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Honda airbags are being stolen

The latest hot target for car thieves might just be the airbag mounted inside your steering wheel. And late-model Honda and Acura vehicles are a particularly hot target right now, for reasons not well understood. USA Today reports that criminals across the country are stealing airbags out of relatively new Honda models for apparent resale online or to black market repair shops. It's a trend that has caught the attention of law enforcement agencies in cities like Miami, New York City and Washington D.C. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that around 50,000 airbags are stolen each year. In Miami-Dade County, thieves stole 875 airbags in 2017, up from just 13 in 2013, according to police records obtained by USA Today. In the Virginia suburbs outside Washington D.C., thieves recently smashed the windows of 10 Hondas at an apartment complex to steal the airbags. Second Lt. Jonathan Bryant told the local Fox affiliate that stolen Honda airbags often end up in chop shops and can command between $300 and $500 each. A quick search of eBay listings for Honda steering wheel airbags turns up results being sold for as high as $700, though most are listing for hundreds less than that. New replacement versions purchased from dealerships approach $1,000. Many dishonest repair shops install the stolen airbags as new and charge the owner or their insurer full price for the replacement, a version of insurance fraud. Last year, police in Coral Springs, Fla. published an alert on the neighborhood social networking site Nextdoor urging residents who own a Honda or Acura to park in a garage or well-lit area, "or if you have another vehicle, pull it as close to your driver's side door as possible," they wrote. "We have seen an increase in airbag thefts, primarily in Acura and Honda models," the posting added. "The suspect(s) often disarm the alarm by cutting the battery, punch the driver side door lock or smash the window. It is believed these criminals take approx. 5-10 minutes to steal the airbag." One theory for the apparent rise in airbag thefts is that a spate of airbag recalls in recent years — including the ongoing recall of nearly 50 million potentially explosive Takata airbag inflators that left suppliers scrambling to make new parts — may have boosted demand for replacements. Most of the vehicles involved are late-model Honda Civics and Accords, but it's not clear exactly why Honda is being targeted.

2014 Acura MDX Prototype is exactly what we expected

Yep, it's the new MDX. And despite being totally redone, it looks exactly like we expected. That is, it's an up-sized version of the RDX crossover with fancy LED lights stolen from the RLX sedan. And while that might not sound too exciting, we have to say, it is handsome - certainly a more cohesive, refined design than the angular, beak-tastic model that's currently on sale.
Acura is calling this 2014 MDX a prototype, but that's only because it isn't 100-percent finished. Everything you see here will likely carry over to production, maybe with a couple small tweaks. Under the hood is the same 3.5-liter V6 that we know and love from the Honda group, and while we don't have power figures just yet, Acura says it will deliver more torque while improving efficiency. In redesigning the MDX, the Japanese automaker has managed to lighten and stiffen the chassis, improving driving dynamics. More interestingly, for the first time Acura will offer a front-wheel-drive version of the MDX, but don't worry, the automaker's SH-AWD all-wheel drive will be available.
Inside, the usual smattering of tech goodies will be on hand, including the next-generation AcuraLink system, satellite radio, tons of comfort amenities and every single alphabetic safety device known to man (okay, maybe not all of them).

There will be a third-generation NSX, says Acura V.P.

The second-generation Acura NSX might be going out in a blaze of glory, but it won't be the last we see of the supercar. This promise comes directly from Acura Vice President and Brand Officer Jon Ikeda. Furthermore, Ikeda implied that the next version might be electric. Ikeda divulged thoughts about a third-gen NSX while being interviewed by The Drive and Motor Trend. To the former, he explained Acura's mission with the the mid-engined supercar. "We make an NSX when there's something we want to say. The first-gen was gas. Second-gen was a hybrid. There's gonna be another one." Unless Ikeda is talking about hydrogen or some kind of heretofore undisclosed technology like  Mr. Fusion, this pretty much means electric. That means the NSX is likely to take another hiatus after the Type S closes out the 2022 model year. Between the first and second generations, the halo sports car had an 11-year absence on the market. Ikeda laid out the reasons for the nameplate's 2016 return when he spoke to Motor Trend. "Honda is one of the biggest gasoline engine makers in the world and needed to see what will happen in a world turning away from engines," he explained. It was always meant to be a halo car. "We didn't go into it to make a lot of money," he stated. The second generation had a much shorter lifespan than the game-changing first gen. That one spanned one and a half decades, from 1990 to 2005. The current generation, once it exits stage left in 2022, will have only had a six-year run. One could argue that the first gen overstayed its welcome, though. After thoroughly turning the supercar world on its ear, by forcing Ferrari et al to reconsider their engineering, the NSX's competitors quickly caught up to Honda's lead. While the NSX did undergo a couple of major changes during its first lifespan, by the time it left the market it was more of a dwindle. Acura is determined not to let that happen with the current NSX. In this case, they're sending it off with the most powerful iteration yet, a 600-horsepower Type S with reworked turbos, cooling system and aerodynamics and limiting production to 350 worldwide. Ikeda told Motor Trend, "We didn't want to let the NSX die on the vine either. To go quietly into the night is not what it deserves."