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Acura NSX hybrid wins Time Attack 2 division at Pikes Peak

Acura sent three NSX supercars up the PIkes Peak Hill Climb and one of them - the TA2 that was a standard NSX with some additional safety equipment - beat out its competition in the Time Attack 2 class by over 11 seconds with a time of 10:28.820. Nick Robinson was the driver. This was not his first time atop the podium, as he won the PP250 motorcycle class last year. The EV concept NSX came in second in the Electric Modified class with a time of 9:06.015. That's good enough for third place overall. Acura says that the TA1 NSX - which had a lighter chassis and a modified racing exhaust – "also campaigned." Both the TA1 and TA2 NSX vehicles used the car's standard three-motor hybrid powertrain. Related Video: 2017 Acura NSX Supercar Claims Class Victory in North American Racing Debut at Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Jun 26, 2016 - PIKES PEAK, Colo. Acura NSX wins its North American racing debut by more than 11 seconds American-built NSX wins Time Attack 2 class at 100th running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb NSX-inspired Acura 4-Motor EV Concept finishes second in the Electric Modified Class The recently-launched 2017 Acura NSX claimed victory today in its North American racing competition debut, climbing the 14,115-foot pinnacle of Pikes Peak and clinching first place in the Time Attack 2 class at the 2016 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the 100th anniversary of the running of America's second oldest race. The production-based Acura NSX is powered by Acura's revolutionary three-motor Sport Hybrid Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive™ powertrain (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD®), the first electrified torque vectoring powertrain in the world of exotic sports cars. With added required safety equipment for competition, the NSX negotiated the 12.42-mile course in a time of 10:28.820 to win the Time Attack 2 class of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Nick Robinson, North American R&D team member and engineer in charge of the next-generation supercar's dynamic performance, drove the production-based Acura NSX to victory. Nick is also the reigning PP250 winner from the 2015 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. "I'm incredibly happy to have won the Production Class with the new NSX!" Robinson reported.

2016 Acura RDX arrives with freshened styling, powertrain enhancements [UPDATE]

UPDATE: The 2016 RDX comes with a six-speed automatic transmission, not a nine-speed. The text below has been edited to reflect this. Launched in 2012 for the 2013 model year, the second-generation RDX is hardly an old vehicle, and the luxury crossover is coming off its best sales year ever, according to Acura. Still, three years after the debut, the Japanese automaker is giving the CUV a thorough refresh with a facelift and bountiful new tech at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, with sales set to kick off this spring. The most obvious update at the front for the 2016 RDX is Acura's Jewel Eye LED headlight array already found on some of its other models, but the improvements go a lot further than just the lighting. All of the fascia's lines appear just a little sharper and the added chrome helps grab the eye. The refinements are similar at the rear, where there are now LED taillights. While not obvious on the surface, the structure underneath is supposed to offer better frontal crash performance, too. Acura's engineers turned their attention to the RDX's powertrain for some tweaks, as well. The crossover now benefits from a nine-speed automatic gearbox to replace the previous six-speed. The 3.5-liter V6 with cylinder deactivation also gets a slight upgrade to make 279 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque – up 6 hp and 1 lb-ft over the 2015 model. The changes benefit fuel economy by one-mile-per-gallon on the highway with ratings of 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway for the front-wheel drive version and 19/28 with all-wheel drive. The 2016 RDX is also packed with new tech to improve drivability and safety. Active front and rear engine mounts should improve NVH, and the all-wheel-drive system has more rear bias. Inside, the cabin trim sees an update, and heated front seats are standard. The optional Technology Package now gets an eight-way power front passenger seat, the company's dual-screen multi-info display and both blind spot and rear cross traffic monitoring. However, for those looking for a ton of gadgets to brag about, the new Advance Package option is the place to be. It includes rain-sensing wipers, front fog lights, remote engine start, ventilated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming driver's side mirror and the full suite of the AcuraWatch safety assist functions.

J.D. Power study sees new car dependability problems increase for first time since 1998

For the first time since 1998, J.D. Power and Associates says its data shows that the average number of problems per 100 cars has increased. The finding is the result of the firm's much-touted annual Vehicle Dependability Study, which charts incidents of problems in new vehicle purchases over three years from 41,000 respondents.
Looking at first-owner cars from the 2011 model year, the study found an average of 133 problems per 100 cars (PP100, for short), up 6 percent from 126 PP100 in last year's study, which covered 2010 model-year vehicles. Disturbingly, the bulk of the increase is being attributed to engine and transmission problems, with a 6 PP100 boost.
Interestingly, JDP notes that "the decline in quality is particularly acute for vehicles with four-cylinder engines, where problem levels increase by nearly 10 PP100." Its findings also noticed that large diesel engines also tended to be more problematic than most five- and six-cylinder engines.