers.

The Passport HRC concept was built to "expand the capability of the vehicle" for serious off-roading. It features a host of bolt-on upgrades:

• Redesigned front and rear bumpers for improved approach and departure angles
• Exposed tow hooks, a winch, and rock sliders
• Full underbody protection covering the prop shaft and rear differential
• Prototype Multimatic dampers and an increased ride height
• An interior packed with an onboard air compressor, accessory mounting panels, and a roof-mounted control panel for exterior lights.

When asked about its production chances, Jeremy explained the vehicle's true purpose. "What we're trying to do here at the show is... we're gauging the interest in the various change points on this to see which ones we should show focus on going forward," he said. "So, this vehicle could be sold as you see it... or we could sell the parts on an a la carte basis."

This is the key. The concept is a tool for market research, allowing Honda to see which of these new HRC parts—the underbody protection, the new bumpers, the suspension—customers actually want to buy.

The story was identical for the new Integra concept. Described as a car "built up with all the parts... that take your car up to the next level," its goal is to bridge the gap between the production car and Honda's DE5 Integra race car.

It’s aimed at a customer who wants a daily driver that can be taken to the track on weekends. The list of modifications is a performance-lover's dream:

• Weight Reduction: Carbon fiber hood, carbon fiber bucket seats, and a rear-seat delete.
• Suspension: A fully adjustable coilover system, allowing drivers to tweak dampers, as well as front and rear camber and rear toe for specific track setups.
• Brakes: A "massive" 6-piston front caliper with a 380mm rotor, the largest brake setup that can fit inside a 19-inch wheel.

When rated on the "SEMA scale," the team gave it "about a five." But they quickly clarified that this rating was for the complete car. The parts are another story.

When asked if a customer could soon build a similar car using HRC parts, the answer was unambiguous: "Yes, exactly. And that's the thing we're we're looking at right now in the near term... we're going to be working continuing to work on the parts," said Brent, the project's engineering lead. He even noted, "this car in particular even has been one of our test vehicles for some of the parts that are on the car."

Ultimately, Honda's 2025 SEMA presence was a clear signal to the market. While the complete, turnkey vehicles might remain concepts, the components they are made of are destined for dealer showrooms. The real story isn't the cars; it's the launch of HRC Performance Parts and the very public debut of its first-generation catalog.