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lol, and thats with 4 passengers! But seriously, what is so hard about cosmetically making the fenders 1/2 inch lower and keeping all the suspension engineering the same? The wheels are already tucking and BMW seems to have been doing it for the longest. It's like they are avoiding the tightly engineered look on purpose?!?
Hey, its Acura, they are 20 years behind the curve on design.
The back looks nice. I prefer the red rear end over the white one.
You guys are right about the front though. The grill looks unproportionally stretched. The headlights look too squinty to me with the grill making them look even more that way than before.
I know the headlights are fairly popular, but I can't help but think this car needs the wider RLX headlights. The narrow headlights looked good on the 3G... there's something off about them on the 5G even though they're likely similar in size.
I think Marek has to go. Hyundai stole Audi's old designer and he keeps putting out attractive cars, gen after gen. Marek keeps putting out some bizzare shit. Is it that hard to find a good designer?
Either way, I'm sure sales of this car will be satisfactory for Acura, thereby giving them zero reason to change anything.
Last edited by TacoBello; Jan 24, 2017 at 03:24 PM.
The back looks nice. I prefer the red rear end over the white one.
You guys are right about the front though. The grill looks unproportionally stretched. The headlights look too squinty to me with the grill making them look even more that way than before.
I know the headlights are fairly popular, but I can't help but think this car needs the wider RLX headlights. The narrow headlights looked good on the 3G... there's something off about them on the 5G even though they're likely similar in size.
I think Marek has to go. Hyundai stole Audi's old designer and he keeps putting out attractive cars, gen after gen. Marek keeps putting out some bizzare shit. Is it that hard to find a good designer?
Either way, I'm sure sales of this car will be satisfactory for Acura, thereby giving them zero reason to change anything.
heads need to roll. They are every bit as lost as they were before. For god sake, hire some people with a sense of design and can point the brand in a specific direction. (thats positive)
I'm actually shocked how much disdain there is towards the MMC refresh, not only here, but in the other TLX spy shot thread as well.
Seeing as we are the biggest group of Acura owners in any given place, can we start a petition to have Marek fired as soon as possible and pass it on to Acura? How many more chances can you give a guy? Let's face it- he just shouldn't design cars.
Last edited by TacoBello; Jan 24, 2017 at 05:38 PM.
In addition to ditching the beak grille, the updated TLX picks up styling cues from the Precision Concept that Acura showed off at the 2016 Detroit auto show, including slimmer headlights and a sharp crease running down the center of the hood. Photo credit: SPIEDE BILDE/BRIAN WILLIAMSPHOTO GALLERY: 2018 Acura TLX spy photos
Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print. Acura’s midsize TLX looks to be the next model to get the brand’s new face, according to new spy shots out of California.
The 2018 version of the front-wheel-drive sport sedan was caught during a commercial shoot wearing Acura’s new grille that debuted on the freshened MDX crossover last year.
In addition to ditching the beak grille, the updated TLX picks up styling cues from the Precision Concept that Acura showed off at the 2016 Detroit auto show, including slimmer headlights and a sharp crease running down the center of the hood.
Based on the photos, Acura could be planning a performance variant of the TLX -- a move in line with the brand’s desire to wring more performance out of its models. One of the white cars caught has discreet badging on the trunk and front fender, as well as more aggressive front and rear bumpers, trunk lip spoiler, blacked-out alloy wheels and large round exhaust tips.
The upgrades are expected to be the bolt-on type only and similar to the A-Spec option on the smaller ILX sedan; no significant powertrain upgrades are likely.
Regular trim TLX models could also get visual cues setting the base 4-cylinder model apart from the V-6 version. A new hybrid TLX that uses the current Honda Accord Hybrid’s 2-motor hybrid system could also debut.
The 2018 TLX is expected to be introduced in the near future, possibly at either the Chicago or New York auto shows and go on sale later this year.
What It Is: An updated version of Acura’s mid-size TLX sedan with a new face. Like the MDX SUV before it, the TLX will abandon the Acura beak in favor of the signature “diamond pentagon” grille 1st shown on the Acura Precision concept. Along with the facelift, the TLX will gain a performance-oriented A-Spec package, as evidenced by the white car pictured in spy photos with a more aggressive body kit, larger wheels and tires, and black accents. We also suspect that Acura may add a hybrid to the TLX lineup, possibly using a version of the Honda Accord hybrid’s setup.
