Tyson Hugie celebrates his 500,000 milestone in his 1994 Acura Legend !

Take a look as Acura helps Tyson Hugie celebrate his 500,000 milestone in his 1994 Acura Legend equipped with the original engine, transmission and clutch!

A sneak peek at the next Acura NSX

LAS VEGAS, NV — As far as new model introductions go, it was certainly a strange one. The invitation from Acura revealed nothing about which cars would, in fact, be making their debut, although we knew there would be two all-new models.

No photography would be allowed at this presentation, no press kits would be distributed and the information shared was to be subject to a strict embargo.

By applying deductive reasoning, I determined that a top-secret style affair could only apply to one car, which had been rumoured to be in the pipeline for at least four years: the next version of the legendary NSX. Of course, there was another car set to be revealed as well, but once the NSX became the star candidate, all other scenarios seemed far less interesting.

Although the Acura brand first gained a foothold in North America 25 years ago with the Legend luxury sedan and the Integra sport sedan, the car that really propelled the caliper logo into the spotlight was the NSX, which was sold in Japan under the Honda banner.

At the time of its introduction in 1990, Honda was in the midst of an incredibly successful run as engine supplier to the McLaren Formula One team. The relationship began in 1988 and resulted in drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost winning 15 of 16 races that season, a success rate that has never been equalled in Grand Prix racing.

The McLaren-Honda captured the World Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships that year, the following year, the year after that and then again in 1991 — four seasons, four displays of complete domination, all four powered by Honda engines.

The objective behind the first NSX was to take that hard-earned reputation for performance and bring it to the masses — well, at least those among the masses who could afford a reasonably priced supercar.

Incorporating knowledge gathered from the Honda racing program, the NSX boasted the first production engine with titanium connecting rods (again, for less weight and increased strength), and the first with an electronic variable valve timing and lift system — the now-famous VTEC. The NSX also featured the first mass-produced aluminum monocoque body, a lightweight, stiff and strong basis for a car that needed to set new standards in driving dynamics.

While it may be a coincidence, the NSX was discontinued in 2005 and Honda soon thereafter began running its own dismal Formula One team, a project that was ultimately abandoned just two seasons later.

Back in 2008, a V10-powered Honda supercar was seen testing at the Nurburgring. This car was intended to be the successor to the NSX, but with more emphasis on fuel efficiency and emissions, combined with a poor outlook for the global economy, the car never made it to production.

Now, as we approach a new year, there are rumours that Honda may be returning to grand prix racing as engine supplier to the McLaren Formula One team and we have some (admittedly murky) news on a new Acura NSX. This time around, though, the supercar will reportedly combine world-class performance with stellar environmental friendliness.

“The new Acura sports car will be the point of the spear that is the Acura DNA,” the presentation began, “You will walk out of this room knowing that there’s no question it’s an NSX.” With that, the covers were pulled off a car that was, true to their word, unmistakably a supercar and, without question, an Acura.

The car is low-slung and distinctly mean looking. In terms of proportion, it bears more than a passing resemblance to the Audi R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo. The rear quarter panel, for example, is classic Audi with a very slight overhang behind the rear wheels. The side skirts are similar to those found on the Aston Martin Virage. And the very thin side mirror braces also reveal influence from Aston Martin and other exclusive brands.

For those who are followers of superhero movies, the new NSX is also very clearly related to the car that Tony Stark drives in the forthcoming Avengers movie (pictured), due to be released this summer. The front end of the in-person prototype seems to feature more air intake surface area, but the dimensions and the overall feel are essentially the same.

One point worth emphasizing: The next NSX is a very wide car, even for a supercar — this fact alone speaks to the very exciting potential of the vehicle from a handling perspective.

Understandably, the executives at Acura were not keen on revealing too much about the inner workings of their next supercar, but another round of connecting the dots served to accomplish much. At the most recent Tokyo Motor Show, journalists sampled the next generation of the Acura Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system, dubbed Sport-Hybrid SH-AWD.

