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Acura ILX headed for Civic-like early upgrades

The not-yet-ready-for-primetime 2012 Honda Civic saw it quickly returned to sender for refurbishment, now the Acura ILX is headed in the same direction in its very first year. Automotive News reports that the small, Civic-based sedan from Honda's luxury brand isn't meeting sales expectations, with an annualized rate of 22,000 to 24,000 sales instead of the 30,000 the company is after. More telling is that the ILX "is being outsold by the Buick Verano, Volkswagen CC and Audi A4," and, except for two months since it launched, it has also been outdone by the Acura TSX it is meant to replace.
Part of the cause has been the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine: its 150 horsepower to motivate a sedan that can weigh up to 2,970 pounds doesn't offer the kind of performance or value experience that buyers in the segment respond to. Another big issue is that the top-level 2.4-liter engine is only offered with a six-speed manual even though most buyers of the highest trim don't really want to shift their own gears. Lastly, the ILX might not put enough space between it and its frugal underpinnings - our first drive review pegged it as "the world's nicest Honda Civic."
An automatic transmission is on the way for the 2.4-liter, but it isn't clear when. And while Honda admits that the 2.0-liter is underpowered and Automotive News says it's on the way out, the company hasn't yet said how that situation will be corrected.

2016 Acura NSX aimed at Ferrari 458 for the price of Audi R8

Acura has done a good job of keeping the next-generation NSX under the wraps for the past few months, especially after a fiery little incident during testing at the Nürburgring earlier this year. But UK's What Car? recently got a chance to speak with development boss Ted Klaus, and he unleashed a few new details about the much-anticipated supercar to make it even harder for us to wait.
Among the info was a strong estimate of the NSX's performance potential. "We have to achieve the type of acceleration that the customer is achieving with the Ferrari," said Klaus to What Car?. "More importantly we have to achieve this every day and also at the Nürburgring." Assuming Acura's supercar is as actually quick as a 458 Italia, then it could hit 60 miles per hour in around 3.5 seconds.
Klaus also claims that the wickedly fast performance could come at a relative bargain for the class. The price is reportedly being benchmarked against the Audi R8, which would put the NSX around $130,000 in the US. While hardly cheap, it would still be a healthy discount off a 458.

6 best cars for $5,000

Looking for a great used car but only have a few thousand bucks to spend? Check out our 6 favorite used vehicles that you can get for around $5,000 or less. 1. 2004-2006 Subaru WRX The Subaru Impreza WRX offers a lot of what you might want in a vehicle. A 2L turbocharged engine gives 227 horsepower and it gets 27 mpg on the highway. 2. 2006-2015 Mazda5 The Mazda5 never got the sales it deserved. It was affordable and more maneuverable than most vehicles, but it never took off. It was based on the Mazda3, and felt like it as well... just a bigger version. If you're lucky, you'll be able to locate one with a manual transmission. 3. 1990-1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata A car that's praised for rewarding the driver. The shifter is sublime, and the controls are light and accurate. The 1.6-liter engine that makes 115 horsepower or a 1.8-liter that makes 128 horsepower are our preferred versions. 4. 2009-2013 Honda Fit Beside being cute, it's supremely practical and great in the city. It manages to be pretty entertaining to drive, and let's not forget it's a hatchback. 5. 1987-2006 Jeep Wrangler Yes, it's possible to get a well-loved Jeep Wrangler with about 100,000 miles on the odometer. In many ways, a Wrangler is perfect for the snowy winters with its unrivaled 4x4 capability. An SUV, convertible and icon, all in one? What more could you ask for? 6. 2002 Chevy Silverado Truck lovers, we have you covered. We love the Chevy Silverado with a 5.3-liter V8 engine and a 4-speed automatic transmission. It makes a great second car, especially if you already have a fuel efficient vehicle around the house. What would you buy for $5,000? Honda Jeep Mazda Subaru Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video wrangler mazda5