First
things first: Acura would not allow us to take any photographs of the
cars it's bringing to the 2012 Detroit auto show, so no, you will not
know what the Acura NSX concept looks like -- yet. This article's
associated images ARE NOT actual representations of what's described
below. With that out of the way, here's what we learned about the
upcoming Acura NSX concept, ILX compact car concept, and refresh of the
RDX crossover for the Detroit show. Acura also shared some intel on the
next-generation version of its Acura RL sedan, which is due to be
revealed at next year's New York auto show.
Acura NSX Concept
Let's face it: You're here for any scrap of news we have on the Acura NSX concept, and we completely understand why.
Ever
since Honda's now legendary halo sports car was mothballed after 2005,
the stream of rumors, spy photos, design illustrations, media reports,
and concept cars purportedly related to the NSX's eventual revival
flowed like a stuck tap. In the end, we like to think each step we
encountered over the past six years will have contributed in some
measurable or immeasurable way to the inevitable product.
The
gushing continues today. A new Acura NSX concept is scheduled to appear
at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in
January and there's an anticipated 2014 on-sale date. The Japanese
carmaker revealed what was in store for the future NSX during its recent
dealer conference in Las Vegas. We're told the attending dealers and a
small band of press/media representatives were the only ones who have
seen the concept up close in an official capacity. We were also told it
was the first time in a long time dealers stood up and delivered a
rousing ovation upon seeing what will without a doubt be the brand's
halo car. Of course, it certainly helps that Acura calls the concept
"NSX."
Car
lovers will soon be tantalized by NSX concept's striking sheetmetal.
Back in September, an Acura-branded mystery roadster was spotted and
photographed on the set of the upcoming superhero movie "The Avengers,"
leading to widespread speculation it would form the basis for the new
NSX's design direction. Initially, Acura responded that "The Avengers"
car was a fictional one-off produced just for the film. That may not be
an untrue statement, but the NSX concept indeed takes several cues from
Tony Stark's new ride, only it has a roof.
The
NSX concept wears thin A-pillars, a small greenhouse, and a
serious-looking rear diffuser. Its bodywork was shaped with design input
from Honda and Acura teams around the globe. There is room in the back
for a small trunk. The concept's tires measure 255/35-19 up front and
275/30-20 out back, and the wheels shield huge fixed calipers and brake
rotors at all corners. The entire car is bodied in the toned-down yet
distinctive Keen Edge design, with a cab-forward arrangement and a
mid-engine layout (a la the last NSX). Acura fully acknowledges it might
have reached too far with its current, provocative styling direction,
but there's no doubt you'd expect to see the big A badge when looking at
the front end beak -- perfect for Acura since this car is intended to
dramatically boost the brand's appeal.
For
a period of time, a front-mounted V-10 engine was pegged for the new
NSX, until the unpleasant economic conditions of late 2008 got the
better of Honda's product plans. When the V-10 sports car project was
shelved (although a version of that car has been subsequently campaigned
by Honda in motorsports events), it's said Honda wasn't exactly
shedding tears, considering the sentiment that exerting brute force and
an overreliance on performance-adding technologies was not the Honda
way. Instead, Acura calls the NSX concept the "ultimate expression of
man-machine synergy," where the driver and car work together in unison
for an enjoyable driving experience, rather than having overly egregious
machinery take the driver for a ride. In Acura's vision, an NSX is the
definitive interpretation of a modern sports car, a performance halo
that can be "drive[n] like a pro every day."
The
belief in smart luxury without excess waste is Acura's way of
differentiating itself from other luxury marques. Which explains the NSX
concept's powertrain: a hybrid getup with a mid-mounted,
direct-injected V-6 (likely displacing 3.5-to-3.7 liters) matched to a
seven-speed twin-clutch automatic with a newly developed integrated
motor. The car's hybrid system -- tentatively dubbed Sports Hybrid AWD
-- uses a pair of electric motors (one for each of the front wheels) for
torque vectoring and independent wheel control.
On
paper, this type of engineering and integration should ensure a
seamless driving experience where the car is not handicapped by the
driver, and vice versa. From a sustainability standpoint, Acura expects
V-8 performance with better-than-four-cylinder fuel economy. So
hypothetically, it should be faster and more fuel-efficient than the
original NSX. Motor Trend Technical director Frank Markus got firsthand
experience with an early version of this next-generation SH-AWD in
Japan, proclaiming his limited time with a prototype Accord "was enough
to suggest the V-8-performance claims have merit and that the
electrified rear axle does indeed enhance handling over a much wider set
of driving circumstances." The future AWD system is being optimized for
larger vehicles at the moment and is said to be very modular in its
nature.
