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Acura TLX Type S vs. BMW M340i xDrive | Sport sedan comparison test

Luxury sport sedans are still turning up on the market, and the Acura TLX Type S is one of the freshest cuts of meat in the window. It’s AcuraÂ’s big return to Type S performance models. Benchmarked against the proverbial best performance sedans of the segment, Acura is aiming to not just to compete, but to win dogfights like these. To see if the return of Type S is all itÂ’s cracked up to be, we decided to pin it up against the historical king of sport sedan shootouts: a BMW 3 Series. Specifically, the Type S is taking on the M340i xDrive, which is this AcuraÂ’s most natural competitor from Munich. Should the diehard BMW driver make the switch to Japanese performance? Does Type S do enough to lift this Acura up to best GermanyÂ’s finest? There are a lot of variables at play here, and they all make it complicated to choose a winner. The similarities between these two begin from the top of the spec sheet and go down. Both have 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engines — BMW arranges its cylinders inline, while Acura chooses a V configuration. Quick-shifting automatic transmissions are standard. BMW uses an eight-speed unit, while Acura uses a 10-speed. Both get electronically-controlled dampers, big brakes and sticky summer rubber. They each offer up usable backseat space and reasonably-sized trunks. WeÂ’d feel just as confident showing up to an important business meeting in either one as we would at a track day. ThatÂ’s the beauty of this mid-tier performance segment. After looking at their specs, it shouldn't be surprising that the M340i is the quicker of the two here. Its 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque hit noticeably harder from any speed than AcuraÂ’s 355 horses and 354 pound-feet of torque. The Acura is also carrying an extra 232 pounds of curb weight over the Bimmer, which makes the M340iÂ’s 1-second advantage in the 0-60 mph sprint make perfect sense. For the record, BMW quotes a 4.1-second time, and Acura only offers an approximate time of 5 seconds. Both estimates feel accurate. Beyond sheer acceleration, both engines offer up their own version of tingly feel-goods. BMWÂ’s inline-six is as smooth as ever as it plays its sonorous note all the way to the 7,000 rpm redline. There are few sounds in the automotive universe that surpass the glee we feel when listening to a BMW inline-six at full-chat, and that rule still applies to the M340i.

2014 Acura RLX gets trick hybrid all-wheel drive system for LA

Acura has endured a year of mixed reviews and middling sales for its new RLX flagship. Meanwhile, the Japanese automaker has been readying what may be the very best version of the car for its debut. Now the wait is almost over, as Acura will show its 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD at this year's LA Auto Show.
When it comes to dealerships in the spring of 2014, the RLX Hybrid will be the most powerful production car Acura has ever sold. The combination of a 3.5-liter V6 and three electric motors - a 35-kilowatt motor pushing torque to the front wheels and two 27-kW units feeding the rears - creates a total system output of 377 horsepower.
Those rear-end electric motors do more than just add power, they also drive the rear wheels without a traditional rear drive shaft and differential. This newest iteration of the Super Handling-All Wheel Drive calls upon the two rear motors to both drive and brake the rear wheels, vectoring torque in cornering situations for additional grip. All three electric motors make use of regenerative braking to feed electricity back into the system's 260-volt lithium-ion battery pack.

2015 Acura TLX production gets underway in Ohio

It's been three months since Acura unveiled the supposedly production-ready TLX sedan at the New York Auto Show, but dealers have yet to receive any units to sell. That's because, as we reported back in April, production of the TLX was pushed back. We're glad to report now, however, that production has commenced at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio.
The Honda facility in Marysville, just south of Columbus, also produces the Accord sedan and coupe for local consumption and export. With over 30 years since its founding, the factory has previously handled production of the Acura TL and RDX as well as the company's Gold Wing motorcycles.
The Marysville Auto Plant is one of many facilities which Honda operates in Ohio. Among the others, you'll also find the East Liberty assembly plant that handles the Acura RDX as well as the Honda Crosstour and CR-V, an engine plant in Anna, a transmission factory in Russells Point, several R&D centers, component manufacturers and a new Performance Manufacturing Center being built to handle the coming NSX sports car in Marysville.