W/ Nav 2.4l Trip Computer Power Door Locks Power Windows Power Driver's Seat on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM Ultium-based 2024 Acura ZDX caught undisguised in spy photos

What you see above is our best look yet at the 2024 Acura ZDX. The SUV, while not completely production-ready (mainly the temporary headlights), is completely and totally devoid of line-obscuring camouflage. The resulting vehicle is clearly a toned-down Precision EV concept, and one that does a good job of hiding its GM underpinnings. Like the concept, it has a forward-leaning nose with a blanked-out version of the Acura corporate pentagonal grille. The long nose gives way to a seriously raked windshield and a floating roof. That roof has a distinct rear pillar treatment with a little notch for the rear glass to create that floating look. There are, of course, concessions to reality. The lower front fascia has relatively nondescript grilles, though they also don't detract from the rest of the vehicle. And naturally there are large door mirrors and conventional grab handles to get in. The ZDX will be based on the GM Ultium platform, and considering on the size and likely performance, will probably be closely related to the Chevy Blazer. To the credit of Acura's designers, and also perhaps to GM's architecture, the ZDX does not look like a reworked Blazer. And the differences will continue beyond the exterior. While GM will be dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Honda and Acura versions of Ultium SUVs will keep the phone mirroring software. It will still have Google apps built-in as well as touchscreen support, unlike some gas-powered Acura models. We'll see the ZDX launch next year. It will even have a high-performance Type-S variant like the TLX and Integra. That leads us to believe something like the dual-motor 557-horsepower powertrain from the Blazer SS will be available. We'll be curious to see what the more mild powertrains will be like, if they'll all be dual-motor, or if there will be single-motor setups. And if there are single-motor layouts, whether they'll be front- or rear-wheel drive, as both options are available on Blazer. Related video:

Honda HR-V could spawn Acura variant

We've been saying it for months now, but the compact CUV is the next big thing. Everyone, and we mean everyone, is at least considering getting in on the action, if they aren't already actively designing or selling, and that's true whether they're a premium or mainstream automaker. That, of course, includes Acura, whose parent company, Honda, has a compact CUV of its own coming to market very, very soon. With the arrival of the Fit-based HR-V, that begs the question of whether the near-premium marque will join this burgeoning segment. The idea of building a car below the company's entry level CUV, the RDX, is an appealing one to Honda Executive Vice President John Mendel, who called it "potentially the only place you could go," and would occupy the "white space" the company is looking to fill. While we might chuckle about the idea of a luxurious, Fit-based CUV, it's fair to say it could do well for Acura. It could certainly provide a foil to the very hot selling Buick Encore, and may even capture some sales from the luxuriously outfitted Jeep Renegade Limited/Fiat 500X Lounge. It remains to be seen, though, if Acura could build an HR-V capable of tangling with the new entries from Lexus, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray vs the world: How it compares on paper

The 2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray in its base form offers an astonishing amount of performance for the money. In fact, so impressive is the car's spec sheet that the Corvette kind of exists in two different competitive sets: one of cars priced similarly, and another with cars of similar performance and reputation. To get a feel for how it handles each of these segments, we've compiled specifications for those two sets of players. You can find the first set below, which looks at cars of roughly the same price point. Following that is a bit of analysis, and then there's a chart of cars with similar performance and reputation. And that chart will also have some analysis. Though final pricing for the Corvette hasn't been announced yet, we know the Corvette will start at less than $60,000. And as far as pricing goes, its closest competitor is the Porsche 718 Cayman, which also starts at just under $60,000. Both are mid-engined and rear-drive, but the Corvette offers an extra 195 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Cayman does boast a curb weight of right around 3,000 pounds, so it weighs a few hundred pounds less than the Corvette, but it's likely not enough to make up for the power deficit. The Corvette's sub-3.0-second 0-60 time bears this out against the Cayman's best 4.5-second run. Impressively, though, the Cayman has more cargo space than the Corvette in a package that's nearly 10 inches shorter. The Cayman also still offers a manual option for those that prefer self-shifting. The 2020 Toyota Supra is on the cheap end of this sports car class, just crossing $50,000. It also boasts more power than the Cayman, though it's still down by 160 ponies and 105 pound-feet of torque to the C8. It's also about as roomy as the Corvette, despite being about the same size as the Cayman. Cargo space is a bit tighter. Its driving characteristics will likely differ, too as the Supra sits on a front-engine platform. It might even feel closer to a C7 Corvette in some ways. The other mid-engine entry in this price range is the 2019 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider. Its small 1.7-liter turbo inline-4 only makes 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but it's also far and away the lightest of this group at 2,487 pounds. That's roughly 1,000 pounds lighter than the Corvette. It isn't as fast as the Corvette in a straight line, but that lightness surely pays dividends in cornering and braking.