1999 Acura Cl Premium Coupe 2-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Acura RDX undercuts rivals with base price of $38,295

The all-new 2019 Acura RDX will hit dealers on June 1, 2018, and it'll come with a window sticker bearing a base price of $38,295. That's for a front-wheel-drive RDX; adding all-wheel drive brings the base price to $40,295. Standard equipment includes the AcuraWatch safety and driver assistance package, which bundles automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and road departure mitigation. All RDX models, regardless of trim, are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that sends 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission to the drive wheels. That's more power than rivals like Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC300, and Volvo XC60, all of which are cited by Acura as key competitors in the small premium crossover segment. The EPA has given the 2019 RDX estimated fuel mileage ratings of 22 city, 28 highway, and 24 combined, or 21/27/23 with all-wheel drive. That's better than the AWD 2018 RDX's 19/27/22 rating, but under the class-leading 22/29/25 figures of the BMW X3, though the Bimmer has less horsepower and torque than the RDX. Perhaps even more important than the low-for-its-class starting price is the reasonable increase in cost as the trim level rises. Opting for an RDX with the Tech Package will cost $41,495 and bring with it navigation with real-time traffic, perforated leather seating surfaces, an ELS Studio audio system with 12 speakers, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic monitor, and front and rear parking sensors. The new RDX A-Spec package branches off the Tech trim level and adds sportier styling with blacked-out accents replacing chrome, 20-inch wheels, 4-inch exhaust tips, an ELX Studio audio system with 16 speakers, heated and ventilated seats, LED fog lights, and sport seats trimmed in leather and Ultrasuede. A red interior package is optional. At the top of the RDX pyramid sits the Advance trim for $46,395. That model gets cool stuff like a high-tech adaptive damper system, 16-way power driver and passenger seats (heated and cooled up front and heated in the rear), a head-up display, surround view camera, genuine wood trim, and a hands-free power tailgate. It's worth noting that since the A-Spec is based on the Tech and not the Advance trim it's not possible to get the adaptive dampers or fancy front seats packaged with the sportiest-looking RDX model. Here's hoping those bits are added as A-Spec package options at a later date.

We drive the Acura TLX-GT racecar

Don't break the car. As you can tell from the video, that's the theme of the day at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI. After two short lapping sessions in the Acura TLX-GT fear gave way to familiarity, and a second theme emerged: this is awesome. The anxiety was appropriate. There are only two TLX-GTs in the world, and both were at Gingerman that day. A mishap would potentially put either Ryan Eversly and Peter Cunningham out of contention for the subsequent Pirelli World Challenge race. I did not want to be that guy. But back to the awesome part. The TLX-GT is barely TLX, but more Acura that you might expect. The wheelbase, roof, and doors are all stock dimensions, although all the bodywork is carbon fiber. Out go the front MacPherson struts, in goes a special double-wishbone suspension. All-wheel drive comes from an XTRAC six-speed sequential transmission originally developed for Dakar Rally vehicles. The side mirrors are stock. Under the hood lies a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 with a stock block, head, crank, and throttle body. "Under the hood" is a generous term, though, because half of the engine sits inside the cabin. The front end of the block is aft of the front axle - the rest of the hood is taken up with radiators and hoses. To service the turbochargers, the RealTime mechanics remove the top of the dashboard. The front-mid engine location pushes the driver's seat back to the B-pillar, so you sit like Hightower from Police Academy. Only with less visibility. This does not calm the nerves. Nor does the din of 600 or so unmuffled horsepower. My first laps were understandably timid. But the TLX-GT is actually easy to drive. You get used to the low, rearward seating position almost immediately. Once rolling you don't need the clutch for shifts - just bang the right and left paddles to go up and down. I even became accustomed to the acceleration. At more than 3,000 pounds curb weigh the TLX-GT is quick, but not as explosive as cars like the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Where the TLX-GT blows away road cars is in grip and braking, neither of which I fully exploited. The brake pedal is so hard you feel like you're standing on it just to get the pads to bite. Once engaged, they're like an endless well of deceleration, with ABS somewhere down at the bottom of the abyss. Second lapping session over, car returned intact and adrenaline high in full effect. I had the uncontrollable urge to get back behind the wheel. I mean, I barely had time to get up to speed.

2024 Acura TLX Preview: Subtle style tweaks, fewer trim options

The 2024 Acura TLX sees a number of updates to keep it competitive and address a few customer requests. It also looks a bit different, but you do need to take a closer side-by-side look. The big visual change is the front end. It now looks more like the TLX Concept car – specifically the lower air dam area and crucially, thereÂ’s now a frameless grille. Acura needed to redesign the entire trim piece above the grille and across the fascia to accommodate it. The change is most obvious on the base TLX, which used to have chrome lipstick around the “Diamond Pentagon” grille. ItÂ’s gone now. So are a whole heap of 2024 Acura TLX trim levels. There had been eight and now there are three: TLX with Technology Package, A-Spec and Type S. Front-wheel drive is now exclusively paired with the now-base TLX with Technology Package (thatÂ’s seriously what itÂ’s called) and vice versa, while the other two are only paired with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). There was previously a Technology-less Base TLX, a front-wheel-drive A-Spec, a TLX with Advance Package, a Type S w/ Performance Tire and the special-edition Type S PMC Edition. The surviving three were apparently what people were overwhelmingly getting. 2024 Acura TLX action front three quarter View 11 Photos That said, parts of those zombie trims survive. The Advance package may be gone for the base TLX (customers were more interested in the sporty versions than the more luxurious take of Advance cars), but its head-up display and surround-view parking camera are added as standard to the Acura TLX Type S. It already had the AdvanceÂ’s other extras. The PMCÂ’s special lightweight wheels, fashioned in a Copper color are now dealer-installed options for the Type S along with the performance tires. Speaking of wheels, Acura answered another customer request by enlarging the A-Spec wheels to 19 inches and through in a coat of Shark Gray paint. The Type S wheels are now Berlina Black to match the new gloss-black finish in its grille. More gloss black shows up on the A-Spec as well on its new, reshaped rear spoiler. Below it is a similarly gloss black diffuser encasing new round tailpipes in place of the old square covers. Perhaps the most significant visual upgrade, however, is back up front where a new, smaller radar sensor for the adaptive cruise control and forward collision prevention system is now completely encased behind the Acura logo.