This development takes one of the most underrated all-wheel drive systems in the world and applies some green thinking in the form of two electric motors, one each to drive the rear wheels. These motors give the system its torque vectoring capability; one motor can over-accelerate the outer rear wheel to aid in cornering.

In Japan, the system was fitted to a Honda Accord mule, which was also equipped with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and a 3.5-litre V6 gasoline engine to drive the front wheels — a true, next-generation hybrid, then.

The first production car to use this combination of technologies will likely be the next-generation Acura RL luxury sedan which will reportedly make its debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show, with the new Acura NSX, likely, then following suit. For the much-anticipated supercar, though, one thing is certain: The gasoline engine will be mid-mounted, giving the NSX the chance at even sharper driving dynamics.

If the next Acura NSX is as good as its promise, the next chapter for Acura is going to be very exciting indeed.

Source: thestar.com

This 2010 Acura TL with 18" wheels has just been reduced for a New Years Blowout!

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"I have been buying and servicing new and used cars for 35 years. The service dept team at Radley's Acura of Glen Gannon and Brian Groulea are the best. Rest assured your car is in the hands of two technically competent caring individuals. They are the best." - jrharam

Affordable Motors Announces that Acura Set to Build ILX in the States

Affordable Motors, a used car dealer in Brooklyn, would like to announce that Honda’s luxury arm, Acura, is set to release several new models and vehicle redesigns at next month’s 2012 Detroit Auto Show. It’s no surprise that Honda is doing this at the Detroit Auto Show, since Japanese car manufacturers put their focus on American consumers to help with majority of their sales.

Honda is planning on blowing the roof off of Cobo Hall, in Detroit, during the Auto show by releasing a slew of luxury rides. Acura is believed to debut the NSX, known as Acura’s supercar, and also ILX sedan concepts, accompanied with the 2013 RDX crossover. It is believed that the ILX concepts will be quite similar to a close-relative, the Honda Civic. It will also offer traditional drive-trains as well as hybrid options. Some of these vehicles can be found at Affordable Motors.

It is also been noted that this vehicle will be made right here in the United States, as the final touches will be put on in Greensburg, Indiana. The ILX’s that feature gasoline engines will be received from another U.S. Honda plant in Anna, Ohio as well. This is big news as the ILX will be the first Acura hybrid ever, and the first hybrid vehicle that Honda will have built in the United States.

Affordable Motors is a used car dealer in Brooklyn, New York which sells a variety of used Acura models. They also have an additional service shop attached to their location.

Source: prweb.com

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Honda targets 40% growth in sales for Acura in 2012

Honda expects 2012 will be a far better year than 2011, Tetsuo Iwamura, president and CEO of American Honda said today.

In the U.S., the company is targeting a 23.5% sales increase for its Honda brand in 2012 and a 40% sales increase for Acura.

Iwamura said the sales gains will be fueled by the new cars and trucks it plans to introduce for both brands as well as the company’s full recovery from inventory problems it faced in 2011.

“It looks quite high jump, but because of the availability problem, we had a really low year this year,” Iwamura said today. “To us, it is a natural growth.”

Honda has battled this year with parts shortages caused by an earthquake and tsunami in March and flooding in Thailand this fall that hampered suppliers.

The company’s U.S. market share has declined to 9% for the first 11 months of this year compared with 10.5% for the same period in 2010.

And while luxury brands such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac have grown this year, Acura has seen its sales fall 6.7% for the first 11 months of the year.

Iwamura said he is confident Honda will regain its lost market share because of the new cars it will launch and a recently launched Civic compact sedan and CR-V crossover SUV.

Honda, he said, expects 70% of its sales for the 2013 model year will come from redesigned models.

Several of those important new vehicles will be revealed in January at the 2012 North American International Auto Show.

Acura will reveal three new cars or crossovers — including the long-awaited successor to its legendary NSX sports car — on Jan. 9.

Honda will reveal a concept version of its next-generation Honda Accord Coupe on Tuesday, Jan. 10. The Accord midsize sedan is Honda’s best-selling vehicle.

“We just completed…dealer shows,” said John Mendel, executive vice president at American Honda. “Our message, on Acura … was, it’s our time…now is our time to shine.”

