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Is Acura working on a premium minivan?

Here's a vehicle that nobody saw coming. Unless Honda/Acura is keen to play tricks on us, our spy shooters recently caught what appears to be an Acura minivan fully camouflaged for testing on some back roads on a rainy day.
Details on the disguised minivan are rather scarce, but it certainly bares all the hallmarks of an Acura. The front grille alone gives it away with a look that mimics the latest MDX, and note that the orientation of the rear door handle heavily suggests that it slides to open. Moving inside, the tester appears to borrow some tech from the luxury brand's parts bin too, and the Acura logo seems to be covered in tape right in the middle of the steering wheel.
Mechanically, our spies believe that the production version of Acura's minivan might borrow the brand's V6, nine-speed automatic and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive - a similar layout to some trims of the TLX. The photographers also think that the vehicle is a little wider than the current Honda Odyssey to give occupants a bit more room. Given the more luxurious focus, the high-end model would surely carry seven people with a bit more opulence than the standard Odyssey, especially, we'd imagine, for second-row passengers. A launch for this posh hauler could be slated for the 2016 or 2017 model years.

2017 Acura NSX No. 1 just rolled off the line in Ohio

The 2017 Acura NSX is officially in production. NASCAR titan Rick Hendrick, who paid $1.2 million at auction for the first one, drove it off the line Tuesday at the NSX factory in Marysville, OH. VIN No. 1 wears Valencia red pearl paint. It is equipped with carbon-ceramic brake rotors, leather and Alcantara trim, and uses carbon fiber for the engine cover, roof, and rear spoiler. Top that off with upgraded wheels, and it has every available option. The NSX is powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that teams with three electric motors for a system output of 573 hp and 476 pound-feet of torque. It has a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. The NSX will start at $157,800 and maxes out north of $205,000 for a fully loaded model like this one. Hendrick's heady price came from his winning bid at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona in January, with proceeds going to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground. Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motor Sports and the Hendrick Automotive Group, has also paid hefty prices for the first 2015 Chevy Corvette Z06 and 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28 in support of charities. The NSX launch is a milestone for American Honda, which has built cars in Ohio for more than 30 years. The NSX is assembled at the company's Performance Manufacturing Center, and the engines are hand-built at a nearby facility in Ohio. "Today marks the realization of a big dream here at the PMC and the culmination of more than 30 years of manufacturing experience and expertise here in Ohio," Clement D'Souza, engineering large project leader for the NSX, said in a statement. "Our world class team of expert technicians, through their passion, has realized major innovations in the design and manufacturing of a next-generation Acura supercar that truly delivers incredible precision-crafted performance." Related Video: Image Credit: Acura Design/Style Green Plants/Manufacturing Acura Coupe Hybrid Performance Supercars rick hendrick

2022 Acura MDX production officially begins in Ohio for the revamped crossover

Production for the 2022 Acura MDX is officially underway in East Liberty, Ohio. We got to see the MDX Proto late last year, and the final production MDX was revealed a couple months after it in December. Now, Acura is screwing them together. Acura says the new MDX should begin to hit dealerships on February 2. It feels mighty early for a 2022 model year vehicle to already be hitting dealers, but that’s just how Acura is handling it. Only the standard MDX with its carryover 3.5-liter V6 (290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque) will be available at first. WeÂ’ll have to wait until summer for the Type S and its 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 (355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque) to come online, similar to the TLX Type S. Just like the TLX, the MDX is riding on a new platform this year. ItÂ’s designed to be much more athletic and luxurious than before. WeÂ’ll be getting our first turn behind the wheel soon, so youÂ’ll want to come back for the first drive to see how Acura executed. The TLXÂ’s chassis and handling improvements give us high hopes for the MDX to see similar gains in refinement and agility. There is one first for Acura when it comes to the physical production process of the MDX. ItÂ’s the first Acura to use the plantÂ’s new 5,000-ton stamping press. Acura says this new machine allows for “sharper sculpting of the hood and body panels while forming steel and increased amounts of aluminum.”  For all the details we currently know about the MDX, check out our full reveal post here. Related video: