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Acura NSX EV puts winner Tetsuya Yamano back on Pikes Peak

With Pikes Peak right around the corner, Acura is showing off more details about its NSX-inspired all-electric racer. The four-motor EV will be driven in the Electric Modified Class by Tetsuya Yamano, who has been testing the car at the Hill Climb for the past few weeks. Acura is also running two NSX hybrids up the hill in the challenge next weekend. So, what's different inside this NSX-like EV? Like the all-electric Honda CR-Z that Yamano drove up Pikes Peak last year – winning the Challenge Exhibition class with a time of 10:23.829 – the NSX-inspired EV uses two Twin Motor Units (TMU) from the company's Sport Hybrid SH-AWD powertrain. Each axle has a TMU and that means that the car, "has achieved independent torque distribution to all four corners – true four-wheel torque vectoring," according to Acura. That sounds nice, but the real test will be out in Colorado in just a few days. Related Video: Acura NSX-Inspired EV Concept Ready to 'Charge Up' Pikes Peak Vehicle Features World's First All-Electric, 4-Motor SH-AWD® Powertrain Jun 20, 2016 TORRANCE, Calif. – Acura will campaign an all-electric, NSX-inspired EV Concept in the Electric Modified Class at the 2016 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The Acura EV Concept features a further evolution of the experimental, all-electric, 4-motor Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®) powertrain that won last year's Pikes Peak Challenge Exhibition class. The supercar-inspired Acura EV Concept will be driven by Tetsuya Yamano, who campaigned last year's CR-Z-based electric prototype. The Acura EV Concept is the ultimate embodiment of the all-wheel-drive Electric SH-AWD powertrain featuring a world's first technology that enables four-wheel independent torque allocation. The Acura EV Concept's Electric SH-AWD powertrain produces three times the total system output of last year's electric prototype and is mated to the NSX body. "We've been tuning the car for several weeks at Pikes and have advanced its performance significantly," said Tetsuya Yamano. "We're honored to be running at Pikes in this historical, anniversary year – an event respected by racing fans all over the world." 4-Motor Development Honda R&D has been developing "super handling" technology for more than 20 years in the pursuit of ideal vehicle handling.

2016 Acura ILX, for better or worse [UPDATE]

Unfortunately, the slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission has been discontinued. UPDATE: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the 2.4-liter engine in the 2016 ILX is the same unit found in the Honda Civic Si. The ILX's new engine is the same direct-injected four-cylinder found in the new TLX. The text has been edited to reflect this. "It's just a badge-engineered Honda Civic." This (uninformed) criticism has been leveled at the Acura ILX since the premium compact arrived on the scene to duke it out with the Buick Verano and, more recently, the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-class. For model year 2016, Acura will attempt to address the car's critics, issuing a major reshuffle of the sedan's lineup along with the typical sheen of a mid-cycle refresh. Following up on the discontinuation of the ILX Hybrid for 2015, Acura is dispatching the antiquated pairing of the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder and five-speed automatic for 2016, and simply slotting in the standard powertrain of the TLX. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder produces 201 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, with peak output arriving at 3,600 rpm. The ILX also benefits from the same eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission found in the TLX. Unfortunately, the slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission we've always enjoyed has been discontinued. Sad trombone, indeed. Powertrain tweaks aside, Acura has issued a pretty handsome freshening for 2016. The ILX was always a handsome offering, but the new front and rear clips are improvements. Acura's love-it-or-hate-it JewelEye headlights have been grafted onto the ILX, while the grille, a traditional weak point for the brand, is perhaps one of the best we've seen out of the company in several years. The rear taillights also received some attention, although it was the back bumper that saw the biggest update, with the lower section getting a sportier look. Acura will also add a new A-Spec package for 2016, which replaces the standard 17-inch wheels with 18s, adds "Euro-style" stitching to the steering wheel and adds black Lux Suede inserts to the seats, along with a flurry of smaller aesthetic tweaks. The A-Spec can be added alongside the existing Premium and Technology Packs. Acura hasn't released any interior images as of this writing, although we'll be sure to snap a few following today's debut conference at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. Until then, scroll down for the official press release from Acura.

Acura gives us a peek at 'Type S' concept debuting at Monterey Car Week

We’ve known that Acura is bringing the Type S moniker back since the Detroit Auto Show in 2018. Spy shots have shown what may be Type S versions of current Acuras out testing in heavy camouflage, but we still arenÂ’t sure what the first new Type S will be after the long drought. What weÂ’re getting today is a teaser for an Acura Type S Concept slated to debut at Monterey Car Week. The car is shrouded in plenty of shadows and darkness, but a body shape emerges from the teaser video. Just like the stunning Acura Precision Concept, the Type S Concept is going to take the form of a four-door coupe. A report from earlier this year pegged this show car to be a near production-ready vehicle in the likes of the Precision Concept. Looking at the silhouette tells us that prediction was on to something. Acura says that this conceptÂ’s purpose will be to “set the design direction for the return of Type S variants to the Acura lineup in the years ahead.” WeÂ’ll be seeing it in an event Aug. 15. Folks will be able to check it out at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering the following day or at the actual Pebble Beach Concours dÂ’Elegance on that Sunday. The one teaser image Acura provided shows a rather striking taillight element and an assumed quad exhaust design. ThereÂ’s an aggressive-looking diffuser and a prominent spoiler gracing the rear-end. It also proudly displays the Type S badge on the trunk lid. We get some hints at the new Type S direction here, but weÂ’ll reserve judgment for seeing the car as a whole. You'll find a quick teaser video at the bottom of this post, too. WeÂ’re sure youÂ’re all as excited as we are about the return of Type S. Acura made some pretty sweet Type S variants over the years, our favorite most likely being the sporty RSX Type S. There were other even more intriguing S-badged Honda vehicles overseas, too. It was never sold in America, but the original NSX received both Type S and Type S Zero variants in Japan. ItÂ’ll be interesting to see which current models Acura decides are worthy of the Type S badge this time around. Our bet is on the TLX and RDX to begin with. However, what weÂ’d really love to see is a return to the hot compact car segment. Honda has done such an impressive job with the Civic Type R at its relatively low price point. Why not spread some love to a small, sporty Acura, because the ILX in its current form just doesnÂ’t cut it when your history is full of fun-to-drive Integras.