On Honda, Mendel said, “our message to our dealers was ‘full speed ahead.’”

Still, Honda acknowledged today that its inventory may not be back to normal levels until the end of March.

Honda, which also has been criticized for the bland redesign of the Honda Civic, has no plans to adopt a new design direction, Iwamura said.

Honda’s design philosophy is to build cars that serve customers needs, rather than eye-catching looks.

“This is the reason why Honda has been accepted a lot in the past by the customers and created a strong brand and we don’t have any intention to switch our design principle,” Iwamura said. “We do not just follow the fashion.”

Iwamura also declined to comment specifically on any redesign plans in the works for the Civic. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Honda told its dealers that the company is rushing to restyle the car’s front and rear ends, make its interior more plush and luxurious, and boost its fuel economy.

“When we talk about the new models — not necessarily the Civic — we try to upgrade various factors of the products,” Iwamura said. “So that’s what we are trying to do — upgrade the products.”

Source: freep.com

Be sure to take one last look at the service specials we have going on now through January 3rd!

Be sure to take one last look at the specials we have going on now through January 3rd. Treat your car for the holidays, you'll be sure glad you did.

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115 Winners of 2012 Top Safety Pick

ARLINGTON, VA — The list of winners of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award is longer than ever this year, with vehicles in nearly every size category the Institute evaluates earning accolades. From minicars to sedans to pickups, consumers have a record number of choices among 2012 models.

In all, 69 cars, 38 SUVs, 5 minivans, and 3 pickups earn Top Safety Pick. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute evaluations. The ratings, which cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes, help shoppers pick vehicles that offer the highest levels of crash protection. Because the federal government now requires all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid loss-of-control crashes, ESC no longer is a requirement to win as it was in prior years.

The winners' circle includes 18 new recipients for 2012, while 97 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.

"For the second year running a record number of models qualify," says Institute president Adrian Lund. "It's tough to win, and we commend auto manufacturers for making safety a top priority."

That commitment to protecting people in crashes is evident in the fast pace of design improvements automakers have made during the past year. Initially 66 vehicles qualified for last year's award as less-than-perfect rollover ratings held back many contenders. Later the number climbed to 100 as manufacturers redesigned roofs to make them stronger or introduced new models to win. The Institute's rolling test schedule allows for recognition of additional winners throughout the year, so many 2012 models qualified for a 2011 Top Safety Pick.

Again this year every major automaker has at least one winner. Subaru remains the only manufacturer with the distinction of earning awards for every model it builds. Subaru picks up 5 awards, including one for the redesigned Impreza, a small car.

Toyota/Lexus/Scion has 15 winners for 2012, more than any other auto manufacturer. General Motors is next in line with 14, followed by Volkswagen/Audi with 13, and Ford/Lincoln and Honda/Acura with 12 awards apiece.

Honda improves: Ten of the 18 new additions are Honda/Acura models, including the midsize Accord sedan, which hasn't earned Top Safety Pick since the Institute toughened criteria to win the 2010 award by adding a test to assess roof strength in a rollover crash.

Vehicles rated good for rollover protection have roofs more than twice as strong as the current federal standard requires. The Institute estimates that such roofs reduce the risk of serious and fatal injury in single-vehicle rollovers by about 50 percent compared with roofs meeting the minimum requirement. A new federal standard for roof strength will phase in beginning with 2013 models.

Roofs on the 2009 Honda CR-V and 2010 Pilot scored marginal ratings in prior Institute tests, while earlier models of the Accord, CR-Z, Fit, and Insight rated acceptable. Now all of these 2012 models earn good ratings and Top Safety Pick.

"Honda/Acura deserves credit for most-improved status," Lund says. "The automaker buckled down and upgraded roofs on 10 models that missed winning last year because of rollover protection. Now, the automaker has winners in the minicar, small car, midsize car, small SUV, midsize SUV, minivan, and large pickup categories."

