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Acura gives us a lightning-quick glimpse of the NSX Type S

Acura released a short preview film to give fans a fast-paced look at the limited-edition NSX Type S. Scheduled to break cover tomorrow, August 12, it's being boldly presented as the final evolution of the second-generation model. The eight-second flick posted on various social media channels provides us with a peek at the Type S' front end. It shows two cars speeding towards the camera down what looks like a race track's main straight. Acura wants to keep the Type S under wraps until its big debut, so the footage gets blurry as the cars speed by; that's why it's called a teaser. We nonetheless think we can squint and discern a redesigned front end with larger air intakes.  Acura might have chiseled bigger vents into the front bumper because the Type S needs additional cooling air. It's powered by a mid-mounted engine, but there are radiators located right behind the front bumper in the regular-production model. Of course, we're not discounting the possibility that the vents were merely added for show. As we previously reported, the visual changes will also include a red engine cover and black exterior accents. Additionally, the Type S will offer more power than the standard, 573-horsepower NSX and sharper handling. Acura will build 350 units of the NSX Type S, and 300 of those have been earmarked for the American market. The model will make its public debut on August 12 on the sidelines of Monterey Car Week, so we won't have to wait long to learn about the improvements the company has made. If you want one, act fast; if you want the first one, bid high. Serial number one will be sold to the highest bidder at Mecum's Monterey sale on August 14, 2021. The proceeds from the sale will benefit a number of charities. As for what's next, nothing suggest there's a third-generation NSX on the way, but the GT3-spec race car will soon receive a round of updates and it might continue racing until 2024. Related video:

Acura Integra to capstone combustion era as EV transition begins

The recent launch of the resurrected Integra nameplate is just part of a larger shift in mission at Acura. Its leaders have repeatedly said they want Acura to be the performance brand of Honda, where driving fun and dynamics come first. However, in a new report, Acura says it plans to go big on fully electric vehicles, at even greater speed than its parent company, by skipping the hybrid step altogether. According to Acura assistant VP of sales Emile Korkor, the Integra was a capstone to the internal combustion era at Acura. It marked a sort of homecoming to the marque's performance pedigree, and once Integra is launched, the brand will move forward with electrifying its lineup. The company's plans were revealed in an Automotive News interview, where Korkor said, "We're going to bypass hybrids altogether. So our shift is going very rapidly into BEV. That's our main focus." At first blush, that seems to be at odds with brand boss Jon Ikeda's public statements about Acura. As recently as a couple of weeks ago, Ikeda was saying that he wanted to take the Integra racing, as something of a mascot for the "fun" brand at Honda. Perhaps we've been desensitized to automakers making big proclamations about EV transitions a la Jaguar, Land Rover, Bentley, and Infiniti, but typically the green messaging has not been about performance in the traditional sense. Says Korkor, "We're not just dipping our toe in the water with electric at Acura, we are jumping all in. And that's not just because we need to. It's because we want to. Acura is really focused on performance, and electrification is one of the greatest ways we can augment that performance." While electrification and performance are not mutually exclusive, we have yet to drive an EV that connects to the road as beautifully as a 1990s Integra or NSX did. Acuras have never been about power and torque. Yet they were still compelling performance cars thanks to brilliant steering and driving dynamics. Then there's the issue of what Acura represents. Back in February, Ikeda said that Acura was purposefully holding off on an EV strategy because it needed to re-establish its performance bona fides. Now, Korkor says, "The benefit of returning to the Integra right now is that it's going to help shepherd a new generation of customers and build loyalty as we move into a new era." The problem is, the Integra alone isn't enough to establish that performance cred.

Honda's latest fuel pump recall covers 761,000 vehicles worldwide

Honda will recall around 761,000 vehicles worldwide to replace fuel pumps that could fail and lead to stalling engines. This recall, which is described in the National Highway Safety Administration campaign number 21V215000, isn't the Japanese automaker's first recall for bad fuel pumps. It includes 628,000 vehicles sold in the United States. Honda isn't aware of any crashes or injuries related to the issue. This most recent recall includes models from both Acura and Honda, some from 2019 only and others stretching into the 2020 model year. From Acura, some ILX, MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX and TLX models are included. From Honda, the recall covers certain Accord (including the Hybrid), Civic (Coupe, Sedan and Hatchback and including the Si and Type R), Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline. Finally, some Honda CR-V models from 2018 and 2019 are also included. Less than a year ago, Honda issued a recall over the fuel pumps of 136,057 vehicles in the U.S., some of which seem to overlap with this latest recall. Back in 2019, two separate recalls covered well over half a million vehicles for other fuel pump-related maladies, though it's not clear if any or all of these issues are related. With so many recalls over fuel pumps, it would be a good idea for owners of 2018-2020 Honda vehicles to enter their VIN numbers at either Honda's dedicated recall website or use the various tools provided by NHTSA. Related video: Featured Gallery 2019 Honda Pilot View 37 Photos Green Recalls Acura Honda