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2021 Acura TLX Long-Term Introduction | Loving the style, testing the substance

It’s not an understatement to say that the 2021 TLX is AcuraÂ’s most important car in years. Its purpose is ambitious: to be an authentic sports sedan with premium flair. When Acura is at its best, thatÂ’s what it does, as exemplified by the Legend and the third-generation TL. Can the TLX live up to that pedigree? WeÂ’ll spend the next year seeking answers as the attractive TLX joins our long-term fleet. The TLX is the sedan for Acura, carrying most of its aspirations as a sporting brand. Sure, thereÂ’s still the NSX, but a halo car needs to shine its light on something for mainstream enthusiasts to buy. As a reminder, the ILX is a dressed-up Civic and AcuraÂ’s former flagship, the RLX, is done. Put simply, thereÂ’s a lot riding on the TLX, but early indications are promising.  You will be able to find all future posts on our Long-Term 2021 Acura TLX page.  What we got Our new long-termer is a TLX A-Spec with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. ItÂ’s powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque teamed with a 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It costs $47,775, including destination charges, which puts it near the top of the TLX range. Among the TLX's standard features are LED head- and taillights, a sunroof, heated front seats, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Acura's unusual True Touchpad interface. Beyond the basic equipment, Acura then breaks down content into three packages, but they're more like trim levels since you can't mix and match them, nor are there any additional options beyond SH-AWD. As such, the A-Spec basically takes the Technology package items (blind-spot warning, navigation, leather upholstery, ambient cabin lighting) and adds additional content, including 19-inch Shark Grey aluminum alloy wheels, LED fog lamps, ventilated front seats, a sport steering wheel, a wireless phone charger, and a 17-speaker Panasonic/ELS sound system. The A-Spec also looks different with gloss black accents, smoked light casings and a matte grey diamond grille that really stand out when paired with our long-termer's striking Apex Blue Pearl Paint ($500 option). Our car also arrived on 255/40 R19 all-season tires but we plan to swap them for winter rubber. Why we got it The A-Spec is the enthusiast version. It looks and feels the part of a proper sports sedan. The interior, with the supportive seats and flat-bottom steering wheel, reinforces the idea of athleticism.

Acura gives us a lightning-quick glimpse of the NSX Type S

Acura released a short preview film to give fans a fast-paced look at the limited-edition NSX Type S. Scheduled to break cover tomorrow, August 12, it's being boldly presented as the final evolution of the second-generation model. The eight-second flick posted on various social media channels provides us with a peek at the Type S' front end. It shows two cars speeding towards the camera down what looks like a race track's main straight. Acura wants to keep the Type S under wraps until its big debut, so the footage gets blurry as the cars speed by; that's why it's called a teaser. We nonetheless think we can squint and discern a redesigned front end with larger air intakes.  Acura might have chiseled bigger vents into the front bumper because the Type S needs additional cooling air. It's powered by a mid-mounted engine, but there are radiators located right behind the front bumper in the regular-production model. Of course, we're not discounting the possibility that the vents were merely added for show. As we previously reported, the visual changes will also include a red engine cover and black exterior accents. Additionally, the Type S will offer more power than the standard, 573-horsepower NSX and sharper handling. Acura will build 350 units of the NSX Type S, and 300 of those have been earmarked for the American market. The model will make its public debut on August 12 on the sidelines of Monterey Car Week, so we won't have to wait long to learn about the improvements the company has made. If you want one, act fast; if you want the first one, bid high. Serial number one will be sold to the highest bidder at Mecum's Monterey sale on August 14, 2021. The proceeds from the sale will benefit a number of charities. As for what's next, nothing suggest there's a third-generation NSX on the way, but the GT3-spec race car will soon receive a round of updates and it might continue racing until 2024. Related video:

Autoblog Minute: VW finds CO2 'irregularities', Takata dropped by automakers, SEMA recap

Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal gets a new wrinkle, US regulators hit Takata Corporation with a substantial fine, and we head to Las Vegas for a look at tuner paradise at the 2015 SEMA show. Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal gets a new wrinkle. US regulators issue a significant fine to Takata Corporation. And we take a peek inside tuner paradise at the 2015 SEMA show. I'm senior editor Greg Migliore and this is your Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. The VW diesel emissions scandal, first brought to light in September, gets a new wrinkle, as an internal investigation by the German automaker revealed [00:00:30] irregularities in CO2 emissions that could affect approximately 800,000 vehicles. VW estimates the issue could pose a 2-billion euro economic risk. VW claims that most of the vehicles affected have diesel engines, but industry analysts say a 1.4-liter gas engine is also affected. VW says that fuel consumption figures were set too low during the CO2 certification process. During all of this, sales of some diesel-powered Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche models [00:01:00] have been halted. Takata Corporation is back in the news in connection with its deadly airbag scandal. Federal regulators fined Takata $70 million. If the parts supplier does not comply, the fine could balloon to $200 million. Takata was also dropped this week by its biggest customer, Honda. And now, Toyota and Mazda will be following Honda's lead in dropping Takata. We're also hearing that Mitsubishi and Subaru are considering a switch in air-bag inflator suppliers. SEMA 2015 [00:01:30] came and went. We saw offerings from Mopar, like the AWD Challenger concept. Honda unveiled a Ridgeline that it will race at the Baja 1000, which gives us a hint at what future production model could look like. The celebrity presence was also felt in Vegas as it always is. Kid Rock brought a Duramax Diesel Chevy Silverado, and Acura restored and presented Ludacris with his now famous 1993 Acura Legend. Those are the highlights from the week that was. Be sure to come back on Saturday for my full recap, [00:02:00] where I'll have some added insight into Hyundai's foray into the luxury sector. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive.