2021 Acura Rdx on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Acura ILX first drive | New looks, same lackluster performance

Acura knows what it takes to make a fun, compact car that enthusiasts desire. It did so for three decades with the Integra, which eventually morphed into the still fun RSX. Then the ILX came around for the 2013 model year, and the world collectively yawned. It's actually still yawning, and the 2019 redesign isn't doing a whole lot to change that. One might expect more wholesale changes from a car entering its seventh year on the market, but we're still staring down the barrel of the same 201 horsepower 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder and trick dual-clutch automatic transmission (which also features a torque converter for low-speed smoothness) from before. These pieces aren't necessarily the problem though. It's enjoyable to thrash the engine out to 7,000 rpm, and the dual-clutch snaps off surprisingly quick shifts when using the paddles in manual mode. It's a bit of a throwback to before all of Honda's performance engines switched to turbocharging for power. It pulls harder the more you wring it out, and begs to be paired with a slick-shifting six-speed manual like it was in the ninth-gen Civic Si. Sadly, everything else outside the powertrain (still) just misses the mark. The greatest part of Acura's old performance compacts was how they made you feel when you were driving them. There was an intimate connection between the driver and road at all times that is sorely lacking from the ILX. Turn in feel is soft and doesn't offer satisfying quick changes of direction. The old chassis feels its age in controlling body movements too. It all culminates in making the ILX feel like a larger car than it actually is. That's not to say the ILX handles poorly, though; it simply does so without any eagerness or feel — just like it has from the beginning. This is unfortunate because the ILX looks better than it ever has. Acura re-did the whole front nose from the A-pillar forward, and it attacked the rear fascia too. We got to check out and drive A-Spec trimmed cars, which add even more aggression to the styling but no performance upgrades. Sure there's three-too-many fake air vents, but the car finally grew some teeth compared to the ultra-bland looks from before. Props for not following the terrible industry trend of totally unreasonably-sized fake exhaust outlets too. The interior isn't as exciting.

Cody Loveland's Corvette-powered NSX claimed by Pikes Peak

Let there be no doubt - racing automobiles can be very dangerous. This unfortunate fact of life has been proven once again today by Cody Loveland, owner of LoveFab, who crashed his Corvette-powered tube-frame Acura NSX on the second turn of the Pikes Peak hill climb course, apparently after a rear upper control arm failed. Cody hit a wall of boulders at high speed, after which the racecar caught fire.
Cody was able to escape the blaze unhurt - minus some missing hair that was singed off in the fire - but the car appears to be a complete mess, as you can see from the image above. The LoveFab Motorsports team has vowed to do its very best to rebuilt the car in time for the competition, but we'd be awfully surprised (and impressed) if that burnt-up hulk were ready for racing with just a few days to rebuild.
We're happy to hear that Cody got away safely, and here's hoping the rest of the competitors get up the hill without incident, or, like Cody, are at least able to walk away uninjured if they don't.

Acura NSX is this year's Pikes Peak pace car

Acura's new NSX is the official pace car for this year's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The hybrid supercar will go running up that hill on June 28, leading a group of 140 racers up the 14,110-foot mountain. It'll be driven by Sage Marie, Honda's senior public relations manager (and friend of Autoblog), who competed in the Pikes Peak race in 2013 and 2014. To make the most of the occasion, Acura is installing 24 cameras along the course to capture the pace car's run. But this won't just be for a cool photo gallery. Acura will use the cameras to create a 360-degree video that will be posted to the company's social media channels after the NSX completes its climb. Look for that to drop sometime on the morning of the 28th. The NSX heads up Pikes Peak at 7:40 AM Mountain time (9:40 AM Eastern). We'll have plenty more information about the Pikes Peak Hill Climb throughout the coming days. For now, check out the NSX pace car in the image gallery above, read Acura's official press blast below, and be sure to scroll through the amazing photo galleries from the practice sessions (Day 1 and Day 2) shot by our own Drew Phillips. Related Video: Next-Generation Acura NSX to Serve as Official Pace Car for the 93rd Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Pikes Peak-first 360-degree video to capture NSX run to the top TORRANCE, Calif. (June 25, 2015) – The next-generation Acura NSX supercar will serve as the official pace car in the 93rd running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 28. With a custom racing-inspired livery, the twin-turbo charged NSX pace car will lead the field of 140 entrants to the top of the 14,110-foot Colorado mountain. "The Acura NSX is the ultimate performance vehicle, and a novel way to promote its capabilities is the iconic race up Pikes Peak," said Mike Accavitti, senior vice president and general manager of the Acura Division. "As the pace car, the beast that is NSX has yet to be fully let out of its cage, but fans and drivers will get a first glimpse of the unique character, performance and handling it will deliver in this one-of-a-kind racing environment." Powering the NSX through the 12.4-mile, 156-turn course is a bespoke 75-degree twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a 9-speed dual clutch transmission and three motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system, which delivers 'on the rails' cornering capability essential to conquering the demanding mountain course.