Acura Tl 2007 on 2040-cars

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2021 Acura TLX Long-Term Update | Tuneful turbo-four soundtrack

I used to be enamored with the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine format. I owned a 2004 Subaru WRX, with its turbo boxer mill, and liked it quite a bit, rough though it could be. Then turbo-fours, often displacing the same 2.0 liters, began replacing heavier and thirstier naturally aspirated V6 powerplants across the industry, and I was on board. Since then, they’ve become much more refined and responsive, all while their often uninspiring soundtracks faded into the background as automakers worked to improve the experience inside the cabin. TheyÂ’ve also become so ubiquitous that, apart from certain standouts like the turbo boxer in the Porsche 718, they ceased to be as exciting to me. Then AutoblogÂ’s long-term 2021 Acura TLX arrived in my driveway, equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo I4. I was excited about the styling and the handling, but I didnÂ’t expect this four-pot to make a huge impression on me. The first time I opened her up under wide-open throttle, though, I was pleasantly surprised. This 2.0TÂ’s 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque are ample motivation for this sporty sedan, even with all-wheel drive and a 3,990-pound curb weight. It wonÂ’t knock your hat into the back seat, but itÂ’s quick enough, especially in Sport mode. The thing that really won me over with this 2.0T, though, is the sound. Ripping to this thing's 6,800-rpm redline produces a melodious song that sounds a lot more exciting and expressive than most other fours. The cherry on top is the punctuated hiss of the turbo releasing its pressure when you get off the throttle. The amplitude of the engine note is manipulated using AcuraÂ’s Active Sound Control. As an Acura spokesperson explained it: “Active Sound Control uses the TLXÂ’s speakers (whether audio is playing or not) to add sound (same-phase or reverse-phase) to the cabin that smooths the sound of the engine heard inside the cabin. Engine noise doesn't increase in a linear way with rising revs; instead there can be many resonances that create peaks and valleys in the sound pressure level and an uneven sound. The level of ASC is tailored to each drive mode (Comfort, Normal and Sport).” Put another way, ASC is basically an electronic filter that can deaden or amplify the sound and smoothen it out, similar to how active suspension damping adjusts to the situation and drive modes to either let in more or less road feel, while actively eliminating the harshest of vibrations.

Honda CEO says we shouldn't expect any new sports cars

It wasn't so long ago that Honda was known for its sporty two-door models, with models ranging from the Civic del Sol to the Prelude and from the Acura Integra and RSX to the Honda S2000. But look at its range today and all you'll see are the Civic and Accord coupes. Honda has essentially let competitors like the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ and Nissan 370Z take the place it once claimed as its own. But if you were hoping Honda would fight back with a new coupe or convertible of its own, we're afraid you're going to have to downgrade those hopes to pipe dreams.
While in Japan ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show, Autoblog had a chance to sit down with American Honda CEO Tetsuo Iwamura (pictured at right). When we asked about the potential for a new sports coupe or convertible in the Honda or Acura lineup, he pointed to the current Civic and Accord coupes - not to mention the upcoming new NSX - but said that Honda has no replacement for any of the aforementioned models (or a rival for the FR-S or 370Z) in the pipeline, saying only that the company is monitoring potential demand.
What Iwamura-san did note was that he's a personal fan of the new S660 roadster (pictured above) set to be unveiled tomorrow, and he is pushing (or at least hoping) that it will come to North America. Given that he's head of both Honda's American office and its global automobile operations, one might think that the only person he would have to persuade is himself (well... himself, and potential buyers), but the sporty droptop looks to be about kei-sized, which sadly suggests that it may be too small for American tastes and perhaps not designed with US crash-test standards in mind anyway.

New Acura Integra teased, and it looks good

We've been expecting a number of big announcements and debuts this week, like the two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee and Rolls-Royce's "historic" announcement about electrification, both happening tomorrow. What we weren't expecting was Acura to shock us again with another Integra tease. Honda's luxury arm posted a seven-second clip to Twitter flashing the new Integra's rear-three-quarter. That tweet came with a link to a landing page at Acura's site with the image you see above.  Although the ILX features the same design language, the switch to a hatch gives us late-model Hyundai Genesis Coupe vibes. That's not a ding on the Integra, and we have faith in what's to come. Other than realizing the teased Integra tailgate has a completely different shutline to the 2022 Honda Civic hatchback, the only info we have on the car came in the caption above the image: "Integra Returns In 2022. The fifth-generation Integra will be a premium sport compact with a striking five-door design. More details about the all-new Integra will be available closer to its 2022 introduction." Most of this we already knew from the first teaser that dropped in August. The single new addition to our knowledge is the word "sport." An icon, resurrected. #ReturnOfIntegrahttps://t.co/gfMmNbE298 pic.twitter.com/0tyLyOFZlK — Acura (@Acura) September 28, 2021 This is a fertile time for reborn nameplates, although not every attempt has stuck the landing — looking at you, Acura NSX and Lamborghini Countach. When the Autoblog staff mooted ideas for what they'd like a new Integra to be, this writer liked Road Test Editor and Integra owner Zac Palmer's wish for "a small, affordable car directed toward enthusiasts," the kind Acura hasn't had for a while. A commenter's note on that line suggested "The first-gen TSX could probably be considered that car." The first-gen TSX was special, and offered a manual transmission. We'd be happy with a return of the original Integra and TSX philosophies with modern underpinnings. Whatever we get, we hope Acura gets it bang on this time. It can't be that hard to re-create a legendary nameplate that lasted 21 years and still compels pining and lust, can it? Until the next digital hint drops, we'll go back to pretending not to wait for a surprise from Japan. Related video: 2021 Acura TLX 2.0-liter turbo-four soundtrack | Autoblog