Why It Matters: Although it’s pleasant to drive in both four-cylinder and V-6 forms, the TLX was in need of more visual drama, and that’s what the A-Spec trim looks to bring. Sadly, if the smaller ILX’s A-Spec treatment is any indication—it includes flashier wheels, a body kit, a rear spoiler, and faux suede trim for the interior—the package won’t go much beyond the appearance upgrades.
Platform: Since this is just a mid-cycle update, don’t expect any significant changes to the TLX’s Accord-based chassis, only slight tuning adjustments.Powertrain: The base front-wheel-drive TLX is likely to carry over its powertrain combo of a 206-hp 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 3.5-liter V-6 will remain optional, paired with either front-wheel drive, front-wheel drive with rear-wheel steering, or Acura’s torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive setup called SH-AWD. All V-6 models currently use a ZF-sourced 9-speed automatic, but it’s possible that the updated TLX could use Honda’s 10-speed unit that is making its debut in the 2018 Odyssey. If Acura does deem the TLX A-Spec model worthy of any mechanical upgrades, we could see the V-6’s output rise to 300 horsepower or so, compared with the current car’s 290-hp output. Expect the potential TLX hybrid to use a version of the Honda Accord’s hybrid setup that makes a maximum of 212 horsepower and achieves an EPA combined rating of 48 mpg.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The undisguised TLX sedans pictured here appear to be part of some sort of photo shoot, so we probably won’t have to wait very long for the car’s official debut. Look for it at the Chicago auto show in a few weeks, before it goes on sale sometime later this year. Pricing should say within the same range as the current car, which starts at $32,950 for the base 4-cylinder model and tops out at $45,850 for the fully loaded V-6 SH-AWD version. The anticipated TLX hybrid will likely slot in between the 4-cylinder and V-6 models, and the A-Spec package should add a few thousand dollars to the sticker.
I thought the white TLX A-spec or whatever it will be called looks pretty decent. The red one, way too much chrome, especially the back. The TLX concept got it right, the MMC, not so much.
The problem I see is that Acura is rushing to slap the new grille onto existing cars. First the MDX, and now the TLX. I'm not sure if that's really needed. As noted from the comments above, after 8-9 years of the beak, it's been refined to the point where it's very different to the original beak that appeared in the 2009 4G TL. It went from being atrocious to being acceptable.
IMO, the Precision Concept looks fine with the new grille. But when you try to slap it on existing cars that weren't designed originally for the new grille, it looks somewhat out of place.
Anyway, styling aside, I heard one version of the MMC TLX will have the 2.0T engine from the CTR with SH-AWD.
Have seen a couple MDX with the new Capt. America grille. It works on the MDX, IMO, but I also agree that the beak had been refined to where it looked decent, when compared to the rabbit's tooth of the early 4G TL..
+1. There are quite a few new MDX around my neighbourhood and they look great in person. And the newer "beak" looks decent too, certainly way better than the facelifted 2G RL and 4G prefacelift TL.
They just cant seem to get proportions right when it comes to the grille/headlights (front end) They over compensate. That and i still think they give renders to the drunken focus groups in the dark. Its high time more people get fired at Acura and they spend some time locating/headhunting some serious designers. They have given these fools far too much.
I think the white looks better than the red, but I'll hold out on forming an opinion on the facelift until I see one in person. The new MDX does look fantastic, so I'm optimistic for the TLX.
That facelift looks terrible. Whoever said they would swap the beak back in is right. I'd do the same thing. I've been seeing a few of the facelifted MDX's around and I hate the front end, it looks awful even in person. They tried to go the Lexus route with having a huge front grille but forgot to make the rest of the car match the styling.
The new grille isn't better than the fully mature beak on the original TLX, but it is certainly better than the original TL beak.
Also, I don't think Acura should be putting the new grille on its existing models, like the TLX and MDX. I doubt those cars were designed to have those grilles....making a bad first impression for many of us.
I guess they are really desperate of creating some buzz, but it might just have backfired.
The other 50% is The higher ups APPROVING it!. Simply drive past other manufacturers and see what they are designing, get some styling cues, read up on powertrains and models, create something bold yet appealing, give us a few models with more power train options/ SPORTINESS, not the stuff like you like to think you already have.
heads need to roll. They are every bit as lost as they were before. For god sake, hire some people with a sense of design and can point the brand in a specific direction. (thats positive)
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