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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:

2021 Acura TLX Type S First Drive Review | Adapting to a changed world

SALINAS, Calif. — A lot has changed since Acura offered its last Type S model over a decade ago. Tesla's EVs have plundered a sizable chunk of market share, Korean manufacturers have stormed the near-luxury and luxury segments, and Acura, in an effort to restore the luster of their once-revered nameplate, rebooted the legendary NSX as a hybrid-powered supercar halo with the hopes that desirability (and some hardware) will trickle down into the rest of the lineup.  That last part is key to understanding the mission of the new 2021 Acura TLX Type S. Though the premium sport sedan segment isnÂ’t necessarily hotly contested, the Type S still plays a critical role in bolstering the brandÂ’s credibility. Positioned as a step above the turbo four-cylinder-powered TLX ($39,500) and the better-equipped TLX A-Spec ($45,500), the TLX Type S starts at $53,325 and packs a number of performance upgrades that make it high-performance capable. Just don't expect it to be as track-worthy as a Honda Civic Type R. The Type S is built on AcuraÂ’s stiffest sedan chassis to date. Packing an all-new twin-scroll turbo 3.0-liter V6 under its flared hood, the Type S makes 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Despite gains of 83 hp and 74 lb-ft, combined fuel economy drops only 3 points to 21 mpg with the hotrod V6. Aiding the cause is a cylinder deactivation system and active vibration control to mask the transition between six and three cylinders.  Chassis updates include extra bracing for a 13% stiffer body, 40% stiffer front springs, thicker stabilizer bars, more aggressive shock valving, retuned steering, and larger four-piston Brembo brakes. Standard 20-inch wheels and tires are the largest yet for TLX, and Pirelli P Zero summer tires are available with an NSX-inspired design. Tying it all together are drive modes with a new Sport+ setup: Turn and hold the centrally positioned mode selector for 1 second, and throttle response, shifting, exhaust valve, steering effort, damping, torque vectoring, and even interior lighting take on a more aggressive calibration. To showcase these enhancements, Acura held the Type S first drive at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, hauling up a few historic vehicles for good measure including a first-gen NSX and a Honda S2000 CR. Old school Type S specimens included a 2001 CL, 2007 TL, and a 2007 RSX.

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.