2009 Acura Tl Tech Package - Gorgeous! on 2040-cars

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Acura Type S Concept debuts as a stunning four-door sedan

Acura is bringing the Type S badge back with authority. While the Acura Type S Concept is, as its name implies, a concept, it looks and sounds a lot more like a design preview for the next-gen TLX in Type S flavor. Acura says it will debut two Type S performance variants within the next two years. The first will be the TLX, and our guess would be that an RDX Type S will follow. But let’s dive into what Acura has given us today. From the company: “The Type S Concept 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.” If you were hoping for a design and powertrain preview, weÂ’re sad to report that Acura is not using this opportunity to showcase the engine coming to the TLX Type S. Not all is lost when it comes to mechanical details, though. This concept rides on 285-width summer tires on all four corners, which is positively huge for an Acura sedan. Four-piston yellow Brembo brake calipers are used, shining brightly through 21-inch wheels. Instead of the fake vents all over the Civic Type R, Acura says the venting and grille space up front is functional, allowing air to get through to the “high-performance engine and brake package.” Though again, we donÂ’t know what that high-performance engine will be just yet. Just like other Acura concepts of late, this one is a real looker. Its LED lights in front and back signal a new style for Acura that it calls “Chicane.” While the headlights may look a lot like those on the NSX, this fixture debuts the automaker's new four-lamp “Jewel Eye” LEDs. Instead of squares, we get rectangular eyes, and they look even cooler than before. YouÂ’ll also notice a bunch of elements scattered throughout that look a little bit like carbon fiber. Acura says itÂ’s forged carbon, and itÂ’s visible on the front splitter, along the front vents, side sills, wheels, rear spoiler and rear diffuser area. While not as flashy as glossy carbon fiber, it looks cool in the photos weÂ’re scrutinizing here. The stunning blue paint is also special. Acura calls it “Double Apex Blue Pearl,” and it uses nano pigments and a color-infused clear coat to enhance the appearance. The hue pays homage to the blue TL Type S offered in the 2007 and 2008 model years.

Poor headlights cause 40 cars to miss IIHS Top Safety Pick rating

Over the past few months, we've noticed a number of cars and SUVs that have come incredibly close to earning one of the IIHS's highest accolades, the Top Safety Pick rating. They have great crash test scores and solid automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning systems. What trips them up is headlights. That got us wondering, how many vehicles are there that are coming up short because they don't have headlights that meet the organization's criteria for an "Acceptable" or "Good" rating. This is a revision made after 2017, a year in which headlights weren't factored in for this specific award. This is also why why some vehicles, such as the Ford F-150, might have had the award last year, but have lost it for this year. We reached out to someone at IIHS to find out. He responded with the following car models. Depending on how you count, a whopping 40 models crash well enough to receive the rating, but don't get it because their headlights are either "Poor" or "Marginal." We say depending on how you count because the IIHS actual counts truck body styles differently, and the Infiniti Q70 is a special case. Apparently the version of the Q70 that has good headlights doesn't have adequate forward collision prevention technology. And the one that has good forward collision tech doesn't have good enough headlights. We've provided the entire list of vehicles below in alphabetical order. Interestingly, it seems the Volkswagen Group is having the most difficulty providing good headlights with its otherwise safe cars. It had the most models on the list at 9 split between Audi and Volkswagen. GM is next in line with 7 models. It is worth noting again that though these vehicles have subpar headlights and don't quite earn Top Safety Pick awards, that doesn't mean they're unsafe. They all score well enough in crash testing and forward collision prevention that they would get the coveted award if the lights were better.

Airbag recall widens to include BMW, Chrysler, Ford and Toyota

The recall of faulty airbag inflators supplied by Takata has exploded today to grow to seven automakers. In most cases, only models in certain high-humidity regions were affected because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found in its investigation that moisture played a roll in determining whether there would be a problem. However, some companies opted for national campaigns. The exact number of affected models for these campaigns isn't yet known at this time.
BMW is recalling an undisclosed number of 325i, 325Xi, 330i and 330Xi models from the 2001 through 2005 model years and the 2001-2006 model year versions of the 325Ci and 330Ci for the driver side and passenger side inflators. Only vehicles currently registered in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands are covered under this recall.
Neither Chrysler's filing with NHTSA nor its press release list the specific models affected, but a company spokesperson told Autoblog that at this time it only covers the driver and passenger side inflators for the 2006 Dodge Charger in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands