2005 152k Dealer Trade Leather Absolute Sale $1.00 No Reserve Look! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Clarion Builds 1991 Acura NSX Review | Restored to greatness

Few automobiles garner as much mystique as the original Acura NSX. I worshiped this car from afar, consigned to the fact that the closest I was ever going to get to the steering wheel was a Playstation controller. When I got the email inviting me to drive Clarion Builds' restored and tuned 1991 NSX, I thought it was spam, a chain email with some generic header sent to a dozen or so people to garner some press coverage. Surely this wasn't a real invite where I get to drive a real NSX using my real hands and feet. Some people say don't meet your heroes. Some people are wrong. I knew the car by reputation. In roughly 10 months, Clarion Builds, a division of the Japanese electronics company mostly known for high-end audio systems, worked with partners like AEM and AutoWave to transform a '91 NSX with nearly a quarter-million miles on the clock into what you see here. Everything, from the engine to the bodywork to the leather on the seats, has been upgraded and restored with a mix of both OEM and aftermarket parts. The final product is a stunner. It's tuned, but not slammed, stanced or any other adjective that describes a car with compromised performance and questionable looks. It's simply a tastefully tuned NSX. The NSX, especially an early car with pop-up headlights, is one of the all-time great car designs. There are no unnecessary lines or curves. It's all purposeful. As expected with something with 230,000 miles, this NSX had a number of dings and dents. Clarion Builds has fixed those, replacing the hood and spoiler with carbon-fiber parts from an NSX-R. The fenders are slightly wider than stock, helping cover the staggered Rays Engineering VOLK ZE40 wheels, 18-inch up front and 19-inch out back. After seeing it in the flesh with the blue paint, black roof and bronze wheels, I don't think there is a better fit for this car. The original but tired 3.0-liter V6 and five-speed manual have been swapped for a 3.2-liter V6 and six-speed manual from a 2004 NSX. Stock, this engine is a wonderful ode to the internal combustion engine. It sings a sweet song all the way to a sky-high 8,200 rpm redline. Still, it wasn't enough. The engine now wears a Whipple-style supercharger, pushing roughly 9 psi of boost. Other modifications include a one-off carbon-fiber intake, a hand-built exhaust and a new ECU, all from AEM. All in, Clarion Builds says this NSX makes 403 horsepower and 296 pound-feet of torque at the wheels. God, it feels good to push this thing.

2016 Honda Pilot is brand's first non-hybrid with stop-start

Honda has gotten rid of the boxy styling of the outgoing Pilot for a more aerodynamic look that mimics its smaller sibling, the popular CR-V. The 2016 Honda Pilot – which goes on sale this summer – has a larger, eight-inch display screen, an improved navigation system and up to five USB ports to power the family's devices. The new Pilot was introduced at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show this week. New amenities include an optional heated steering wheel and heated second-row seats. Under the hood is a new 3.5-liter, direct injected V-6 engine with start-stop technology – Honda calls it " Idle Stop technology" – to save on fuel. Buyers can choose one of two new transmissions, a six-speed or a nine-speed, and front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive configurations. Green Car Congress notes that this is the first time Honda has put stop-start technology into a non-hybrid vehicle. Fuel economy wasn't announced, but increased use of lighter materials has dropped 300 pounds of weight, so the new Pilot should beat the old model's 25 mpg on the highway. New safety features include LED high beams that automatically dim for oncoming traffic and Honda's first road departure mitigation system - borrowed from Acura - which monitors the vehicle's road position and can correct the steering or brake if it senses an imminent collision. Related Video: The AP contributed to this report. Featured Gallery 2016 Honda Pilot: Chicago 2015 View 19 Photos News Source: Honda, Green Car Congress Green Chicago Auto Show Honda mpg stop start

Acura NSX coming to Detroit, the wait is almost over [w/video]

Finally. After spending years rounding three bases in the development of the second coming of the Acura NSX, we can espy home base just beyond the turn of the year. Here is your first teaser image for the profoundly anticipated coupe that will show itself in production form at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. (We've even brightened it up for you, but feel free to see it in high-res, original form, along with a few other teaser shots, here.) What we can see of it looks like the last camouflaged prototype we saw at the 'Ring, save for switching out the prorotype's traditional headlights for Acura's jeweled units. After years of foreplay, well... let's just say we're ready. The coupe, its zirconium e-coat and its twin-turbocharged Sport Hybrid power unit – aimed at Ferrari 458 Italia performance for Audi R8 money – will be uncovered on January 12, 2015 at 11:50 AM Eastern time, and you can watch it as it happens at www.youtube.com/acura. There's a teaser video, below, to whet your appetites. Next month's NSX debut kicks off what John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda, calls "The Year of Honda." Speaking to members of the media at an event in Detroit Tuesday, Mendel said that following the NSX, Honda will debut a new version of the Pilot SUV in 2015, as well as a redesigned Ridgeline pickup. Mendel also confirmed that Honda will launch small-displacement, turbocharged engines for use in production vehicles. As for Acura, the company's luxury division will offer the new ILX this year, and Mendel hinted that the RDX and MDX crossovers will get a few updates to make them more competitive within their respective segments. It sounds like a busy year, for sure. And we're ready and waiting (we've been waiting...) for the NSX to kick it all off. Head below to read the official confirmation statement, and to see a teaser video. Acura NSX Production Model to Make World Debut at 2015 North American International Auto Show TORRANCE, Calif., December 17, 2014 – The production version of the highly anticipated Acura NSX supercar, successor to the legendary original NSX, will make its world debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show on January 12, 2015. The model will reflect the production design and specifications of the mid-engine Acura supercar that is slated to launch in 2015.