2003 Acura Mdx Touring Navigation 7 Passenger Silver Back Up Cam Leather Sunroof on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2014 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year finalists announced [w/poll]

The 2014 North American International Auto Show is right around the corner, which means it's high time we found out which cars and trucks would be finalists for the prestigious North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year awards.
The finalists - three in cars and three in three trucks/utilities - are dominated by American brands, with two-thirds of the finalists hailing from either General Motors or Chrysler (don't worry Ford, there's always next year), while outliers from Mazda and Acura can be found in each contest. Here now is the list of finalists for the big prizes:
2014 North American Car of the Year:

Acura NSX will use Cosworth block, plus other neat tidbits

The blue NSX you see here was built just two weeks ago. Prototype number six, it rolled off Acura's newest assembly line in Ohio and was rushed out to the Monterey peninsula for various car week activities. We had a chance to sit down with several members of the NSX team to discuss the car, the long road from concept to production, and some interesting details. Below are some choice bits from our conversations. Acura is pretty proud of the fact that NSX version 2.0 was designed and is being built in the US. The new assembly line, called the Performance Manufacturing Center, is in Honda's hometown of Marysville, Ohio. While the line is brand new, the building has seen many uses over its lifetime, most recently as a warehouse facility. PMC staff numbers about 100, with 60 technical and 40 non-technical associates. The car uses parts sourced globally, and one of those sources is Cosworth. The engine blocks and heads come from the English firm and get assembled into twin-turbo powerhouses at Honda's nearby Anna, Ohio, engine plant. The Cosworth name is rarely associated with a bad engine, so we were geeked to hear the NSX's 550-plus-horsepower hybrid powertrain has good genes. Acura hasn't decided how many cars will come to the US each year, but supplies will be limited. We're told there is a total figure for global sales – basically anywhere Honda and Acura vehicles are sold – but they're not ready to divulge that number. Dealer allocation is also yet to be sorted out, although we're told that any dealer that has the necessary tools and equipment to service the new NSX will be able to sell them. Acura currently has 272 US dealers. The switch from the transverse engine originally planned to a longitudinal twin-turbo engine threw everyone involved for a loop. The designers had to lengthen their nearly finalized design, and the engineers working on the production process had to revise or redo much of their work. Though we've been waiting a while for the car since the concept first surfaced in 2012, it's pretty amazing to think that the car was engineered one and a half times and a new factory was built in about three years. But yeah, it's delayed, with series production now set to commence in the spring of 2016. One result of the switch to a longitudinal engine is a transmission hump in the cargo area aft of the engine. The hold is still sized to fit a bag of golf clubs, though it will be a tight fit.

Acura NSX is this year's Pikes Peak pace car

Acura's new NSX is the official pace car for this year's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The hybrid supercar will go running up that hill on June 28, leading a group of 140 racers up the 14,110-foot mountain. It'll be driven by Sage Marie, Honda's senior public relations manager (and friend of Autoblog), who competed in the Pikes Peak race in 2013 and 2014. To make the most of the occasion, Acura is installing 24 cameras along the course to capture the pace car's run. But this won't just be for a cool photo gallery. Acura will use the cameras to create a 360-degree video that will be posted to the company's social media channels after the NSX completes its climb. Look for that to drop sometime on the morning of the 28th. The NSX heads up Pikes Peak at 7:40 AM Mountain time (9:40 AM Eastern). We'll have plenty more information about the Pikes Peak Hill Climb throughout the coming days. For now, check out the NSX pace car in the image gallery above, read Acura's official press blast below, and be sure to scroll through the amazing photo galleries from the practice sessions (Day 1 and Day 2) shot by our own Drew Phillips. Related Video: Next-Generation Acura NSX to Serve as Official Pace Car for the 93rd Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Pikes Peak-first 360-degree video to capture NSX run to the top TORRANCE, Calif. (June 25, 2015) – The next-generation Acura NSX supercar will serve as the official pace car in the 93rd running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 28. With a custom racing-inspired livery, the twin-turbo charged NSX pace car will lead the field of 140 entrants to the top of the 14,110-foot Colorado mountain. "The Acura NSX is the ultimate performance vehicle, and a novel way to promote its capabilities is the iconic race up Pikes Peak," said Mike Accavitti, senior vice president and general manager of the Acura Division. "As the pace car, the beast that is NSX has yet to be fully let out of its cage, but fans and drivers will get a first glimpse of the unique character, performance and handling it will deliver in this one-of-a-kind racing environment." Powering the NSX through the 12.4-mile, 156-turn course is a bespoke 75-degree twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a 9-speed dual clutch transmission and three motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system, which delivers 'on the rails' cornering capability essential to conquering the demanding mountain course.