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Honda to lead Rose Parade with hybrid tech

What are you doing New Year's Day? We're probably going to watch Urban Meyer's retirement bash the Rose Bowl, but we love a nice parade, too. To kick the day off, Honda will be leading the 130th Rose Parade with its own float, an Insight hybrid and an Acura RDX crossover. Not only will Honda be celebrating the new year, it'll also celebrate its 60th anniversary in the U.S. As such, the main float will be shaped like a 25-foot-tall birthday cake. And 60 band members from the historically black colleges and universities' marching bands — which recently took part in a battle of the bands sponsored by Honda — will represent the candles on the cake. It'll also be decorated to re-create the look of the automaker's first storefront in Los Angeles. The float will be called "Celebration of Dreams," a fitting title for a company whose founder Soichiro Honda famously said, "The day I stop dreaming is the day I die." (The first thing you see when entering the amazing Honda Collection Hall at Twin Ring Motegi is a large, circular glass sculpture with the word "Dream" and Soichiro Honda's signature). For the parade, the Honda Insight will serve as the official pace car, while the Acura RDX will play the role of sound car. The float itself will be propelled by a modified Honda hybrid powertrain. The main float will be flanked by five "satellite" floats, each representing facets of the company. These will include a Honda Super Cub motorbike; a floral representation of a 1975 Civic CVCC; a float with crash test dummies and an arch with five stars to represent safety; a Honda Accord, which is built in the U.S.; and a float incorporating elements from the HondaJet to represent the future. The Rose Parade broadcast begins bright and early at 8 a.m. Pacific on Jan. 1. Check out the rendering at the top of the page to get a sense of what to expect. Related Video:

Acura is getting back into the performance game

Acura has had a tough time over the last few years determining its identity, but it seems that the brand is now settling on providing performance. At the Detroit Auto Show, Acura announced an expansion of the A-Spec trim, the revival of the Type-S moniker, and a new engine. That new engine is particularly interesting since it's a turbocharged V6, and only Acura will be using it. So don't expect to see some sort of Accord Type R with a crazy V6. Acura also revealed the engine will only be used with the company's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). Type-S is another big deal, since no Acuras have worn the badge since the 2008 Acura TL Type-S. It will be a step above the current A-Spec trim, which is mildly sporty. Past Type-S models have always had the most powerful engines available. The company didn't give an estimate for when the Type-S trim will appear, nor what model will get it first. All new Acura models will have an A-Spec option in the future. The first new A-Spec addition will be the TLX with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder. The V6 version already has an A-Spec option. After that TLX, the new RDX will launch with an available A-Spec trim. The company already announced the RDX will have a version of the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder from the Civic Type R and the Honda Accord connected with a 10-speed automatic and SH-AWD. An Acura representative said that the engine has been reworked for the RDX, and it will make more power than the Accord with the 2.0-liter engine. Related Video:

Acura to unveil 2019 RDX production version in New York

Acura says it will unveil the all-new 2019 RDX crossover at the New York International Auto Show along with a new A-Spec sport variant. Acura unveiled the RDX Prototype in January in Detroit, saying it was a close representation of the production version, save for the more concept-y side mirrors and larger wheels. It released a teaser image Monday of the A-Spec front end featuring a special badge along the side fender. It's the first application of the sport appearance, which the company says "adds sport appearance detailing, inside and out," on an Acura SUV and is supposed to be part of all core Acura models in the future. View 12 Photos Due to go on sale midyear, the 2019 RDX was designed and developed in the U.S. for the first time. Its styling is courtesy of the brand's design studio in Los Angeles, while engineering was handled in Raymond, Ohio. It's set to be built at Acura's assembly plant in East Liberty, Ohio, while the 2.0-liter four-cylinder VTEC Turbo engine will be made in nearby Anna, Ohio. The third-generation of the crossover takes its cues from the Precision Concept and Precision Cockpit concept, both from 2016. It gets a new Acura-only platform that sheds weight and stiffens the body, and it adds more interior space, rear legroom and cargo space, a panoramic sliding moonroof. The reveal will be live-streamed starting at 12:15 p.m. ET March 28 on Acura's YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels. Related Video: Image Credit: Acura New York Auto Show Acura Crossover Luxury acura rdx 2018 new york auto show