Another midsize sedan, the Toyota Camry, earns its first-ever Top Safety Pick. Last year, the Camry missed the mark because of a marginal rating for seat/head restraints. The Toyota Yaris also earns its first Top Safety Pick award. Toyota upgraded the roof and seat/head restraints of the 4-door hatchback model to win. Good ratings secure the Yaris a spot alongside 3 other minicars, the Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, and Honda Fit, as 2012 winners.

"It's great to see the Accord and Camry, 2 of the top-selling midsize cars in the U.S. market, join the Top Safety Pick ranks this year," Lund says. "The Accord previously won the 2009 award but has been missing from the list since then."

With fuel efficiency and reduced emissions on many buyers' wish lists, the winners' circle includes more green choices. Toyota's all-new Prius v is among them. Roomier than the original, the v hybrid brings to 15 the number of winners available as hybrids. The plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, winners in 2011, also earn this year's award.

For drivers who need to haul loads, the Ford F-150, Honda Ridgeline, and Toyota Tundra are good choices in the large pickup category. Small pickups continue to be shut out. None the Institute has evaluated qualify for the award.

"When we launched Top Safety Pick in 2005, consumers had 11 models to pick from. Six years later, finding a winner that fits most budgets and lifestyles is easy," Lund says. "It's a testament to the commitment automakers have made to going above and beyond minimum safety standards."

About the award: The Institute awarded the first Top Safety Pick to 2006 models and then raised the bar the next year by requiring good rear test results and ESC as either standard or optional equipment. In 2010, the Institute toughened criteria by adding a requirement that all qualifiers must earn a good rating for performance in a roof strength test to assess protection in a rollover crash.

The Institute groups winners according to vehicle type and size. Lund advises consumers to keep in mind that size and weight influence crashworthiness. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford better occupant protection in serious crashes than smaller, lighter ones. Even with a Top Safety Pick, a small car isn't as crashworthy as a bigger one.

How vehicles are evaluated: The Institute's frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures recorded on a 50th percentile male Hybrid III dummy in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.

Side evaluations are based on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on 2 instrumented SID-IIs dummies representing a 5th percentile woman, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle's structural performance during the impact.

In the roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a displacement rate of 0.2 inch per second. To earn a good rating for rollover protection, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio.

Rear crash protection is rated according to a 2-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry — the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man.

Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph. Seats without good or acceptable geometry are rated poor overall because they can't be positioned to protect many people.

ALL 115 WINNERS

Minicars
Fiat 500 built after July 2011
Ford Fiesta sedan and hatchback
Honda Fit
Toyota Yaris 4-door hatchback

Small cars
Chevrolet Cruze
Chevrolet Sonic
Chevrolet Volt
Ford Focus
Honda Civic 4-door
Honda CR-Z
Honda Insight
Hyundai Elantra
Kia Forte sedan
Kia Soul
Lexus CT 200h
Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback
Mini Cooper Countryman
Mitsubishi Lancer except Ralliart and Evolution
Nissan Cube
Nissan Juke
Nissan Leaf
Scion tC
Scion xB
Scion xD
Subaru Impreza except WRX
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf 4-door
Volkswagen GTI 4-door

Midsize moderately priced cars
Audi A3
Buick Verano
Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler 200 4-door
Dodge Avenger
Ford Fusion
Honda Accord
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry
Toyota Prius v
Volkswagen Jetta sedan
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen
Volkswagen Passat
Volvo C30

Midsize luxury/near luxury cars
Acura TL built after September 2011
Acura TSX sedan and hatchback
Audi A4
Lincoln MKZ
Mercedes C-Class
Volkswagen CC except 4-wheel drive
Volvo S60

Large family cars
Buick LaCrosse
Buick Regal
Chrysler 300
Dodge Charger
Ford Taurus
Toyota Avalon

Large luxury cars
Audi A6
BMW 5 series except 4-wheel drive and V8
Cadillac CTS sedan
Hyundai Equus
Hyundai Genesis
Infiniti M37/M56 except M56x 4-wheel drive
Lincoln MKS
Mercedes E-Class sedan
Mercedes E-Class coupe
Saab 9-5
Volvo S80

Small SUVs
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Tucson
Jeep Patriot with optional side torso airbags
Kia Sportage
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan

