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Second-generation Acura TLX could inaugurate a turbocharged V6

The second-generation TLX will inaugurate a turbocharged V6 engine developed specifically for the Acura brand, according to a recent report. The six will power a range-topping, performance-oriented variant of the sedan. Honda's luxury division gave us a thinly-veiled preview of the next TLX when it introduced the Type S concept (pictured) at The Quail in 2019. While technical details were left out of the announcement, Car and Driver learned from sources familiar with the company's plans that the sedan will receive a new V6 whose displacement will likely check in at 3.0 liters. It will reportedly make over 300 horsepower thanks to at least one turbocharger. The 3.0-liter will replace the 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 available in the current-generation TLX. Several members of the Honda range also use the bigger six, it's notably found in the Ridgeline pickup, but none will receive its replacement; it's Acura-specific. Transmission options remain unconfirmed. C/D added the TLX will receive a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder as its entry-level engine. It's related to the four that powers the Honda Accord, and it will spin the front wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive will be offered at an extra cost. The sedan will ride on a new platform, and it will drive better than its predecessor regardless of cylinder count thanks in part to a comprehensively redesigned front suspension. Earlier spy shots depicting heavily-camouflaged test mules suggest the next TLX will look a lot like the Type S concept. It will take Acura's design language in a more evocative direction that will permeate the rest of the range in the coming years. Inside, motorists will find a touchpad-controlled infotainment system like the RDX's. Acura resorted to automotive omerta when asked to confirm or deny the rumors. The company simply told Autoblog it will introduce two new vehicles in the next 12 or so months and unveil a brand-exclusive turbocharged V6, which adds credibility to the report. We'll need to muster a little bit more patience to learn more. Related Video:     Featured Gallery Acura Type S Concept photos View 16 Photos Rumormill Acura Sedan

Honda spinning off Acura as stand-alone division in bid to wake up brand

Every major automaker has a different way of relating between its various divisions and brands. At Volkswagen, for example, the individual brands seem to operate with a large degree of autonomy. Under the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the two units share a common chief executive, but little else. The relationship between Honda and its luxury division Acura has always been rather close, but that's all about to change.
American Honda Motor Company has always handled sales and marketing in the North American market for both the Honda and Acura divisions, but new reorganization plans call for the two units to be separated under their own direction. Leading the Acura division will be Michael Accavitti, who moves into the position from his role as Senior Vice President for Auto Operations at American Honda. The Honda division will meanwhile be taken over by the current head of Acura sales, Jeff Conrad.
Both will report to John Mendel, the current executive vice president of the Automobile Sales Division that is being rebranded as the American Honda Auto Division. Unlike rivals Lexus and Infiniti - two brands that Acura beat to the market - Honda barely markets its luxury brand outside of North America. Its overseas presence is felt only in China, though we've yet to receive word on how the reorganization might effect that market - or for that matter, any potential of expanding into others.

2019 Acura RDX crossover gets turbocharged power, A-Spec version

NEW YORK — Calling the RDX that Acura showed at this year's Detroit Auto Show a "concept" was stretching that term to the limits of credulity. The production version of the 2019 RDX is here, and this turbocharged crossover with available AWD looks darn near identical. While it offers all-wheel drive like its Lexus NX and Audi Q3 competitors, Acura's next-generation SH-AWD should be a serious selling point. Let's cover that "Super Handling All-Wheel Drive" system for a moment. It takes power from the 2.0-liter, 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque engine and routes it up to 70 percent rearward, and there's real torque vectoring (rather than brake-based faux vectoring) to shift 100 percent of that rear axle power to either wheel. The broad strokes are similar to the outgoing model's system, but there's much more available rear power bias — in the 2016 model, up to 40 percent could be sent to the rear. And that was up from 25 percent for pre-2016 models. The takeaway is that the RDX should handle a lot better on both dry and slippery pavement, and feel a bit sportier doing it. A new engine may help as well. The outgoing 3.5-liter V6 is replaced by a turbocharged four-cylinder, almost certainly related to the unit in the Accord and Civic Type R, and tuned somewhere in between those cars (252 and 306 horsepower, respectively). We expect the new engine to be lighter than the old V6, and less weight off the front end should improve steering feel and handling. For those keeping track, the new engine is down 7 horsepower but up 28 pound-feet in torque, and thanks to turbocharging the torque band starts down low and is relatively flat, so more oomph from a stop and on through the rev range. The six-speed automatic is gone, replaced by a 10-speed automatic. Most of its competitors use six- or eight-speed units, so that'll be a marketing focus. As you'd expect, the individual ratios are closer-spaced but the total ratio spread is, according to Acura, 62 percent wider than the outgoing automatic. There are steering-wheel-mounted paddles if you'd like to shift yourself. Since the styling is very much a lightly retouched Prototype RDX from the Detroit show, it's nice to be able to give a sense of the new car's proportions with hard numbers. First of all, it's riding on a 2.6-inch longer wheelbase. Overall length is 187 inches, up from 184.4, and width is unspecified.