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Autoblog Podcast #343

George Kennedy from Boldride.com, BMW i3, NACTOY long list, Bentley SUV
Episode #343 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and Steven Ewing are joined by George Kennedy, Autoblog alum and Editor-in-Chief of Boldride.com. Topics include the unveiling of the BMW i3, the 2014 North American Car and Truck of the Year long list, and the green-lighted Bentley SUV. As always, we start with what's in the garage, but then answer some of your questions before diving into the week's news. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #343:

2018 Acura RLX refresh packs a new face and NSX DNA

The redesigned 2018 Acura RLX is here, and it's the fastest and most capable sedan the company has ever built. While not all new, there's a host of changes both inside and out, through the two powertrains carry over unchanged. The RLX Sport Hybrid packs a bit of NSX DNA to go along with the new family face. The car will make its full reveal next week at Pebble Beach before it hits showrooms later this year. The first Acura RLX debuted in 2013 as a replacement for the range-topping RL sedan. Sales have been slow, though a slimmed down lineup may help that. Powertrains remain the same, but refreshed styling and the removal of the controversial "beak" grille may help bring in some new blood to Acura dealers. The car comes in two variants, the 310 horsepower RLX with Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS) and the 377 horsepower RLX Sport Hybrid with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). That's a lot of acronyms, but there's a lot of tech behind those names. Both models use a 3.5-liter direct-injected V6, though the Sport Hybrid backs that up with three electric motors. It's a similar setup to the Acura MDX Sport Hybrid that we drove in the spring. The RLX P-AWS now sends power to the front wheels through a new 10-speed automatic. Both models get new styling, following on the heels of the updated Acura TLX. The beak is gone, replaced by what Acura dubs the "diamond pentagon" grille. It's handsome and sure to be less divisive than before. In addition to the grille, the RLX gets a new hood, new wheels, and new lighting, with a sea of LEDs lighting up the face. The 2018 model gets three new paint colors to go along with the new bodywork. The RLX Sport Hybrid sits atop the Acura sedan range. As such, standard features include a Krell Audio System, surround view cameras, parking sensors, LED fog lights, remote engine start, ventilated and heated front seats, and heated rear seats and steering wheel. The RLX is available with the AcuraWatch suite of active safety technology. Similar to HondaSense, AcuraWatch comes with automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane departure warnings, forward collision warnings, adaptive cruise control, and low-speed follow. Unique to AcuraWatch is traffic jam assist. This system works with the adaptive cruise and low speed follow to keep the vehicle moving and following at a set distance in heavy traffic. Look for more photos and pricing later this year.

Is the original Acura NSX a perfect supercar?

The long-awaited arrival of the second coming of the Acura NSX has naturally brought with it many deep retrospectives on the first Acura NSX. Xcar is the latest with a stint in the time capsule, lining up three NSXs to sample at a track in the UK. There's the red wonder that started it all, the standard aluminum-bodied car that went on sale in 1990, so simple and easy-to-drive, extracting more joy than many thought possible from a 3.0-liter V6 with 'just' 270 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. The 25-year-old exotic shows its years, but mostly because of an automatic transmission that dampens throttle response and doesn't like changing gears. The praises it earned in the day, however, still remain, namely excellent steering, handling, and feedback. After that comes laps in the first NSX Type R, the model that lost more than 250 pounds by having no air conditioning, sound deadening, or stereo, and lightweight tweaks like carbon seats and thinner glass. Although it the tuning makes it much harder, the presenter wants to know, "Why isn't Honda making a car like this today?" Then there's the 2002 model, the one that would only last three years before closing the door on a fifteen-year run. It got better at the same time as it got softer, but by then the NSX had nothing left to prove; it hit every one of its targets, it realigned the segment in ways we're still benefiting from, and for at least half of its run nothing else could touch it. Based on the reviews so far, that might include the brand new, very good and very complicated NSX. Check out the video above for Xcar's take. Related Video: News Source: Xcar via YouTube Acura Honda Coupe Luxury Performance Videos xcar honda nsx