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Acura recalling 43k MDX and RLX models over seatbelt issue

If you've ever lived in a wintery climate, you may have noticed something strange: no, not the perilously enticing sparkle of cold metal in the sunlight or the way your warm breath suddenly becomes visible in the frigid air, but the way your seatbelt seems increasingly reluctant to retract as the temperature drops. Acura, however, has found the problem more serious than a minor inconvenience, and is recalling some 43,000 vehicles across the United States to address the issue.
The recall in question affects about 7,000 RLX sedans (from the 2014 model year) and another 36,000 MDX crossovers (covering the 2014 and 2015 model years) to have their front seatbelts replaced. In the affected vehicles and in very low temperatures, Acura has found that "the driver's and front passenger's seatbelts may not release from the retracted position." Needless to say, seatbelts that can't be used don't offer any protection in the event of an accident, so the Japanese automaker is notifying owners and dealers to hook up to have those seatbelts replaced.

2023 Acura Integra revealed with Civic Si power at $30,000

It's been a couple of decades, but the storied Acura Integra nameplate is returning to the road as a 2023 model. The Civic-based Acura sedan borrows the sporty Si's 1.5-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder and 6-speed manual transmission with its limited-slip differential, though the exact specs still remain up in the air.  The prototype was shown in a new color dubbed "Indy Yellow," which pays homage to the iconic Phoenix Yellow finish offered on the Integra Type R. It rides on 19-inch five-spoke wheels over Brembo brakes.  “The Integra is one of the most iconic models in Acura's history,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and Acura brand officer. “This new Integra will continue to deliver on the original's unique aspirational yet attainable market position, with emotional performance and style, combined with the versatility and utility sought after by today's buyers.” While the powertrain may be borrowed from the Civic, it will likely be tuned slightly differently. It produces a nice, round 200 horsepower in the Si, and since Acura noted that it will be a "high-output" engine, we're expecting them to squeeze a little extra something out. Don't expect miracles, however; the Civic Type-R gets a 2.0-liter mill for a reason. Beyond that, Acura is being tight-lipped for now, but a product planner told Autoblog that the Integra won't share a single body panel with the Civic. It's a couple inches longer than the Civic sedan. He suggested that we'd see a performance model eventually, and maybe it would be Type S, but no hard confirmation. The planner also said that, as far as the trend toward retro design in models like the Toyota Supra or Nissan Z, Acura did not set out to design something retro. Instead, they wanted to make something that looked like what the Integra would have evolved into today, had it never been discontinued. The grille sports the new look we can expect to see across the Acura product lineup, slightly refined from the existing look, and frameless. Acura says the Integra will go into production in 2022 at its Marysville, Ohio, facility. 

7 major automakers to build open EV charging network

A new joint venture established by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American electric vehicle charging network on a scale designed to compete with Tesla's industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30,000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla's almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers' Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models — whether they're from one of the involved automakers or not.  "With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program." Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker's in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the two automakers' 800-volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche.  In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America's growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker's in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure.  "The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakersÂ’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience," the announcement said.