According
to Markus' notations, the DCT will be a wet-clutch design. Since the
IMA motor isn't hard-coupled to the engine but is affixed to an output
shaft, the integrated motor enjoys a wider range of freedom than the
current IMA setup. It's the increased IMA "hybridness" that should
provide the NSX concept with even greener credentials.
The
original NSX shocked the world and had little trouble establishing
precedence in the sports car world when it debuted a little over two
decades ago. It put the rest of the world on alert, and the new car
should as well.
Acura ILX
In addition to the NSX concept, Acura presented its entry-level sedan concept, the ILX.
Visualize
the Canadian-market CSX, but with more thought put into the car's
execution. Rather than simply grafting the familial front end onto a
Honda Civic sedan, the ILX concept we saw has a unique presence. The
front beak isn't as pronounced as we've come to expect from the Keen
Edge design; in fact, Acura calls the ILX's styling Arrow Fuse dynamics.
Although the ILX is Civic based, its lines are more distinct and
rounded than the current crop of Acuras, retaining a premium appearance
absent on the Civic.
One
of Acura's presentation slides showed a projection of 17.3-percent
growth through 2016 for the entry luxury four-door segment (one of only a
few segments that showed a double-digit increase), and the ILX is the
car Acura has designated to get in on that action. Generation Y buyers -
the first generation in history on course to earn less than the
preceding generation - are the target, and Acura expects to pair their
diminished earning power with an entry price point well below $30,000.
For comparison, the 2012 Buick Verano starts at $23,470 and the 2012 TSX
at $30,695. Acura foresees moving about 40,000 units per year, and is
striving to retain these younger customers who may opt to move up within
the Acura family several years later. Categorically, it may poach some
TSX sales, too.
To
satisfy the Gen Y crowd, ILX features and options include all the
technological bits and pieces like a hard drive to store music files,
Pandora Internet radio connectivity, and text-to-voice SMS capability. A
rearview camera and keyless entry are sure to be offered. Based on
speculation, we'd bet the interior won't be anything like a CSX but be
mocked up similarly to the rest of the Acura lineup.
There
will be three powertrains. The volume 2.0-liter four-cylinder and
accompanying automatic transmission will be new, while the familiar
1.5-liter IMA system will make the ILX the brand's first hybrid
offering. The 2.4-liter inline-four with the six-speed manual out of the
Civic Si is in place to satiate enthusiast driving. 
Acura RDX
The
brand's entry luxury SUV will also be on the NAIAS floor next month,
attired in subtly refreshed sheetmetal to update its circa-2007 looks
(albeit with a circa-2010 Keen Edge beak). The RDX will be fitted with a
lightened SH-AWD system and Acura expects best-in-class fuel economy
(not that the RDX was handicapped enormously in the first place). The
current RDX is rated 19/24 and 17/22 mpg city/highway with front- and
all-wheel drive, respectively.
A
V-6 will finagle its way into the engine bay, contributing more power
than the current 2.3-liter turbo four's 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of
torque. At this point, it's hard to imagine the turbo four-cylinder is
long for this world, at least in its current guise. 
The
third Acura to bow in Detroit next month, the RDX, will go on sale a
few months later. An 11.1-percent projected growth through 2016 for the
small luxury SUV segment makes the RDX more important than ever before.
Acura RL successor
It's
billed as a "true Acura flagship," but we can't ascertain much, as
we've only seen a handful of conceptual photos of the upcoming full-size
sedan. Based on the photos alone, don't expect a dramatic departure
from the current, stagnating model in terms of sheetmetal. BMW is
apparently the benchmark -- specifically, Acura is pitching the next RL
as having 7 Series room with 5 Series dynamics. We'll see about that,
but aim high, right?
The
improved packaging proposal that pushes the RL successor's backseat
legroom to best-in-class is a sound one, as the relatively invisible
flagship needs any and all the help it can get (1046 sold through
November, down 45 percent year-to-date). We should see the fruits of
Acura's labor on this project at the 2012 New York Auto Show
0 komentar:
Speak up your mind
Tell us what you're thinking... !