2004 Acura Tl 6 Speed Manual A Spec Type S 40k Miles on 2040-cars

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Alonso wants an NSX, but did Honda block him from Le Mans?

One of the biggest changes in store for the 2015 Formula One World Championship will see Fernando Alonso moving back to McLaren. That means he'll be driving under Honda power for the first time, after spending the bulk of his career driving for Renault and Ferrari. And being Honda's new poster child, as the two-time World Champion is fast discovering, has its advantages and its drawbacks. According to the latest reports, Alonso had been negotiating a clause in his contract with McLaren that could have seen him driving a Porsche 919 Hybrid at Le Mans this year, but Honda reportedly stepped in at the last minute and scuttled the plan. The drive would have been Alonso's first in the famous 24-hour race, after having had the honor of waving the flag at La Sarthe last summer. In one of the wilder rumors that emerged during the prolonged silence over his move for this season, the Spaniard was also linked to a potential return for Ferrari to Le Mans. That prospect came to naught, and now the Porsche deal has been wheeled into the garage, as well. The upcoming F1 season is expected to be one of transition, adjustment and development for McLaren and Honda, but the Japanese automaker's involvement in his hiring may not be all bad news for Alonso. Following the reveal of the new Acura NSX, Alonso tweeted "You still don't know, but one day we will be together..." followed by a series of heart-eyed smiley-face emoticons and accompanies by images of Honda's new supercar. The implication is that the two-time World Champion is expecting to get his talented hands on an NSX of his own, and we can certainly see how Honda would appreciate the imagery of Fernando driving around in its flagship. Even if it doesn't, though, we're sure McLaren would be glad to hook him up with a company car of its own – though Lewis Hamilton encountered some trouble securing (a very specific) one for himself. Even discounting the front-running F1 machinery he's been tasked with piloting on track to an impressive 32 career wins, Alonso has had some lustworthy company cars at his disposal over the years. At Renault, he had a Megane RS to drive, and during his last stint at McLaren, he had an SLR 722. But since signing with Ferrari, he's been given the keys to FCA models as varied as a Ferrari FF, a special 599 GTO, a Maserati GranCabrio, a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT and an Abarth 695... and those are just the ones we know about.

Acura spotted testing high-performance TLX sedan

Back in January at the Detroit Auto Show, Acura promised to dust off the old Type-S moniker to inject some much-needed performance credibility into its current line of sedans and crossovers. At the time, the Japanese luxury brand co-announced a new turbocharged V6 engine and said it would be paired with its Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). Now, a new set of spy shots has us wondering if an Acura TLX Type-S is right around the corner. It's obvious that the TLX seen in these photos has been blessed with some performance goodies. Large-diameter wheels are shod with low-profile tires, and there's a good chance the suspension has been lowered to match. Most of the camouflage is focused on keeping the fascia and hood covered, which means there are probably some air intakes and bodywork bulges to keep hidden away from prying eyes. Below this prototype's grille is what very well could be an intercooler, which bolsters the notion that there's a turbocharged engine sitting under the hood. And at the rear, we get a very clear look at the car's dual exhaust system. What kind of performance should enthusiasts expect from the Acura TLX Type-S? We'll have to wait and see, but the vehicles accompanying this prototype on its testing runs might offer up some clues. An Audi S4 (354 horsepower) and a Mercedes-AMG C43 (362 hp) were along for the ride. Since that's the case, we'd expect more than 350 ponies if the TLX Type-S is going to compete on at least equal footing. Related Video:

Acura spotlights NSX pace car at Pikes Peak

You can't just have any old street car setting the pace at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, can you? Of course not. For that task, you'd need a supercar with exceptionally high performance capabilities. Something like the new Acura NSX, for example. Fortunately that's just what the organizers of the annual Race to the Clouds selected to serve as official pace car this year. Honda's new hybrid supercar, set to be built in Ohio, donned a unique livery, a senior PR rep behind the wheel, and a smattering of GoPro cameras to speed up the 14,110-foot mountain. Naturally the twin-turbo V6 engine, nine-speed, dual-clutch transmission, and three-motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system formed an integral part of the package as well, even if its output hasn't been officially released more specifically than the "over 550 horsepower" we've been told to expect. The Japanese automaker also placed another couple dozen cameras along the 12.4-mile route and its 156 turns. Which is a good thing, considering that most of us weren't there in Colorado to see it make its run up the mountain, and nobody was there at each corner as it passed – except, of course, for the driver, Sage Marie. The rest of us will want to check out the minute-long clip Acura has released to see the NSX gun for the sky.