Acura TLX to Debut Digitally Before End of May
Last year, Acura previewed the Type S Concept at Pebble Beach, making itself an exciting brand for the first time in years. The model heralds the return of the marque’s performance nomenclature and gives us a taste of the next-generation TLX sports sedan — which will be the first Acura product to wear the Type S badge in quite a while.
On Wednesday, the company announced the new model will debut on May 28th. Not surprisingly, it also confirmed the next TLX will share as much with the concept car as regulators allow.
Originally intended to debut at the 2020 New York Auto Show, the TLX showcase was scrubbed by the coronavirus’ arrival. While the trade event is still on, albeit delayed until August, there’s a real fear among exhibitors it could still end up cancelled. Like some of its rivals, Acura decided to open with a digital debut, hoping an opportunity remains to hold a physical introduction later. Better to launch something online than wait endlessly for trade shows that may never happen.
The announcement came with a new teaser, showing exactly how much the TLX (top of the page) resembles the Type S Concept (everywhere else) from behind. Some of the angles have been softened, with the taillights, haunches, and rear bumper being the smoking gun. The car is otherwise shaping up to be very similar to the design study it’s based on.
The 2021 TLX is assumed to utilize the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder motor already found inside countless Honda products (including the Accord and Acura’s own RDX). That seems to indicate base model sedans will churn out somewhere between 250 and 300 horsepower. Obviously, the Type S will trump whatever the base sedan brings to the table. Acura is keeping technical specifications on the lowdown to ensure all eyes remain fixed on the official debut.
The brand is making some bold claims, however. In the debut announcement, Acura really talked up the upcoming model’s performance chops by saying “the new TLX will be the quickest, best-handling and most well-appointed sport sedan in Acura history, with the Type S being the model’s performance pinnacle.”
The sedan will make its public debut on Thursday, May 28 at 10:00 in the morning (PT) on Acura’s website.
[Images: Acura]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Fingers crossed the finished product has actual physical buttons on the interior. The current two screen Acura layout is a turn off. As long as it has a refined version of what the Accord is currently using with some different graphics and the ELS sound system (if that is still a thing), and they will nail it. Now will anyone buy something like this? That's the bigger issue.
Our pre beak TL was a very nice and sporty sedan. Afterwards the following generations of Acura TL become an ugly expensive versions of a Honda Accord. Hopefully this car will finally be more competitive with current sport sedans leaders.