Midsize SUVs
Chevrolet Equinox
Dodge Durango
Dodge Journey
Ford Edge
Ford Explorer
Ford Flex
GMC Terrain
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Kia Sorento
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Venza

Midsize luxury SUVs
Acura MDX
Audi Q5
BMW X3
Cadillac SRX
Infiniti EX35
Lexus RX
Lincoln MKT
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes GLK
Mercedes M-Class
Saab 9-4X
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC90

Large SUVs
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Volkswagen Touareg

Minivans
Chrysler Town & Country
Dodge Grand Caravan
Honda Odyssey
Toyota Sienna
Volkswagen Routan

Large pickups
Ford F-150 crew cab models
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra crew cab model

Source: IIHS

This 2010 Acura RDX offers plenty of sport and style along with an adequate dose of utility.

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Acura to Debut Three New Vehicles at the 2012 North American International Auto Show

Acura announced today that it will unveil three all-new vehicles at the 2012 North American International Auto Show including an all-new compact sports sedan, a redesigned RDX crossover sport utility vehicle, and a concept version of the next generation Acura NSX super car.

The Acura ILX Concept is a styling study of an all-new luxury compact sedan scheduled for launch in spring 2012. To be positioned at the gateway to the Acura lineup, the ILX will feature three powertrains including Acura's first-ever gas-electric hybrid. Acura also will unveil a prototype of the 2013 RDX, the second generation of Acura's five-passenger SUV. Finally, Acura will debut the NSX Concept, which represents the styling direction for the next generation of Acura's super sports car.

"Acura has a steady cadence of exciting new models coming to market and it will all begin in Detroit," said Jeff Conrad, vice president and general manager of Acura sales and service. "From the all-new Acura ILX at the gateway of the lineup to the pinnacle of performance with the Acura NSX Concept, Acura vehicles are being created for luxury customers who aspire to the highest levels of quality and value, with beautiful styling and the right balance of technology, performance and environmental responsibility."

All three vehicles will be introduced at the North America International Auto Show on January 9, 2012.

Source: acuranews.com

Honda Plans to Recast Its Acura Brand

Honda had always hoped its Acura marque could emulate Toyota and Nissan, which successfully propelled the Lexus and Infiniti brands into the rarefied luxury-car tier alongside Mercedes-Benz, BMW and, arguably, Cadillac.

It never quite happened, and Honda now says it will try to reposition Acura as a mid-range, fuel-efficient brand, a plan it revealed during the recent Toyota Auto Show.

Over the next few years, Acura will introduce a new compact sedan, the ILX, built on Honda's global Civic platform, replacing the TSX, Automotive News reported. A redesigned RL flagship is expected by next fall, followed by a redesigned mid-sized TL sedan in the spring of 2013.

In the crossover category, a redesigned RDX compact will debut next spring with the next MDX arriving in 2013.

New NSX

But listen sports fans, not all the news is about fuel efficiency and miles per gallon.  Honda says it will also be bringing back the NSX sports car.

The original NSX was built from 1990 to 2005 and attracted a fanatical, if small, base of loyalists. The rear-wheel-drive, Pininfarina-designed speedster was often called a Japanese Ferrari and with good reason. 

Honda built the NSX from 1990 to 2005. It was a rare rear-wheel-drive effort by the automaker, and it sought design help from Italian car designer Pininfarina.  It was often thought of as a Japanese Ferrari, and it was just as fast.  The car sold for about $90,000. There’s no word on what the price of the new NSX might be.

The original NSX was a monster, with a hugely powerful racing engine, but the new model will make greater use of technology to achieve at least comparable results.

Acura sales chief Jeff Conrad said the approach will emphasize "efficiency and a strong power-to-weight ratio," Automotive News said. "If we are thinking about being sporty, we need to do it with the machine's efficiency. That's the thing we can do. The way we achieve it will be unique to Acura."

Source: consumeraffairs.com

Treat yourself to a holiday gift you so greatly deserve!

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This 2010 Acura TSX comes standard with an impressive amount of features, a spacious interior, and plenty of advanced technology features. So, come in today and treat yourself to a holiday gift you so greatly deserve!

We try Honda's cutting-edge electric SH-AWD system

For decades, Honda successfully cultivated a hard-earned reputation for technological innovation and thoughtful engineering, but the Japanese automaker has seemingly grown content to let other automakers lead the way with new technologies in recent years. To this point, Honda has stubbornly resisted the engine-downsizing movement, direct injection, as well as more sophisticated gearboxes and hybrids, instead focusing on refining existing technologies and relying on its lighter weight vehicles to keep their models' performance metrics in the hunt.

No more, says CEO Takanobu Ito. Honda has embarked on a multi-tier technology binge that Ito says will have Honda at the forefront of fuel economy metrics worldwide within three years. On the table? More advanced everything, from the aforementioned powertrain technologies including a new small-displacement diesel and a new CVT, to direct injection and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Of course, we've seen similar products brought to market from other automakers already, so excellence in execution will need to be Honda's differentiator. But we tend to expect more innovative thinking from an automaker with such a rich history of elegant engineering, so we were pleased to learn that Soichiro's crew is hard at work on a hybrid evolution of the company's already trick Super Handling All-Wheel Drive serving in vehicles like the Acura TL, RDX and MDX.

In addition to the torque-vectoring rear axle already in production, Honda is incubating a new three-motor hybrid AWD architecture that it says will offer V8 power and a more nimble driving experience than typical all-wheel-drive systems, all while delivering four-cylinder fuel economy.

Just ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show, Honda bussed us to its Twin-Ring Motegi racetrack to sample its radical new SH-AWD system in an Accord mule.

Despite the plebeian bodywork of this evaluation model, make no mistake, hardware this costly will not debut in something with a Honda badge out front – it will be a technological linchpin for Acura's revival.

 

As shown here, this SH-AWD system relies on a direct-injected variant of Honda's 3.5-liter V6, tuned here to deliver 310 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque (for comparison's sake, the 3.5-liter six-cylinder in the 2012 Accord manages 271 hp and 254 lb-ft). Internal combustion is joined under the hood by a single 40-hp, 96-lb-ft electric motor mated directly to a Honda-developed seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Out back, a pair of 27-horsepower, 52-lb-ft electric motors power the rear wheels, providing through-the-road all-wheel drive (read: there's no mechanical connection between the front and rear wheels). By independently controlling the two motors, either positive or negative torque can be applied to an individual rear wheel, providing torque vectoring in corners while funneling power back into the lithium-ion battery. Because the system can simultaneously flow positive torque to the outside wheel and negative torque to the inside wheel in a corner, significantly improved cornering over Honda's current mechanical SH-AWD setup is possible.

The larger front-mounted motor can also drive the car independently during low-speed maneuvers when the engine is shut off by the start-stop system, as you might want while inching through rush-hour traffic or pulling away from a stoplight. Honda says the car can reach 25 mph running solely on electrons, but as this is a mule, all performance parameters remain subject to change.

So how well does it all work? Our time behind the wheel was extremely brief, consisting of little more than one lap of a handling course. Thus, we'll have to withhold judgment, but we will say that the system shows genuine promise. Whirring away from the pits under electric power and having the V6 seamlessly come to life was an encouraging start, but we didn't really get a feel for the SH-AWD until we started negotiating the corners and slalom. While carving through the orange pylons, the sedan felt significantly – and predictably – nimbler than a standard front-drive Accord, displaying genuine eagerness to change direction. In fact, with such brief exposure, it initially felt like the Honda's tail was drifting out a bit, so willing was its rump to rotate. Thankfully, the liveliness was wholly under control, with no drama or tire squealing, just quicker-than-expected turn-in and faithful tracking. While certainly swift, claims of V8 acceleration feel a bit inflated, but given excellent traction and further tuning, such assertions seem possible.

We'd love to give you the full report on how well the Honda's new dual-clutch gearbox works, how heavy the system is, and how fuel efficient the car is out in the real world, but we'll need more wheel time in a production car to do so, and for the moment, officials remain tight-lipped on when this technology will debut. Regardless, it's encouraging to see Honda pushing to regain its powertrain innovation reputation... and to see it investing in Acura.

