2002 Acura Mdx Touring Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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100th Pikes Peak Hill Climb brings bad weather, heartbreak

Hill climb? Please. While Europeans spent the weekend driving up a nobleman's driveway at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, we in 'Murica got down and dirty with the 100th running up Pikes Peak. In a reversal of stereotypes, it is we who have understated. The "hill" climb ascends one of the tallest peaks in the Rockies, to a finish line that's 14,115 feet above sea level. To get there, it takes 156 turns over 12.42 miles, some of which just look like paved sky, because they have have no guardrails between the asphalt's edge and sheer dropoffs. In reality, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is even older than 100 years. The first event took place in 1916, but in 1917-19 and 1942-45, the so-called Race to the Clouds was put on hiatus due to a couple of world wars. This year's event was marked by damp weather that dashed the hopes of several teams' efforts to break new records. David Donner's Porsche 911 Turbo S Lightweight Package, for example, was widely expected to reclaim the production car record this year. Donner is a three-time PPIHC champ, and set the 2014 production car record in a 991-generation Turbo S.  A Bentley Continental GT piloted by Rhys Millen beat it in 2019, so Porsche was keen on taking it back. Donner broke the production qualifying time earlier in the week, but even the seasoned pro couldn't put his skills to tarmac due to moisture-laden surfaces and low-visibility from thick fog on race day. The result was 10:34.053, over 15 seconds slower than Millen's 10:18.488, still good enough to land the class's top spot and second overall. Acura arrived in Colorado to conduct its much-touted motorsports debut of the 2023 Integra. While the entry-level sports sedan, equipped with a stock engine but modified with a slew of HPD goodies, came in ninth in the production class, Acura didn't go home emptyhanded. A 2022 NSX Type S driven by Nick Robinson took the category's third spot. Taking second was Daijiro Yoshihara with a Tesla Model S. In recent years, electric cars have become a force to be reckoned with, especially since they are immune to high altitudes that negatively impact internal combustion cars. Poor conditions sent newcomer Levi Shirley's Ultra 4 buggy off course. Fortunately, it was near the lower sections, where there's still a significant amount of runoff past the pavement's end. Amazingly, Shirley landed wheels down in the video above, and simply continued driving through the pea soup haze.

Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD set for LA debut

Acura has announced that it will be showing the production version of the RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. You'll recall that the standard 3.5-liter V6-powered RLX has been on sale for some time, and that our review of Acura's flagship sedan was mixed. On paper, at least, the RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD should fare better.
Sporting a similar hybrid powertrain to the one expected to motivate the NSX supercar, the RLX uses a 3.5-liter V6 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and a trio of electric motors to generate 377 horsepower, net a combined fuel economy of 30 miles per gallon and offer the security and performance of torque-vectoring all-wheel drive.
The RLX will hit the LA stand on November 20. Scroll down for the full press release from Acura.

2021 Acura TLX Type S First Drive Review | Adapting to a changed world

SALINAS, Calif. — A lot has changed since Acura offered its last Type S model over a decade ago. Tesla's EVs have plundered a sizable chunk of market share, Korean manufacturers have stormed the near-luxury and luxury segments, and Acura, in an effort to restore the luster of their once-revered nameplate, rebooted the legendary NSX as a hybrid-powered supercar halo with the hopes that desirability (and some hardware) will trickle down into the rest of the lineup.  That last part is key to understanding the mission of the new 2021 Acura TLX Type S. Though the premium sport sedan segment isnÂ’t necessarily hotly contested, the Type S still plays a critical role in bolstering the brandÂ’s credibility. Positioned as a step above the turbo four-cylinder-powered TLX ($39,500) and the better-equipped TLX A-Spec ($45,500), the TLX Type S starts at $53,325 and packs a number of performance upgrades that make it high-performance capable. Just don't expect it to be as track-worthy as a Honda Civic Type R. The Type S is built on AcuraÂ’s stiffest sedan chassis to date. Packing an all-new twin-scroll turbo 3.0-liter V6 under its flared hood, the Type S makes 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Despite gains of 83 hp and 74 lb-ft, combined fuel economy drops only 3 points to 21 mpg with the hotrod V6. Aiding the cause is a cylinder deactivation system and active vibration control to mask the transition between six and three cylinders.  Chassis updates include extra bracing for a 13% stiffer body, 40% stiffer front springs, thicker stabilizer bars, more aggressive shock valving, retuned steering, and larger four-piston Brembo brakes. Standard 20-inch wheels and tires are the largest yet for TLX, and Pirelli P Zero summer tires are available with an NSX-inspired design. Tying it all together are drive modes with a new Sport+ setup: Turn and hold the centrally positioned mode selector for 1 second, and throttle response, shifting, exhaust valve, steering effort, damping, torque vectoring, and even interior lighting take on a more aggressive calibration. To showcase these enhancements, Acura held the Type S first drive at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, hauling up a few historic vehicles for good measure including a first-gen NSX and a Honda S2000 CR. Old school Type S specimens included a 2001 CL, 2007 TL, and a 2007 RSX.