It’s been a long time coming, but the Acura NSX finally left the concept world behind and became a real deal production car at the 2015 North American International Auto Show. It doesn’t happen often, but we think the final product actually looks better than all the show cars that came before. Bathed in deep red paint the NSX looks impossibly low, dramatic and futuristic with beautiful wheels at the far corners and floating C-pillars to cap it off. The mid-engine V6 is turbocharged for more than 550 hp and combines with electric motors to drive all four wheels for precise handling. Acura left the interior relatively traditional with only colorful leather work and a red starter button to set it off. Acura is leaving a lot of details unannounced until closer to the NSX’s launch later this year but we’re glad to finally know it’s a looker and a welcome return to a sports car atop the brand’s lineup.
Since the ILX came along a few years ago the TLX has seemed a bit redundant. Well Acura is getting around to moving it a bit upscale and they’re including a whole host of new components at the same time. The 2.4-liter engine is now paired to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission and Acura’s 3.5-liter V6 is now tied to a 9-speed automatic. Both engines now offer direct-injection, which is a technology Acura seemed slow in adopting. In addition, all wheel drive can be specified for the V6 model and even Acura’s all-wheel steering assist system can be added to the 2.4-liter model to make this a seriously impressive mid-size premium sedan offering. With the way Acura works we know the production version of this prototype will be on sale by summer and you can be sure we will keep you posted.
Because the NSX remains two years away, Acura used the rest of its NAIAS time to show the assembled press the 2014 MDX Prototype that strongly hints at the production version which will get its own debut soon. Like springtime soon. Which means basically everything you see here will be available in showrooms later this year. This prototype did not have an interior so we can’t comment on that but the MDX remains powered by the 3.5-liter V6 but should get a bump in the power ratings. Super Handling All Wheel Drive will be offered but a front wheel drive MDX will now be available for those in warm climates. A longer wheelbase will allow for more second row legroom and improve ride quality. We like the handsome, refined lines of the new look and we’ll be sure to bring you the full report when we drive the production MDX later this year. Read more…
Acura more or less stole the show last year with the debut of the NSX Concept and the news that it would be developed and built right here in America. To keep that excitement alive they used this year’s show to roll out an updated NSX Concept to curious journalists wondering how the road to production is treating the original Japanese supercar. From what we saw, it’s off to a great start. The exterior changes are mild and mostly for aero management and cooling purposes, but the biggest news was the proposed interior in this concept that previews one possible configuration for the production NSX. However, Acura was clear that this is only a proposal and not an approved design, since the production NSX still has two years of development left. Hopefully the wheels don’t reach production since they play some strange optical tricks on the eye. We like our wheels to look round, thank you very much. Read more…
It’s no secret the last few years haven’t been the highlights of Acura’s 25 year history. Some of the trouble was self-inflicted—we’re looking at you 2009 TL—and some of it was economic meltdown and Mother Nature’s wrath, but Acura is planning to meet aggressive sales targets during the next few years by reinvigorating their lineup from the bottom up. The plan starts with winning in two of the highest anticipated growth segments during the next five years with the all-new ILX entering the Near Premium sedan segment and the redesigned RDX contesting the Entry Premium crossover segment. We were recently invited to sample the new entry points to the Acura brand and we’re now far more confident that Acura’s projected 45% sales increase this year is within reach. Read more…
This year no debut earned more applause than the announcement that the Acura NSX Concept would be entering production within three years. Check out this video of Executive Editor Brandon Dye sharing the highlights of the returning Japanese supercar. Read more…
Acura made a splash in Detroit by unveiling two new production models and a concept signaling the return of the dearly departed NSX. Since we’re enthusiasts around here you can bet our curiosity was piqued at every NSX detail they were willing to divulge. Unfortunately for us, and subsequently you, that wasn’t much. What we did learn was that the NSX will return to production within three years at the hands of a US development team and be built in Ohio of all places. Read more…
The good news about the new Acura TL is that it’s a nicer version of the Honda Accord. The bad news? It’s a nicer version of the Honda Accord. That’s the contradiction of the TL, which has been refreshed — and made a lot prettier — for the 2012 model year. It takes a fantastic, fun, ultra-reliable Accord and spiffs it up for the luxury market, packing it full of cool gadgets and adding sound-deadening materials to make it quiet on the highway. Read more…
When the Acura RDX was introduced in 2006, it was designed to be one of the sportiest luxury crossovers on the market — a smaller, more affordable version of the Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5. Today, though, the market is flooded with crossovers that claim to be sporty, many of which are exceptionally good cars. Even brands like Mazda and Hyundai are becoming better competition for entry-level luxury brands like Acura. Read more…
People all over the world get to buy juicy, delicious cars that we Americans aren’t allowed to sample. Sometimes that’s because other countries’ regulations will allow cars that don’t meet America’s standards for safety and eco-cleanliness. But more often than not it’s because an automotive overlord smartly decides that Americans probably wouldn’t buy many of them. Read more…