Source: autoblog.com

Give Your Car The Gift Of New Tires

Stop in between now and December and give your car the gift of new tires. We'll pay it forward by giving you 25% off of your front-end alignment if you buy two tires and 50% off front-end alignment if you buy all four! What's not to love?

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The Acura of Tomorrow Drives Itself

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Honda’s latest concept drives itself, letting you to literally kick back and enjoy the ride.

Little of the AC-X — for Advanced Cruise eXperience — is grounded in reality, but then again, this is the Tokyo auto show. Few concepts we see in Tokyo aren’t grounded in reality. Like the gorgeous, but slow, electric Honda EV-STER, the AC-X is a glimpse of what could be. There’s a lot to like about this slick plug-in hybrid, and a lot to make you wonder, WTF?

Lets start with the interior, where Honda continues showing its disdain for steering wheels.

The AC-X is at least the third concept we’ve seen from Honda that features joysticks instead of a steering wheel. Honda calls it “twin-lever steering” and claims it is easier than using a wheel. According to the guys at Autocar, Honda tested the tech in an old F1 car and claims it led to better lap times. Hmmm…

In any event, the joysticks are available in “Engine-Drive Mode,” which lets you drive the AC-X pretty much like you’d drive a Civic or Accord. When the rigors of driving become too much, flip the switch to “Automatic-Drive Mode.” The joysticks retract and the car takes over, leaving you free to kick back in a reclining seat with an ottoman.

The exterior is stylish, even if we have no idea what Honda means when it describes it as “dual solid motion.” It continues a theme we’ve seen with cars like the FCX Clarity and FC Sport, but is more futuristic. The front end is a bit much, but Honda design director Yoshinori Asahi told Car & Driver the AC-X could influence the look of future Acura TL or RL models.

The body is accentuated by active aerodynamics that lower the front fascia and side skirts and adjust the rear diffuser. All of the moving around makes the car a little slicker at high speed, when half the energy a car expends is needed to simply push the air out of the way.

For all the high-tech gadgetry, the drivetrain is relatively standard fare, which suggests it might be something we’ll see in showrooms in the near future. It features a 161-horsepower electric motor mated to a 127 horsepower 1.6-liter gasoline engine. Honda says it will go up to 62 mph on electric power alone. Claimed range is 31 miles, though Honda didn’t offer any specs on the battery.

Honda’s said it will have some plug-in hybrids on the road next year, so although the AC-X is an outlandish flight of fancy, the drivetrain underpinning may not be.

Source: wired.com

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Acura NSX Getting A Detroit Auto Show Concept: Concept

It’s no secret that Honda would like to have a halo car in its lineup, similar to what the brand used to offer with the Acura NSX sport coupe. In fact, Honda had even begun developing such a car until global economic woes forced it to shelve the HSV-010, except in Japanese Super GT competition.

Times have changed, and Honda wants to be seen as a green automaker these days. Building a modern NSX doesn’t necessarily make sense for them, unless it’s a more environmentally-friendly, performance-oriented hybrid. Rumors of such a hybrid NSX have been stirred up in recent months, thanks to comments from Honda's CEO, Takanobu Ito.

If Britain’s Autocar is correct, we’ll see the forerunner of what may become the next Honda / Acura NSX at January’s Detroit Auto Show. Dubbed the Super Sports Concept, the car follows the Small Sports EV Concept that will be shown at the Tokyo Motor Show.

There are no details on engines or layout of the Super Sports Concept, but a hybrid drivetrain that combines both electric motors and a gasoline engine (like the AWD setup of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid) would allow maximum performance with reduced fuel consumption.  It would also give Honda a chance to demonstrate that it can still innovate when it comes to both performance and fuel economy.

While the Small Sports EV is expected to reach showrooms (in Japan, at least) by 2013, we’re still awaiting official word from Honda about an NSX successor. If it breaks cover at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, we’ll be sure to cover it.

Source: motorauthority.com