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2019 Acura NSX quick spin review | Japan takes on the world, again

I drove the 2019 Acura NSX on track a while back, and it's an absolute freight train. But now that I've driven it in the snow and the rain and our pothole-riddled streets around Southeast Michigan, I can tell you about what it's like to live with the Japanese supercar. Our tester was painted in gorgeous Casino White pearl. It's a stunner in this color, highlighting the NSX's proper supercar styling – impressions were reinforced by the constant stares and craned necks over a cold November weekend. All $21,600 of carbon fiber exterior parts (several carbon packages combined) probably didn't contribute a whole lot to this, but man does it look cool up close. Updates to the 2019 car consist mostly of more suspension and tire to give it the edge it was missing before. Stiffer stabilizer bars, rear toe link bushings and re-tuned magnetorheological dampers do the bulk of the work. A complete recalibration of the steering and SH-AWD system ties it all together, and boy does it work wonders. Of course, I spent most of my time inside the NSX, which, just like before the 2019 update is the most controversial part of this car. Acura likes to say it has "excellent ergonomics" and "simple driver interfaces presented with elegant materials." Critics say it looks like any other Acura, giving the nearly $200,000 supercar a cheap vibe. I think there's a disconnect between what Acura thinks is a perfect supercar interior – a focus on superb visibility and ease of use so you can focus on driving – and what enthusiasts are hardwired to believe a supercar interior should be – wild, at times nonsensical, and exotic. I find myself on Acura's side in this debate, more so after spending so much time in the cabin. The skinny A-pillars, long windows and excellent view out the rear make driving this car through rush-hour traffic a calming adventure. Our car's blue/black leather and suede interior combination looks the business and feels luxurious — the $3,800 carbon fiber interior package helps it feel exotic. I spent plenty of hours in the saddle over a long weekend and was never fatigued or sore from the seat. The car is downright approachable to drive for anybody, partly thanks to the straightforward interior. The only part that ever frustrated me was the lack of a volume knob, an annoyance carried over from Honda. One knob you will end up using often is the giant Dynamic Mode control knob. I did most of my commuting in either Quiet or Sport mode.

Acura Type S Concept looks even better in the Monterey sun

A few days ago, Acura showed its Type S Concept in an album of dramatically lit press photos. It is our extreme pleasure to report that the Acura Type S Concept on display at The Quail, with no shadows nor Photoshop to hide in, is even more pleasing to the eye than it was in those photographs. This is the sedan the brand said "sets the stage for re-introducing Type S performance variants to the Acura line-up after a decade hiatus, and will heavily influence the character of the upcoming, second-generation TLX Type S." Our hope is that the phrase "heavily influence the character of" is code for the word "be," and Acura's simply not ready to admit it yet. From the new rectangular "Jewel Eye" LED headlights to the front fascia that could double as an Orc weapon, the flanks with a pentathlete's balance of muscle and leanness, those Halo beam rifle taillights, and the mortar-launcher quad-pipes, this concept is the bee's knees. Acura calls the design language "Chicane," and this expression of it is everything a fan wants to see from the brand. The Double Apex Blue Pearl paint, forged carbon accents, and functional vents only make the sculpture better. We're promised two new Type S offerings in the next two years, an RDX Type S presumed to follow the TLX version. They can't come soon enough. We encourage you to check out the gallery and enjoy every angle of the preview for Acura's coming attractions.

Acura TLX GT Racecar bringing the 'X factor' to Pirelli World Challenge

One doesn't normally think of Acura offering anything to mix it up with the SRT Viper, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Nissan GT-R, Audi R8 and Ferrari 458 Italia (at least while the NSX is still off in the ether), but that's exactly what's about to happen. Honda's premium outpost is jumping into the top tier of the Pirelli World Challenge with this 2015 TLX GT.
The surprise reveal of this racecar at today's Detroit Auto Show will be campaigned by RealTime Racing, no stranger to racing Acuras, in the GT class (previously, the team had campaigned the series a rung down in GT-S).
The racecar is powered by a twin-turbo variant of the direct-injected V6 to be found in the production TLX sedan, right along with its Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system. There's no word on how much power this HPD-massaged engine will put out in race trim, but we won't have to wait long to hear it fire up - the car is set to take to the track with team owner Peter Cunningham at the wheel in the next few weeks.