1992 Acura Nsx on 2040-cars

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The new Acura Integra was never meant to be a retro car

The new Acura Integra Prototype was never supposed to be a retro or nostalgic design process. It would be easy to assume it was, as Acura’s messaging leading up to the big reveal leaned heavily on the Integra nameplate's heritage. From the model name embossed in the bumpers, to videos of shifting the older modelÂ’s manual transmissions, Acura yanked fairly hard on our heartstrings. And then the cover came off last week, and while there are very subtle cues hinting at old Integras here and there, the new car doesnÂ’t look much like the old ones at all. Unlike designers of the new retro-tastic Nissan Z and Ford Bronco, Acura decided to create something altogether new and different. “So, admittedly, when we started planning this car, it was never to create a retro Integra,” Acura product planner, Jonathan Rivers, told Autoblog. “We actually looked at it from the viewpoint of say, if the Integra had never left the lineup, how would it have evolved? How would it have changed over the years? We think this is the result of that.” There was never going to be a two-door coupe model, because as Rivers points out to us, coupes just don't sell these days. However, sportbacks are popular — just look at the sheer number of them coming from Germany these days — and it suits the customers Acura is trying to capture with the Integra. “The target customer is a millennial with an active lifestyle, so they need space for their gear but they also want to have a great car to hit the canyon roads with every now and then,” Rivers says. “Once again, over the generations, the Integra is just that.” For any naysayers throwing their hands up about the Integra seemingly being a fancy Civic, we possess two points of refutation. One, thatÂ’s exactly what the Integra has always been. It was literally badged and sold as a Honda in many other countries, and its bones have always been Civic-based. ThatÂ’s the IntegraÂ’s history, and while Acura doesnÂ’t officially come out and say so, itÂ’s most certainly the same today. On the design front, maybe you think the photos make it look a little too close to the new 11th-gen Civic Hatchback? Well, pictures on the internet donÂ’t always tell the full story of a car design. “None of the sheetmetal is shared with either the four-door or the five-door Civic,” Rivers explains.

2022 Acura RDX First Drive | RDX redux gives us what we want

LOS ANGELES — AcuraÂ’s most recent totally new models — the TLX and MDX — thwacked us upside the head with authority to let us know that Acura as a luxury and performance brand is well and truly back in great form. The redesigned RDX tried to do the same back in 2019, and while it was an above-average overhaul effort, it didnÂ’t move us as strongly as the TLX and MDX have since. Now, the 2022 Acura RDX is here, and itÂ’s packing a bunch of improvements to try and both enhance the driving experience and ensure that it isnÂ’t playing second fiddle to other Acura products in tech or luxury. The one omission, and itÂ’s a big one, is the continued lack of a Type S variant. Both the TLX and MDX offer a high-performance Type S version with turbocharged V6 engines, and the RDX continues to go without such a model in 2022. ItÂ’s a shame, because the RDXÂ’s smaller size means it could serve as a quality platform for a performance crossover to compete against others like the BMW X3 M40i, Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 and Audi SQ5. ThatÂ’s not to say that Acura has neglected the driving experience for 2022. The one performance improvement comes in the form of re-tuned adaptive dampers on the Advance trim that are both stiffer in Sport mode and softer in Comfort mode. Plus, the cabin is much quieter than it was before thanks to additional sound deadening material and an enhanced Active Sound Control system. Acura says the standard car offers a 20% NVH improvement, while the Advance Package cars have even more sound deadening to deliver a 30% improvement over the 2021 model. YouÂ’ll be able to tell the updated RDX apart from the pre-refresh version by looking at the new grille pattern and thinner chrome grille surround. Look further downward, and youÂ’ll notice larger side intakes and a new fog light design. ItÂ’s harder to tell that anything is new from the back, but look closely, and youÂ’ll see a redone lower bumper and rectangular exhaust outlets on every model but the A-Spec — that hangs on to its round dual exhaust tips. A couple of new wheel designs round out the exterior updates, while the interior sees a new bronze-like finish for the aluminum trim in lower trims. Perhaps one of the most vital changes Acura made to the RDX this year is done on the equipment side, as it fixes one of the gripes weÂ’ve had with Acuras over the past couple years. You can finally equip the Advance Package onto A-Spec trim cars.

2015 Acura TLX prototype to debut in Detroit, TSX to be discontinued

Acura confirmed that its new mid-range sedan, the TLX, will debut in prototype form at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show next month. The automaker is currently mum on specific details, but in a press release, Acura stated, "The all-new model will feature more emotional styling with tidier, sports sedan proportions wrapped around two all-new advanced powertrains that provide even more athletic performance, along with a host of signature Acura technologies."
During an event in Detroit earlier this week, Mike Accavitti, American Honda's senior vice president, told Autoblog that the introduction of the TLX will create a three-tier sedan lineup for the luxury brand in the United States. In other words, the TLX won't just replace the aging TL, it will also mark the death of the smaller TSX sedan (and wagon). The TSX will officially be axed sometime next year.
The 2015 TLX will be available with either two- (read: front) or all-wheel drive, and will use two direct-injected engines, both of which will be mated to a brand-new transmission. We'll have more details in just a few weeks, but for now, scroll down to read Acura's official press blast.