2017 Acura Nsx on 2040-cars

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7 major automakers to build open EV charging network

A new joint venture established by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American electric vehicle charging network on a scale designed to compete with Tesla's industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30,000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla's almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers' Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models — whether they're from one of the involved automakers or not.  "With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program." Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker's in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the two automakers' 800-volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche.  In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America's growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker's in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure.  "The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakersÂ’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience," the announcement said.

Acura files for Integra Type S trademark

It's only been a couple of weeks since Acura dropped the news bomb that it was bringing back the Integra. In that time, though, the company has quickly applied to trademark the name "Integra Type S" with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The filing, discovered by CarBuzz, was submitted on Aug. 20, a little less than a week after the Integra revival was announced. Curiously, it's under the category of "Apparel and headwear, namely, caps, hats, T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, knit shirts, polo shirts, jackets and vests," rather than automobiles.   It seems unlikely, though, that Acura would trademark Integra Type S for shirts and hats if it didn't plan on building a car to go along with it. So the Integra may come in standard and hotted up versions. The last time Acura offered an Type S in North America, it wasn't officially called that. During Acura's switch to an alphanumeric naming convention, the Integra name was dropped in favor of RSX, built from 2002-06. There, the Type S moniker, while not as hard-core as the previous-generation Integra Type R, still meant a considerable bump in performance. Regular RSX models had 160 horsepower, but the RSX Type S cranked out 200 to 210, depending on the year. The Type S was also available exclusively with a manual transmission, and had improved suspension and brakes. While a similar improvement in hardware would be more than welcome on an Integra Type S, we don't want to get too excited over what could just be a logo on a T-shirt. The wouldn't be the first time in recent memory a carmaker trademarked a familiar name for swag. Earlier this year Nissan trademarked Fairlady Z — the original name for the Nissan Z-car — for usage on anything from cuff links to wall clocks. Meanwhile, Ford stepped in and trademarked the name Skyline for the category of cars and trucks. So Acura should probably just go ahead and get the trademark for cars, even if it doesn't plan on offering it at all.  

2025 Acura RDX treated to minor nip and tuck, but stays the course

The 2025 Acura RDX is due for a complete overhaul as this generation enters its seventh model year, but it looks like we’ll need to be a little more patient, as Acura just announced this 2025 model is getting a light refresh. A new “frameless” grille with a mesh pattern adorns the front to bring it in line with other Acuras wearing the same design. New wheels throughout the lineup spruce things up along the sides, with 19-inch Berlina Black-painted rims being the new standard option. Meanwhile, Advance Package cars receive new body-color lower exterior trim and unique multi-spoke machine finish 19-inch wheels. A-Spec trim RDXs step things up to 20-inch wheels with their own unique design. Lastly, three new shades join the color palette consisting of Solar Silver Metallic, Urban Gray Pearl and Canyon River Blue Metallic. Interior updates see the RDX gain a new center console design that features larger cupholders and an improved wireless phone charger. What it does not change is the True Touchpad infotainment system. Acura went away from its long-running (and controversial) infotainment system design in the new 2025 MDX, but the RDX marches on with the same design. What is improved, though, is the 10.2-inch screen itself. Acura says itÂ’s updated and now supports a wide-screen mode for wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Previously, it only displayed on part of the screen with the other portion reserved for various other things. The final interior update is a quality one, as Acura says Advance Package cars (including A-Spec with Advance Package) will be equipped with full-leather upholstery, ambient lighting on the new center console and backlit door speakers. Everything else about the RDX remains the same. As a reminder, that means itÂ’s equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that sends 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Pricing for this massaged RDX will come soon, as Acura says the 2025 model is hitting dealers later this month.