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Automobiles

Report: Acura built just 91 examples of the ILX last month, here's why

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By Jonathon Ramsey

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The short life of the Acura ILX has been vexed by one glaringly odd standard equipment choice, mediocre reviews, getting outsold by its competition as it posted slower-than-projected sales and a pledge by Honda to upgrade its supposedly upgraded offering. Therefore, when Automotive News reports that just 91 of the Civic-based Acura sedans were manufactured last month – after a string of production months in double-digits – it would be easy to press the button for the alarm bells.

But that would be hasty, because it is actually the 2013 Honda Civic that is crimping the production pipeline of the ILX. The vastly higher sales numbers of the Honda meant that all three North American plants that produce it needed to crank up output to satisfy dealer inventory needs, including the Greenburg, Indiana plant that makes both the Civic and the ILX. As the classic guns-vs-butter Economy 101 lesson taught us – in which making more of one necessarily means making less of the other – well, the Civic is the gun.

Honda prepared for this eventuality by cranking out the Acuras while it got ready for Civic production. The ILX has held steady at about 500 units shy of company projections every month, and the current inventory represents about 90 days worth of sales. That makes Greenburg’s ostensibly low numbers in line with the realities of the ILX, and the situation probably won’t change much as Acura gets ready for the improved 2014 ILX.

Acura built just 91 examples of the ILX last month, here’s why originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automobiles

Official: 2014 Acura MDX shows up exactly as expected

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By Steven J. Ewing

2014 Acura MDX - front three-quarter studio view, silver

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Acura (and parent company Honda, for that matter) doesn’t always leave a lot to be left to the imagination when they unveil prototypes at auto shows. Case in point: Take a gander at the Acura MDX Prototype that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show this past January, and then look at the production-spec 2014 MDX pictured above. See what we mean?

Design-wise, there frankly isn’t a whole lot to get excited about with this MDX. Sure, a lot of the chiseled, sharp lines from the previous-generation model have been smoothed out in favor of something that will likely have more mass-market appeal, but to our eyes, the MDX has simply lost a lot of its visual flair in the process. To quote Autoblog senior editor Seyth Miersma, this new one just looks like the old one after melting by 10 percent. The end result is something that more closely resembles the company’s smaller RDX crossover than anything else, with other subtle design elements mimicking what we’ve seen on the ILX and RLX sedans. It’s all fine, but again, not exciting. The good news, however, is that thanks to the use of new lightweight materials, the 2014 MDX is 275 pounds lighter than the outgoing model.

Updates to what’s underneath the MDX’s new skin are hardly surprising, but still welcome. Power comes from a direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 making 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with both front-wheel drive and Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive on offer. Acura estimates that front-drive models will achieve 20/28/23 miles per gallon (city/highway/combined), and says that adding the SH-AWD drops those numbers to 18/27/21. Acura will offer a new Integrated Dynamic System that allows the driver to choose between normal, sport and comfort settings, and the new MDX will ride on a choice of either 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the MDX is loaded with comfort and technological features, including AcuraLink, a premium ELS audio system, and the dual-screen display that’s similar to what we experienced in the company’s new RLX flagship earlier this year. Up top is an eight-inch display that houses things like navigation data, while the seven-inch display below with haptic feedback works as a sort of command center for the whole infotainment system. Other new goodies for the 2014 MDX include Acura’s Jewel Eye adaptive front lighting, a host of standard safety equipment and premium features like a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch screen complete with HDMI compatibility.

Have a look at Acura’s press release below for the full list of changes for the 2014 model. We’ll have live images straight from the New York Auto Show floor in a jiffy, too, so stay tuned.

Continue reading 2014 Acura MDX shows up exactly as expected

2014 Acura MDX shows up exactly as expected originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Automobiles

Comparo: 2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

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By Michael Harley

2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX

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Answering The $30,000 Entry-Level Luxury Question

Twenty years ago, a comparison between an entry-level Buick and Acura would have matched a Skylark against an Integra.

Twenty years ago, a comparison between an entry-level Buick and its Acura equivalent would have matched a Skylark against an Integra. The unfair battle would have resulted in the compact American’s defeat in nearly every measurable category, as the Japanese competitor was arguably at the height of its powers.

Yet the automotive industry has flipped, twisted and merged itself through more than just a recession over the past two decades – it’s morphed into a whole different ballgame. Pitting a Buick against an Acura makes perfect sense today, as both automakers are peddling new entry-level models designed to scoop up buyers seeking premium features, luxury appointments and fuel efficiency in a reasonably priced compact sedan package.

Today’s battle is between the Verano and the ILX. Instead of wringing out the base models and setting ourselves up for a day-long yawnfest, we chose the most powerful and dynamic variants of each, configuring them with six-speed manual transmissions to liven the pace. This unquestionably made our behind-the-wheel excursion more interesting, but we soon realized that our enthusiast-oriented decision would introduce a whole new set of headaches.

Continue reading 2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Automobiles

Official: Honda integrating Siri into select models

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By Zach Bowman

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2013 Honda Accord Coupe

Honda has partnered up with Apple to bring Siri to the Accord, Acura RDX and ILX. Owners who have an iPhone running iOS 6 will be able to ask the software to perform a number of tasks via voice command using the vehicle’s on board microphone and speaker systems. What’s more, the tech will put the iPhone into an “eyes free” mode, which turns the screen off to help reduce distraction while driving. Honda says it has reworked its Bluetooth and HandsFreeLink systems to accommodate the Siri functionality. While the tech will only be available on three of the company’s models right now, we imagine it won’t be long before it shows up elsewhere.

As you may recall, Chevrolet integrated Siri into its products with vehicles like the Spark and Sonic, but Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler have also toyed with the tech to varying degrees. The seamless voice command seems to be light years ahead of the tech manufacturers are currently playing with. Check out the full press release from Honda below for more information.

Continue reading Honda integrating Siri into select models

Honda integrating Siri into select models originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Automobiles

Honda Introducing Dealer-Installed Eyes Free Siri Integration on 2013 Accord, Acura ILX and RDX

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By Alexander Stoklosa

2013 Honda Accord V-6 coupe

Honda has announced that later this year, any customer with a 2013 Accord or 2013 Acura ILX or RDX can have Apple’s Eyes Free Siri integration fitted to their cars. To recap, Eyes Free tech enables Siri use through a car’s Bluetooth connection, utilizing a car-mounted button to activate the iPhone’s digital personal assistant instead of the phone’s home button. In the case of the Accord and pair of Acuras, Eyes Free will be a dealer-installed option. 

According to Honda, the “installation” is in fact a mere software update. To activate Siri, drivers simply push the Bluetooth button that comes on the car’s steering wheel and hold it for a moment. A Honda representative wouldn’t comment on future factory Eyes Free integration for either the Accord, ILX, RDX, or other future Honda/Acura products, but given that the feature is only a software re-flash away, it would be easy for the company to roll it out. We were told the company will closely monitor customer reaction to the Siri upgrade.

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver

Automobiles

Review: 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

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By Jeffrey N. Ross

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Going Mainstream Has Its Privileges

Acura’s experiment with niche models has failed. Competing in the luxury car business by filling white space with product just didn’t work for the Japanese automaker. In place of slow-selling models like its ZDX and quirky first-gen RDX, the mindset at Acura has recently switched to more conventional products with vastly improved volume potential. The redesigned 2013 RDX, for example, sold almost as many units in 2012 as it did in 2010 and 2011 combined, and the all-new 2013 ILX has sold more units each month – since going on sale in May – than Acura sold in ZDXs and RLs in all of last year.

While the redesigned RDX is a crucial product to compete with luxury compact crossovers, the ILX might be the most important new product for Acura, as a growing number of premium makes are starting to realize the importance of upscale entry-level compact cars. Ironically, this segment was a pivotal part of the brand’s success in the 1980s and ’90s thanks to the Integra, but Acura completely abandoned the genre when it killed off the RSX coupe in 2006. The addition of the ILX not only gives Acura a competitive small car again, it also drops the brand’s entry price by almost $5,000.

Like the Honda Civic to which it’s closely related, the 2013 Acura ILX is offered with three powertrain flavors (base 2.0, ILX 2.4 and Hybrid), and while our First Drive gave us some seat time in the base ILX 2.0, this time we got to spend a full week with the sportier ILX 2.4 – Acura’s version of the Civic Si. The ILX is positioned in a weird in-between market that includes premium small cars like the Buick Verano, Audi A3 and Lexus CT, but it also sits at the upper end of some well-equipped non-luxury models like the Ford Focus Titanium. With this in mind, and with keys in hand, we aimed to see how the ILX stacks up against other premium compacts – as well as its predecessors.

Continue reading 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

2013 Acura ILX 2.4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Automobiles

Updated Acura NSX Concept Graces Detroit Adding to Extended Anticipations

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By Darryl

The Acura NSX Concept is undoubtedly a highly anticipated vehicle to inject a bit of true sports and exotic aptitude into the Acura and Honda brand. Being that the Acura NSX is still years off until it drops at your local dealership, engineers and designers have plenty of time make changes improvements to it. With that said, Acura brings the latest iteration of the NSX Concept to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit today.

What we get to see for the first time in the Acura NSX Concept is an interior. Aside from the surprising interior, a few minor changes have been made including the wheels selection. The Acura NSX Concept still carries its sexy looks and only adds to our eager anticipation. I am not sure if we can all wait two or so more years before this baby is officially released.

Hit up the updated press release from Acura on their latest NSX ‘Hybrid’ Concept and be sure to view the new interior shots.

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2014 Acura RLX

Acura Unveils Next Evolution of NSX Concept at 2013 North American International Auto Show
Acura provides first look at possible NSX interior design concept

01/15/2013 – DETROIT, Mich

Acura today unveiled a new NSX Concept that showcases the evolution of the next-generation supercar’s styling and design, including a first-ever look at one possible direction for the next-generation NSX interior design.

“This further evolution of the Acura NSX Concept design is remarkably true to the original concept styling,” said Mike Accavitti, vice president of national marketing operations. “We’re making great progress in delivering on the expectations we created a year ago, with advanced technology that will bring new levels of performance and a unique, dynamic experience to the exotic sports car market.”

The new Acura NSX Concept is based on the expected underpinnings of the vehicle Acura will bring to market. Still, the new NSX Concept maintains its low and wide stance with the dynamic and alluring proportions that debuted in the original NSX Concept at the 2012 North American International Auto Show — highlighted by clean, modern and simple surfacing, and edgy details that communicate supercar attitude and a high-tech feel.

The new NSX Concept also features a first-ever look at one potential direction for the next-generation Acura NSX interior design. The design concept is founded on a “Human Support Cockpit” theme, a strong expression of Acura’s product direction focused on “the synergy between man and machine.” The interior package boasts outstanding visibility, an exotic driving position, and an intuitive “Simple Sports Interface” that minimizes interior clutter, allowing the driver to focus on the driving experience.

“Consistent with the spirit of the original NSX, our intention is to support the psychological and emotional aspects of driving a super car at the limit, because we are insistent about delivering on the synergy between man and machine,” said Jon Ikeda, chief designer, Acura Design Studio. “Importantly, this will be true of all Acura vehicles moving forward.”

With the aim of delivering a new sports car experience that combines next-generation supercar dynamic capabilities with advanced environmental performance, Acura announced a year ago that the Acura NSX will be powered by a mid-mounted, direct-injected V-6 engine mated to Acura’s Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) system.

Acura Sport Hybrid SH-AWD is an all-new, three-motor high-performance hybrid system that combines torque vectoring all-wheel drive with advanced hybrid efficiency through the use of three electric motors – one motor integrated with the V-6 engine and two motors driving the front wheels – along with an all-new dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The system enables instant delivery of negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering to achieve a new level of driving performance unparalleled by current AWD systems.

As previously announced, the new NSX is being developed by a global R&D team led by designers and engineers at Honda R&D Americas, Inc. located in Los Angeles, California, and Raymond, Ohio. The new NSX will also be manufactured at a new production facility in central Ohio.

About Acura
Acura is the fastest growing automotive luxury brand in America, having posted a 26.7% year-over-year gain in 2012, its best annual sales result since 2007. Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced performance luxury vehicles through a network of 272 dealers within the United States. The Acura lineup features six distinctive models: the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan and Sport Wagon, the ILX luxury compact sedan, the 5-passenger RDX crossover SUV, the 7-passenger MDX luxury SUV, and the all-new Acura RLX flagship sedan, launching in March 2013.

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Automotive Addicts

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Acura TL

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The Acura TL is a four-door, mid-size sedan that competes in the near-luxury market. It’s now the mid-range sedan in the Acura lineup, slotted between the ILX compact and the coming Acura RLX. The TL emphasizes technology over more traditional luxury, and its price tag makes it either a bargain compared to more expensive imported cars, or not…
Source: The Car Connection