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Acura Pikes Peak lineup is out, and there's a race-prepped MDX Sport Hybrid

Acura is coming back to Pikes Peak for the 2019 edition of the hillclimb, and it's bringing four vehicles to attack the mountain. Not the fastest, but perhaps the most interesting of the bunch is a race-prepped 2019 MDX Sport Hybrid. Engineers took the 3.5-liter V6 from the non-hybrid version (Hybrid has a 3.0-liter V6) of the MDX and bored it out to 3.7-liters. It then works together with Acura's three-motor hybrid system for a combined 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Shifting is still done by Acura's 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The extra power is thanks to the larger displacement and special tuning for the engine and electric motors. Further upgrades to the MDX include a race-tuned active-damper suspension system and a roll cage. Acura says it goes a long way to increase structural rigidity. Additionally, Acura removed most of the vehicle's interior, including every seat but the driver's seat. Piloting the MDX is Jordan Guitar of Acura R&D's chassis development team. A couple NSXs, one "Time Attack" car and one mostly stock, will also run up the mountain. The Time Attack NSX has more power from larger turbos, bringing the system output up to 625 horsepower. Weight-saving measures have dropped 200 pounds from the structure, and there's plenty more downforce thanks to a big wing front splitter. Not much has been done to the production-spec NSX, as it simply adds a roll cage and racing seat with a harness. The Acura RDX that ran up the mountain last year is returning for this 2019 run. It features a modified 2.0-liter turbo that makes a respectable 350 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. That extra power comes courtesy of a larger turbocharger, short-path intercooler and an electric supercharger. Can we have all that for production, please? The last Acura in the field is the same RealTime Racing TLX GT that won its class last year. There's one more NSX that'll be going up and down Pikes Peak, but not in anger. Acura is providing an NSX to act as the official pace car of the event, and it's predictably painted in the easy to pick out Thermal Orange.

Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k

Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic storm in US history, and its total economic impact is just now coming into view. According to Automotive News, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda are set to scrap around 15,000 new vehicles ruined by the storm. Nissan alone accounts for about 40 percent of those, with 6,000 Nissan and Infiniti models deeded "un-saleable" due to damage. The company saw 56 dealerships shuttered due to the storm, but 51 of those have since reopened.
Toyota, meanwhile, had some 4,000 vehicles at its Newark port facility, and of those, 3,000 may be scrapped. An additional 825 were dealer inventory when they were ruined. Honda and Acura dealers are reportedly sending 3,440 vehicles to the salvage yard. By comparison, Chrysler weathered the storm fairly well with 825 units destroyed, while Hyundai suffered only 400 lost units and Kia scrapped around 200.
As you may recall, Fisker also suffered some losses, and Automotive News reports the manufacturer saw 320 Karma models damaged beyond repair. Ford and General Motors have yet to come up with estimates, and no automaker has commented on the full cost of replacing the vehicles.

2024 Acura Integra Type S is official, looks like a luxurious Civic Type R

Rumors have flown about an Acura Integra Type S since the Integra Prototype was revealed last year, and today, Acura confirms those rumors. The Integra Type S is real. It’s under development, and itÂ’s coming in summer 2023. Photos of a camouflaged test car are what we get for visuals right now, and it looks decidedly more aggressive than a regular Integra. The front end is completely different. Camo is hiding a hood bulge of sorts. On the side, much wider fenders play host to massive tires. Visually, it looks like itÂ’s rocking the same size wheel and tire setup as the new Civic Type R with its big 265-section-width tires. In the rear, the Type R wing is replaced by a subtle lip spoiler. Plus, the Integra gets an entirely different rear bumper with some diffuser vanes on either side. Framed by this lower valence is a tri-tip center-exit exhaust. YouÂ’ll notice that all three tips are the same size, unlike the Type R that has two smaller tips and one extra-large one. This suggests the Type S will get a unique exhaust system, similar to how the regular Integra has a unique exhaust versus the Civic Si. Details from Acura are thin, but suggest the Integra Type S will essentially be a Civic Type R thatÂ’s been given a dose of luxury in a new body. ItÂ’ll be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes “over 300 horsepower.” This is surely the Type RÂ’s engine. A six-speed manual transmission is the exclusive shifting option, and just like the Type R, the Integra Type S is fitted with a limited-slip differential. Acura says it will provide “ultimate street performance and driver engagement.”  More details beyond the above will have to wait until a later date. Acura says the Type S is coming for the 2024 model year and set to go on sale in the summer of 2023. Related video: