http://www.leftlanenews.com/honda-spirior.html

Now if Acura would only revise the rear of the US TLX to look like this!

 

 

Umm....no...

This design does not look that cohesive. If they want to redesign the rear valence of the TLX to include exhaust tips, it needs to work well with the rest of the design and it needs to be unique to Acura. No more sharing designs with Honda.

Those wheels, on the other hand, Acura should get that wheel designer to take a crack at a new set of accessory wheels for the TLX because the current ones they are showing are way too busy.

 

I think the Chinese concept looks good with the exposed exhaust.

 

It would make a nice Accord, not an Acura.

 

I am not sure I like the busy rear end with all the lines BUT its too bad they couldn't give the visible exhaust tips. Lets wait and see what the TYPE-S will bring us...and when?

 

looks more like ilx body line and also the motor options are ilx

 

The tips were the main thing I was talking about and hopefully there WILL be a Type S sometime in the future! I'd also like to see a rear spoiler somehow tastefully incorporated.

 

Guys do what this MDX owner did to his MDX to your TLX if it's that important

 

Looks too "added on".

 

Yeah that MDX owner got "Autozoned" :-)

 

Agree. The exhaust on the MDX looks too much after-thought.

Why don't Acura go with the Lexus approach on the exhaust??? It looks clean and aggressive.

 

Many of you guys like the new IS, but to me it looks as bad as the 4G TL did when it came out. Just not a cohesive design at all. JMHO

 

Exhaust tips look OK with me. I think they hide them in the US because they are associated with pollution. In China, the exhaust from those is probably purified air compared to the regular air they breathe. I've been there for months without every seeing the Sun.

 

^ Exactly my thought. I think Acura is trying to project more of a luxury (clean?) image rather than a polluter image, so they hide the exhaust as a result.

By the way, to me, the Spirior looks more like a Kia than anything.

 

Am I seeing those "jewel eye headlights" in this ugly Spirior!? If so, it truly is infuriating - no wonder why people say that Acura's are just tarted up Honda's if they share design elements like this! And I thought that "jewel eye headlights" were supposed to be a signature for Acura? Now, they even sell Acura vehicles in China.

Also, isn't this the same "atheletic red" on the TLX? Why is it now on a Honda, and yet potential Acura customers cannot have it!?

Then even those rims are kinda similar to the TLX prototype too... sigh!

So if Honda and Acura cannot get their act together and stop this confusion, then how would they expect others to do so!? How serious are they in getting Acura to be taken seriously as a real luxury brand, not just "tarted up Accords"?! Don't just talk the talk, WALK THE WALK!!! Ridiculous....

 

No one mentioned the LED strip on the front. What are your thoughts on that?

 

The design is somewhat similar, but looking more closely, this appears to be using two LED elements on the outside, most likely pulled from the Honda Accord, and the two inner elements are conventional filament bulbs (there are proper reflectors with striations similar to all other conventional bulb lighting elements), most likely used for high beams. DRLs are likely provided by the light pipe in the headlights.

Essentially, this will look more like an Accord when lit up than the TLX. That said, with everything off, it is a bit harder to tell.

 

I really dig the rear of that Spirior!

That rear + TLX's front with flared fenders would've been awesome.


EDIT: Actually... after looking at more pictures, I take it back LOL. Wheels are nice tho.

EDIT: Actually no I take it back. Wheels are tacky.

 

Why do I like it more than the TLX?

 

Definitely understand where you're coming from. BTW the Accord Hybrid has Jewel Eyes as well.



This pic is from honda's own website: www.automobiles.honda.com

 

Thank you - this totally validates my point/fear. How stupid is that? On the one hand, they announced that Honda and Acura will be separating, to allow Acura to have its own luxury brand identity etc. Then right after you hear that from Acura, you see that these supposedly key design elements or signature items from Acura are easily available on a Honda.

WHAT KIND OF NON-SENSE IS THAT!? Sometimes Honda/Acura really drive you crazy........

 

Accord has had this since late 2012 (2013 model year)... Headlights don't make the car. If they did, I'd buy an Audi just for the laser headlamps (even though BMW is first to market).

 

Sure, headlights don't make the car, but if Acura and Honda share everything then they may as well get rid of Acura altogether and just make it one big happy family called Honda.

 

While this Chinese car looks ok, I certainly like the lines on the TLX much better. The TLX is going to be a big hit for Acura. It addressed all the problem areas with the 4G design, and builds upon what we all loved about the 3G TL. I would like to see Acura quickly offer a hybrid version of the TLX, as well as a high-performing TLX (upper 300s HP).

 

the current version CHinese Spirior is same with Honda Accord europe version which is the same with TSX, but with less power setup. This new version looks sporty, may change the bad sale situation in China market.

 

They will never see this design make it to production. It's just a concept. The exaggerated body and huge wheels will all be toned down...by a lot. That's if it makes it to the prototype stage. Concept cars will always look "wild" and "obnoxious". That said I kinda dig it lol.

 

The Lack of exhaust tips is not something that makes me think Hmmmmm That car must be green.

 

What I like most about that concept car are the dark treatment to the headlights and tails, sexy. The rest of the car is overdone, yes. But a few nips and tucks here could get it looking more interesting than a TLX. It looks like it has some emotion in it at least.

 

Agreed. Not a good move by Honda. One cannot establish one's own identity if they have to continue share, esp features like "Jewel Eyes." One doesn't see Audi giving Volkswagen their headlight LED designs, or Lexus passing down their headlight design on the GS/IS to the Camry...

Why not give Honda SH-AWD while they are at it?

 

I think the general sentiment is that the headlights are a representation of the blurred lines between Honda and Acura. I don't mind if Honda/Acura share similar headlights, if everything else is differentiated. But it's not.

Time will tell, I suppose. There is a lot of new tech goodies coming out for Acura that won't hit Honda for awhile, but I'd like to see a better effort on Honda's part for general differentiation. My old 2005 Acura RL had a lot more small luxury touches (lighted door sills, fold out door pockets, neat cupholders, adjusting headlights) than my 2013 Acura.

 

They are not really "Jewel Eye", they are a similar LED type but not like Acura's. It's really just a matter of they both have LED headlights, it starts and ends there. I think we are witnessing the very problem with Acura, as related to Honda. The perception of the similarities is at times greater than the actual similarities. A common designer, builder, artist, director, producer, etc, tend to display similar traits, characteristics, and ques, styles, etc, in the first place. If it was exactly the same and also marketed as Jewel Eye, I would also have a problem and agree but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Some of the classic argument is warranted some really isn't. They share a lot of the same part distributors and sources, so a lot of that is to be expected. No matter what they do if someone really wants to drive that point home, they can, even at Lexus or Infiniti, etc, just seems the perceptions around them are what distinguish that point the most.

Platform and motor series, and at times transmissions, are the big ones but most luxury makes are streamlining to only a few platforms and shared, if they had a mainstream market line instead of consistent lower priced alternatives within the same brand, they would share as well and do. I don't see the issue in the motors or trannys, most brand do that to some capacity even borrowing from other brands. They are incorporating 8 and 9 speeds and possibly from a different source at Acura now as well FWIW.

Think it's a scapegoat argument IMO for things like Acura not building a car that really stands out, for now, and having a limited and demographic specific line. Being too mainstream or generic, and going against the grain as opposed to adopting the similar types of formats like RWD and V8, etc, contribute as well. All probably very valid issues but can be different than their association with Honda, it does not necessarily have to boil down to that, which is probably not a bad thing anyway. Compared to some other luxury bands, it just seems Acura gets punished for Honda being a very successful, predominant brand and having a full fledged mainstream line.