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2018 Acura RLX refresh packs a new face and NSX DNA

The redesigned 2018 Acura RLX is here, and it's the fastest and most capable sedan the company has ever built. While not all new, there's a host of changes both inside and out, through the two powertrains carry over unchanged. The RLX Sport Hybrid packs a bit of NSX DNA to go along with the new family face. The car will make its full reveal next week at Pebble Beach before it hits showrooms later this year. The first Acura RLX debuted in 2013 as a replacement for the range-topping RL sedan. Sales have been slow, though a slimmed down lineup may help that. Powertrains remain the same, but refreshed styling and the removal of the controversial "beak" grille may help bring in some new blood to Acura dealers. The car comes in two variants, the 310 horsepower RLX with Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS) and the 377 horsepower RLX Sport Hybrid with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). That's a lot of acronyms, but there's a lot of tech behind those names. Both models use a 3.5-liter direct-injected V6, though the Sport Hybrid backs that up with three electric motors. It's a similar setup to the Acura MDX Sport Hybrid that we drove in the spring. The RLX P-AWS now sends power to the front wheels through a new 10-speed automatic. Both models get new styling, following on the heels of the updated Acura TLX. The beak is gone, replaced by what Acura dubs the "diamond pentagon" grille. It's handsome and sure to be less divisive than before. In addition to the grille, the RLX gets a new hood, new wheels, and new lighting, with a sea of LEDs lighting up the face. The 2018 model gets three new paint colors to go along with the new bodywork. The RLX Sport Hybrid sits atop the Acura sedan range. As such, standard features include a Krell Audio System, surround view cameras, parking sensors, LED fog lights, remote engine start, ventilated and heated front seats, and heated rear seats and steering wheel. The RLX is available with the AcuraWatch suite of active safety technology. Similar to HondaSense, AcuraWatch comes with automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane departure warnings, forward collision warnings, adaptive cruise control, and low-speed follow. Unique to AcuraWatch is traffic jam assist. This system works with the adaptive cruise and low speed follow to keep the vehicle moving and following at a set distance in heavy traffic. Look for more photos and pricing later this year.

BMW reclaims US luxury sales crown from Mercedes

The numbers, they are in: BMW has reclaimed the luxury-sales crown from Mercedes by a margin of 9,347 cars. Mercedes donned the king's headgear in 2013 after a strong final quarter of 2013 when the new CLA and S-Class poured out of dealerships. This year, led by the 3 Series/4 Series and X5, BMW sold 339,738 units – a 9.8-percent increase year-on-year. Mercedes, led by the C-Class and M-Class, saw its sales go up by 5.7 percent to 330,391 units. We'll have to wait a bit to see if there's another registrations-vs-sales challenge as in 2012, when BMW was anointed US luxury ruler. Behind them, a dark horse named Lexus nudged closer to the leading Teutons, selling 311,389 cars. The Japanese luxury automaker also had the biggest gain among the top three, its sales rising by 13.7 percent compared to 2013. Audi had the biggest sales of anyone among the top five, though, with a 15.2-percent gain to 182,011, which moved it a spot ahead of Cadillac; the Wreath-and-Crest brand dropped 6.5 percent to 170,750. Acura (167,843), Infiniti (117,300), and Lincoln (94,474) took the final positions. Speaking of Lincoln, sales at the once-mighty luxury marque stand as the mightiest jump of any on this list, up 15.6 percent. That's the power of Matthew McConaughey... and better cars and a new crossover, sure. So now that we're back to Round One of 2015, in case no one else has said it yet: "Ok, fight!"

Acura's GM-based electric crossover may be called ADX

Acura's version of Honda's General Motors-based electric crossover will inaugurate the ADX nameplate, according to a recent report. While nothing is official, the United States Patent and Trademark Office recently granted the Japanese company the rights to the name. Spotted by Car & Driver, the trademark application was filed by Honda on December 22, 2021, and approved three days later. Nothing suggests it's for a Honda, but a model called ADX would slot neatly into the Acura range, which also includes the MDX and the RDX. The filing asks more questions than it answers. What's an Acura ADX? One possibility is that the nameplate might appear on Acura's version of the Honda Prologue, which is due out for the 2024 model year. It will be based on a GM-designed platform, and it will be powered by the same Ultium battery technology found under the Cadillac Lyriq, among other EVs. We know it will spawn an Acura, too. It's important to note that nothing in the filing mentions an electric powertrain. Acura's range only includes two crossovers, which is far below the industry average (Lexus has five crossovers and SUVs; even Lincoln has four) so the ADX name could end up on a non-electric addition to the range. The line-up could grow in a number of directions and many of its dealers are asking for bigger and small people-movers. As we've said before, a patent or a trademark filing is not a guarantee that a feature or a nameplate will see the light that awaits at the end of a production line. Carmakers routinely protect their intellectual property to ensure that it doesn't end up in the hands of a rival. Although there's no such thing as an Acura ADX — at least not yet — the name falls in line with the company's naming system. Imagine the confusion that would ensue if, say, Lexus released a crossover called ADX that was aimed directly at the 355-horsepower Acura MDX Type S. Acura hasn't commented on the report, and it hasn't revealed what its Honda and General Motors-derived model will be called. Related video: