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GM Ultium-based 2024 Acura ZDX caught undisguised in spy photos

What you see above is our best look yet at the 2024 Acura ZDX. The SUV, while not completely production-ready (mainly the temporary headlights), is completely and totally devoid of line-obscuring camouflage. The resulting vehicle is clearly a toned-down Precision EV concept, and one that does a good job of hiding its GM underpinnings. Like the concept, it has a forward-leaning nose with a blanked-out version of the Acura corporate pentagonal grille. The long nose gives way to a seriously raked windshield and a floating roof. That roof has a distinct rear pillar treatment with a little notch for the rear glass to create that floating look. There are, of course, concessions to reality. The lower front fascia has relatively nondescript grilles, though they also don't detract from the rest of the vehicle. And naturally there are large door mirrors and conventional grab handles to get in. The ZDX will be based on the GM Ultium platform, and considering on the size and likely performance, will probably be closely related to the Chevy Blazer. To the credit of Acura's designers, and also perhaps to GM's architecture, the ZDX does not look like a reworked Blazer. And the differences will continue beyond the exterior. While GM will be dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Honda and Acura versions of Ultium SUVs will keep the phone mirroring software. It will still have Google apps built-in as well as touchscreen support, unlike some gas-powered Acura models. We'll see the ZDX launch next year. It will even have a high-performance Type-S variant like the TLX and Integra. That leads us to believe something like the dual-motor 557-horsepower powertrain from the Blazer SS will be available. We'll be curious to see what the more mild powertrains will be like, if they'll all be dual-motor, or if there will be single-motor setups. And if there are single-motor layouts, whether they'll be front- or rear-wheel drive, as both options are available on Blazer. Related video:

Weekly Recap: Automakers rethink the definition of luxury

Variety is the spice of life, but it's becoming a prerequisite for luxury carmakers in the ultra-competitive US market. The Detroit Auto Show was strong evidence of this reality. It's not enough to offer attractive and well-appointed cars and SUVs anymore. Luxury brands that want to be competitive need to invest in everything from high-powered supercars to clever hybrids. To be relevant, you need to be green and mean – and everything in between. As General Motors product chief Mark Reuss said after the reveal of the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V: "We are not leaving anything on the table." He was speaking for Cadillac, but he might as well have been speaking for the luxury car market. The CTS-V debuted in Detroit about an hour after Lexus surprised showgoers with the reveal of the RC F GT3 race car and then announced ambitious plans to return to competitive racing. That almost overshadowed the fact Lexus had just revealed another potent addition to its growing F line, the 467-hp GS F. View 20 Photos But for luxury brands, it's not just about maximum horsepower for well-heeled enthusiasts or decadent amenities for the Grey Poupon set. Strong competition from all corners has forced automakers to refine and expand their lineups in ways unforeseen even a few years ago. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz finally has an answer to the BMW X6, rolling out the GLE coupe in Detroit. The X6, which blends coupe-like styling cues with some of the functionality of an SUV, debuted in 2008. Back then it was a punchline, but seven years and more than 260,000 sales later, the X6's success has compelled Benz to respond. Mercedes – one of the strongest proponents of diesel technology – also debuted the C350 plug-in hybrid sedan, which promises a range of 20 miles on electricity, though fuel economy figures were not announced. The car pairs Mercedes' well-received 208-hp turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor for total output of 275 hp and 443 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, Infiniti will add the Q30 hatchback to its lineup by the end of the year, new president Roland Kruger reiterated in Detroit. It's expected to be joined by a crossover variant, and the additions will help strengthen Infiniti in the United States and abroad. "While we're expanding our product line, we're also expanding our market reach," he said. That's something echoed by Jaguar executives, who are preparing to launch the brand's first crossover, the F-Pace, in 2016.

Acura ZDX returning as brand's first EV

Well this is unexpected. Not the fact that Acura will have an electric vehicle in the next couple years, but rather the name: ZDX. The name will appear on the Japanese luxury brand's first electric SUV, in 2024. The last time it appeared on an Acura was in 2013 on the short-lived ZDX fastback SUV. Like the Honda Prologue, it will be based on GM Ultium electric car platforms. If it's a stablemate to the Prologue, it likely shares a lot with the new Chevy Blazer EV. It would be a strong base considering Acura announced there will be a ZDX Type-S performance model. It could certainly benefit from the Blazer EV SS's dual-motor setup with 557 horsepower and 648 pound-feet of torque. Acura Precision EV Concept View 22 Photos Acura didn't offer any preview imagery of the new ZDX, but it did say it will share styling with the Precision EV Concept shown earlier today. It's apparently being designed in the same California design center that gave us the original ZDX. Though if it looks much like the Precision, this new ZDX probably won't have the distinct coupe-like shape of the original. The EV will launch in 2024 along with the Prologue and Blazer EV. Honda-developed EVs will follow in 2026. The Blazer will start around $45,000 for the cheapest version, and around $66,000 for the top-level one. We would bet the Acuras are on the high side of that range, with the Type S possibly topping the Blazer SS models. Related Video: The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV has been revealed