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Is Acura working on a premium minivan?

Here's a vehicle that nobody saw coming. Unless Honda/Acura is keen to play tricks on us, our spy shooters recently caught what appears to be an Acura minivan fully camouflaged for testing on some back roads on a rainy day.
Details on the disguised minivan are rather scarce, but it certainly bares all the hallmarks of an Acura. The front grille alone gives it away with a look that mimics the latest MDX, and note that the orientation of the rear door handle heavily suggests that it slides to open. Moving inside, the tester appears to borrow some tech from the luxury brand's parts bin too, and the Acura logo seems to be covered in tape right in the middle of the steering wheel.
Mechanically, our spies believe that the production version of Acura's minivan might borrow the brand's V6, nine-speed automatic and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive - a similar layout to some trims of the TLX. The photographers also think that the vehicle is a little wider than the current Honda Odyssey to give occupants a bit more room. Given the more luxurious focus, the high-end model would surely carry seven people with a bit more opulence than the standard Odyssey, especially, we'd imagine, for second-row passengers. A launch for this posh hauler could be slated for the 2016 or 2017 model years.

A smoother operator | 2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid First Drive

There's a lot to unpack when trying to understand the 2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid. Acura is billing it as a three-row crossover infused with NSX technology via a sport-oriented hybrid drivetrain. So it's a hybrid crossover, sure. But it doesn't comport itself like a traditional crossover, nor is it a conventional hybrid. What it is, underneath, is an intentionally subtle blend of impressive technologies doing their best to appear transparent – and it's too subtle, I fear, to be appreciated by those who'd like it the most. This is a lot of foreshadowing, but if you're not familiar with the MDX Sport Hybrid's powertrain, let's fill you in. The MDX Sport Hybrid uses the same basic system as the 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid, with some newer NSX battery tech sprinkled in, packaged neatly into the refreshed third-generation MDX platform. The system improves handling and efficiency – but more important, it smoothes out the harshness of shifts and engine stop-starts. We do need to examine the system in some detail to understand how all this affects the MDX as a whole, so let's go toe to tail. Up front is a transversely-mounted 3.0-liter V6 making 257 horsepower and 218 pound-feet of torque, as well as featuring i-VTEC and cylinder deactivation. It's slightly smaller than the 3.5-liter V6 found in the conventional MDX and many other Honda and Acura products. Attached alongside is a Honda-produced 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that has a 47 hp, 109 lb-ft electric motor-generator stuffed inside. Amidships are the battery pack and the electronics to control it, and stretching aft from there are large cables feeding power to a pair of electric motors that reside in single housing, one for each wheel. Together, they produce electron witchcraft and torque-delivery wizardry – and add 72 hp and 108 lb-ft of torque to the mix. The total system output is 321 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque – a gain of 31 hp and 22 lb-ft over the conventional MDX SH-AWD. Beyond the raw numbers, there's the remarkable subjective benefit of the Sport Hybrid's drivetrain. Engine start-stop events are quiet and smooth, nearly imperceptible when under way – in stark contrast to the too-perceptible shudder of competing engines kicking on. The electric motors (mainly the one residing in the transmission) add in power to make up for the lull during a shift, making shifts up or down seamless, as well as providing regenerative capacity.

Acura announces 2021 TLX Type S on-sale date and approximate price

Acura is clearing up a few nagging questions we had about the 2021 TLX Type S today. The company’s latest announcement spells out both the starting price and a precise on-sale date.  YouÂ’ll be able to drive a 2021 Acura TLX Type S home in May this year, and pricing starts “in the low $50,000s.” We wish Acura could be a little more specific on exact pricing, but apparently itÂ’s not ready to divulge that information yet. Regardless, this price point makes perfect sense when you consider that the regular TLX with its 2.0-liter turbo can be optioned up to about $50,000. ItÂ’s likely going to come in under the BMW M340iÂ’s price (starts at $55,695). On the other hand, the Audi S4 will most likely undercut the Type S with its $50,945 base price. Do keep in mind that both the BMW and Audi will likely need a heavy hand in the options list to equal the AcuraÂ’s equipment, just as the non-performance models require. As a reminder, the TLX Type S is getting a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that spits out 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque to the standard SH-AWD system. The 10-speed automatic is “sport-tuned,” and the car has a new Sport+ driving mode that isnÂ’t on the regular TLX that notches everything up to another level of aggressiveness. You can get NSX-inspired lightweight wheels that hide big Brembo brakes and can be wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero summer tires. The Tiger Eye Pearl exterior paint pictured here is a Type S-exclusive paint option, too. WeÂ’ll be looking forward to May this year, when we'll finally get behind the wheel of the Type S, which is the first Type S weÂ’ve seen in America for 13 years. Related video: