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Acura builds 345-horsepower RDX A-Spec for SEMA

The 2019 Acura RDX is great — a return to form for the sporty compact luxury crossover. So there's no real harm in giving one the SEMA treatment, especially since it entails a real motorsport tie-in and some legitimate performance parts. As for the giant graphics, well, it's SEMA after all. Graham Rahal races for Honda in the IndyCar series, and he also has his own performance parts company — named, sensibly enough, Graham Rahal Performance — which he started in 2017. They sell some private-label bits manufactured by other companies to their spec, some off-the-shelf parts, and they do tuning and installation work on customer cars. Acura gave the job of building the SEMA RDX to Rahal. There's a fair bit going on under the hood to get the RDX to 345 horsepower from the factory 272 ponies. The 2.0-liter turbo engine gets a bunch of enhancements. The turbo, intake, exhaust manifolds, downpipe, and cat-back (a GRP design) are all aftermarket. There's a customer intercooler, too. KTuning did the ECU with a custom map. On the handling front, the RDX wears Eibach springs, StopTech brakes, HRE wheels at 21 inches, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The RDX started life as an A-Spec model in Apex Blue Pearl, and from there GRP applied carbon fiber garnish to the mirrors, grille accents, and lower fascia. Troy Lee Designs did the exterior graphics, and inside there's more carbon fiber and a custom steering wheel (courtesy of Max Papis's MPI Innovations shop). The RDX will be on the show floor if you'd like to check out the Rahal shop's handiwork. Related Video:

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.

Acura recalls 106K MDX models for AC system bolt

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is announcing a recall covering the air conditioning system on 106,439 units of the 2014-2015 Acura MDX. The affected examples have production dates between April 23, 2013, and December 16, 2014. While the problem doesn't create a major safety concern, it could be very annoying when driving during the intense heat of the summer months. On these luxury crossovers, the bolts on the air conditioning compressor clutch drive might not have the proper anti-corrosion coating. This makes it more likely for them to eventually break, and if that happens the AC pulley could fall off the CUVs. Acura reports no injuries or crashes form the issue, and the company discovered the issue through warranty claims for the air conditioning not working. To repair the problem, dealers will replace the bolts. They'll also inspect the AC clutch plate and will replace it if necessary, as well. The repairs for some owners should already be in progress, according to NHTSA. Related Video: RECALL Subject : A/C Compressor Clutch Drive Bolts may Corrode Report Receipt Date: JUL 01, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V417000 Component(s): EQUIPMENT Potential Number of Units Affected: 106,439 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) ACURA MDX 2014-2015 Details Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) SUMMARY: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX and MDX AWD vehicles manufactured April 23,2013, to December 16, 2014. The affected vehicles have air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolts that may not have received the proper anti-corrosion coating. CONSEQUENCE: If a bolt was not coated, it may corrode and break as a result. If the bolt breaks, the compressor clutch plate may separate from the vehicle, possibly becoming a road hazard. REMEDY: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolt and install a new clutch plate if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 31, 2015. Owners may contact Acura client relations at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this recall is JQ7. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. Statement by Acura Regarding Air Conditioner Clutch Drive Bolt Recall: 2014-2015 Acura MDX Jun 25, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif.