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when would we expect to know details for next releases?
Acura typically announces at the LA (November), Chicago (Feb), or NY (May) auto shows. LA belongs to the ILX MMC this year, so no hope for RLX news until next year. My bet is for incremental RLX change for 2016, but we'll see.
Acura typically announces at the LA (November), Chicago (Feb), or NY (May) auto shows. LA belongs to the ILX MMC this year, so no hope for RLX news until next year. My bet is for incremental RLX change for 2016, but we'll see.
This link might just point to Acura starting to think for itself given its recent management decisions to operate independently:
So I was contacted by another salesman who basically told me the same story: there will be no 2015 hybrid as Acura is working on a MMC for 2016. He also said that it would be difficult to get in a hybrid trade and since there were no incentives, he would not be able to offer a great deal.
At this point, I am inclined to believe that a refresh is coming for 2016, so hopefully Acura is around to hear our thoughts on what to include.
"Before the NSX, Christensen worked on Acura's ZDX, a low-slung crossover the automaker scuttled last year. She also contributed to a refresh of the Acura RLX sedan."
"Before the NSX, Christensen worked on Acura's ZDX, a low-slung crossover the automaker scuttled last year. She also contributed to a refresh of the Acura RLX sedan."
Thanks for this! I just saw it too. Say what you want about the ZDX - it was certainly an interesting design.
I'm really interested in what they did to the RLX - with the Honda Legend literally being the RLX with an "H" I'm hoping they did more than just nip and tuck at the edges - the TLX has some new shape to it...and the NSX will have some details that I'm sure they could use.
The rumor already is that Acura is showing an updated MDX tomorrow.
I don't think anything new came out of Detroit, minus the nsx.
Yeah. The rumor I got was obviously wrong. I think they won't debut the RDX or MDX MMCs at a show because those models don't really need the boost like the ILX did. I CAN see them debuting an RLX MMC at an autoshow because it definitely needs the boost. At this point it'd be basically a reintroduction to the marketplace.
I was at NAIAS today and the only new product Acura showed was the MMC ILX and the NSX. The NSX is absolutely gorgeous in person.
Acura also had a Silver Moon RLX Sport Hybrid on display. that and black or graphite are my favorite RLX colors. I think I convinced one person to try one.
^^If you parked outside the show and gave people a ride around the block in your Sport Hybrid, you could convince a LOT of people to try one (not that there are any to buy).
Back on topic, I have heard it suggested that a 9 speed DCT could be part of an RLX refresh. This may be an attempt to get the 0-60 numbers down so they can trumpet it during the "relaunch"??? What benefits would a 9 speed DCT have over a 7 speed?? (other than being 28% better - just kidding). I would hope that there are tangible differences and Acura is not just being lured into the "I have more gears than you" pi$$ing contest.
Since the gearbox exists and is in production, and is about the same size as the Honda 6 AT, it would be reasonable to think that the ZF 9 AT would fit into the plans for the MMC RLX. You'd get a little better fuel economy and a little better fuel economy, and you'd be able to mitigate the costs of the ZF production if you could fit the gearbox into another car.
However, the 7 DCT that is in the Sport Hybrid is unique, very different from the other 8 DCT that is in the TLX. It would take some work to design another DCT that would take the torque of the 357 total HP that could drive through the front wheels, and it would take some work to add the gears into the compact package that is required.
The Sport Hybrid's transmission is very unusual. It's an odd 6-gear case with a planetary gearset that produces the 7th gear, and includes the space for the electric motor and all the parts that allow that electric motor to serve as a starter, an alternator, and a forward propulsion device between the times that the gears are selected up and down, or when you've asked for a lot of power suddenly.
I suppose it's possible to see a new DCT for the Sport Hybrid after producing only a few of them for the 2014 model year's production, but I don't see how they could fully capitalize the costs of designing and producing it after such a short run.
My bet is that both the 2015 JDM Legend and the 2016 RLX Sport Hybrid will continue to use the 7 DCT.
The NSX supercar Acura unveiled at the Detroit auto show this week is drawing attention not only for its design, but also for its designer.
Michelle Christensen, exterior design project leader for the NSX, is the 1st woman to lead a design team working on a supercar. She joined the team for the production car shortly after Acura unveiled its NSX concept at the 2012 Detroit show.
Staying true to that concept was a key mandate for Christensen and her eight-person team. "They wanted an emotional, 3-D kind of feeling," Christensen told Automotive News at Acura's Torrance, Calif., design studio last month. "My priority was to keep that."
But the NSX's unusual powertrain -- a twin-turbocharged V-6 with an all-wheel-drive, 3-motor gas-electric hybrid system -- and a midstream switch to a midmounted engine opened new possibilities for the design team to give the car a more muscular profile, Christensen said.
The midengine layout was "1 of the most fun proportions to work on" as the team adjusted the design to keep the cabin low and within the wheelbase, Christensen said.
"It gave us the opportunity to punch more holes in it and make it more exotic," she said. "From a styling standpoint, we were really excited to take it to the gym and beef it up."
Christensen's earlier projects were hardly the kinds of vehicles immortalized on boys' bedroom walls. Before joining the supercar team, she worked on the now-discontinued ZDX crossover and a refresh of the RLX, Acura's staid large sedan.
The NSX, a long-awaited successor to the Acura halo car that was sold from 1990 to 2005, could change that. Although it has a smaller engine, it's a "badass little car" that will compete with the V-10-powered Audi R8, Ferrari 458 and Porsche 911 Turbo S, Christensen said. Acura said the NSX's sport hybrid powertrain will generate over 550 hp and herald the brand's return to its performance roots.
Christensen, a 34-year-old graduate of the famed Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., said that growing up working on muscle cars with her father in their San Jose, Calif., garage influenced her design ethos.
"The '32 Ford? There's nothing on that that's fluff," she said. For the NSX, "we wanted to take off any extra garnishes" in order to "simplify it and cut weight."
She said her interest in fashion also shaped the NSX's look, comparing the process of designing the car's exterior skin to draping couture over a mannequin. Like fashionable shoes, she said, cars are structures that are designed to appear to be moving, even when standing still.
"Shoes and cars are both these really complex shapes that need to wrap around a human element," she said.
Designing the heir to Acura's halo car was a lofty responsibility, Christensen said. "With a supercar, the potential is so much greater that everything is magnified," she said. "It needed to stand out."
"We really tried to treat it more like a sculpture," she said, with jewel headlights showcasing a "mean, aggressive, front-end personality" and a floating C-pillar. The decklid is a nod to the original NSX's heritage, with graphic taillights spanning the car's width.
In between designs, the team took 40% scale models of the car to Honda's wind tunnel in Raymond, Ohio. The prototypes were adjusted to reduce turbulence and drag and increase downforce. Christensen and her team refined the exterior, creating a bigger signature side intake, as well as vents for the hood and front fender, to direct airflow across the rear.
"The side intake became a really important part of the car's profile," Christensen said. "Visually, we want it to stand up and kick ass."
Saying that she worked on the RLX before she worked on the NSX is probably a mistake.
I can see her in the NSX, but I do not see her in the RLX. Think about the NSX and ZDX, and try to see that same artist in the RLX, and I don't think you're going to be able to do it.
I agree George...the RLX's largely conservative design does not speak the same language as her more aggressive and stylistic design work in the ZDX and now the NSX.
That said, I still like the RLX design and think it's fitting for what the car was designed to be - a sporty flagship luxury sedan. I do think it could use a little trimming and tightening as you get towards the rear and a tad bit of lowering to give it a slightly more athletic stance.
What I really want to see is her design that 2-door coupe that sits between the athletic stance of the TLX and the regalness of the RLX, with a little NSX sprinkled on for some zing. A5/E-coupe/4-series killer.
Since the gearbox exists and is in production, and is about the same size as the Honda 6 AT, it would be reasonable to think that the ZF 9 AT would fit into the plans for the MMC RLX. You'd get a little better fuel economy and a little better fuel economy, and you'd be able to mitigate the costs of the ZF production if you could fit the gearbox into another car.
However, the 7 DCT that is in the Sport Hybrid is unique, very different from the other 8 DCT that is in the TLX. It would take some work to design another DCT that would take the torque of the 357 total HP that could drive through the front wheels, and it would take some work to add the gears into the compact package that is required.
The Sport Hybrid's transmission is very unusual. It's an odd 6-gear case with a planetary gearset that produces the 7th gear, and includes the space for the electric motor and all the parts that allow that electric motor to serve as a starter, an alternator, and a forward propulsion device between the times that the gears are selected up and down, or when you've asked for a lot of power suddenly.
I suppose it's possible to see a new DCT for the Sport Hybrid after producing only a few of them for the 2014 model year's production, but I don't see how they could fully capitalize the costs of designing and producing it after such a short run.
My bet is that both the 2015 JDM Legend and the 2016 RLX Sport Hybrid will continue to use the 7 DCT.
But that's just a bet. :-)
The NSX has a 9 speed DCT. If they move production of the RLX to the same facility, they could use the NSX tranny - it would certainly handle the power of the RLX and the tooling to build it is already there..... OK more dreaming again.
I wonder if the RLX MMC will be as drastic as the 2009 RL? I do not expect them to make them look overly sporty/aggressive but it would be nice if they put a little more detail into the car. For instance, the new lights on the TLX & ILX have a lot more going on than the RLX (especially on the sides where the amber part is):
The RLX is a car that was designed with the driver and passenger comfort first and foremost in importance and then they worked the design around that. That is, function took precedence over the form of the car. My fear is if they try to get too "bold" with the redesign, that the ergonomics will suffer. The ZDX was a classic example of design taking precedence over function - it looked kind of cool, but was hard to get into and had a laughable amount of cargo and people space for a vehicle its size.
My hope is that any RLX refresh won't tinker with what I believe is the best interior design around.
I don't think the MMC would have to compromise anything regarding ergonomics or function.
I think looking across all the comments, shared experiences, reviews, etc to date since the RLX release, I think it's fair to say the biggest strength of the RLX is the interior design. All it needs are the NAV bug fixes, 14-way seats, rear A/C controls, and a few other small updates. Other than that, the interior is solid.
From there the exterior could just use some tightening up in the overall design to make it a bit more sexier and sleek, allowing it to fall in line even more with the new "athletic" design language we are seeing more and more of in the recent products, yet still maintaining it's "regal" appeal as a flagship luxury sedan.
If you look at the original post from TSX69....you'll see the rumors talk exactly to what we're saying:
Originally Posted by TSX69
Sharing some rumor gossip from TOV. RolledANSX seems to legitimately have insider info altho not always 100% correct mind you.
It looks like the RLX was the 1st fix for the new Acura Planning Group.
It could be in the process of an early MMC like the Civic went thru.
1)Most likely get the new lighter SH-AWD with 9HP and Sport Hybrid might get more gears to improve MPG.
2)chassis lighten for better MPG
3)exterior look update
4)interior options update
Bullet 3 and 4 are just that. Interior get's option changes (not looks) and exterior gets "look" update. That would essentially maintain the ergonomics and function they already nailed, while refreshing the visual appeal of the car at the same time.
If you look at the last two quarters of 2014 with the TLX release, the ILX MMC update, and now the NSX release, IMO these are all examples of well executed design and engineering prowess that is setting the new mark for Acura, and the general reception to these recent releases have all been good, if not great. I think that is a clear sign that not only are they making changes internally, but they are continuing to do a great job in listening to the market, and to their customer base, and incorporating that feedback into their product strategy in a way that is thoughtful and well balanced with their own vision. As a result, I predict we will see a really solid MMC update for the RLX.
I'm embarrassed but I completely forgot about that.
I know it has the same kind of integrated motor but I've no idea the external dimensions. It's mated to a longitudinal motor instead of a transverse motor so it might be completely different in its dimensions.
You know what is needed for the MMC? Some kind of sensor(s) that let you know how close to the curb you are when parking. Tonight I ruined my right front wheel on a 100+ year old rough granite curb. These low profile tires put the rim below the edge of the curb and this particular curb being rough hewn granite had a place where a spot projected outward a bit.
Next time when getting the car relatively close to the curb, I'm slipping it into reverse to see the relative spacing to the curb before proceeding. Have ordered a replacement wheel off Ebay and will get the damaged wheel repaired to be a replacement for when curb damage happens again. This happened twice before with my 2006 RL with 45 profile tires. 40 profile tires look good, but my, my, my they are prone to curb damage when a fellow like myself does not pay close enough attention when parking. Acura, set the pace for others to follow and develop a sensor or camera set-up for seeing how close the wheel is to the curb for the MMC!
^ oof, sorry to hear that amigo. That is one thing I am extremely OCD about and so far "knock on wood", has yet to happen.
What I have been prone to is scuffing up the front bottom lip underside by parking too close to front edge of the parking spot. I did it a couple times prior to the accident, thankfully it was all taken care of when they replaced the entire front-end of my RLX after the accident back in Sept.
The Canadian Sport Hybrid Advance and the JDM New Legend (Sport Hybrid) both have cameras that allow you to look down at curbing.
I'm not sure why we didn't get that in the USDM, considering the technology was already available.
What the hey? I'd pay for that option! Nearly $300 flew out of my pocket last night in that old neighborhood of Victorian homes. Make it part of the USDM Advance package. Make it so Acura!
Maybe all that is needed is to add the hardware and to switch on the software in our USDM cars? . . .. . . . .
The Canadian Sport Hybrid Advance and the JDM New Legend (Sport Hybrid) both have cameras that allow you to look down at curbing.
I'm not sure why we didn't get that in the USDM, considering the technology was already available.
That and a rear seat power outlet would have increased the MSRP too much. LOL! I wonder what determines what goes in which country's bin of features? We sure could use this one.
You know what is needed for the MMC? Some kind of sensor(s) that let you know how close to the curb you are when parking. Tonight I ruined my right front wheel on a 100+ year old rough granite curb. These low profile tires put the rim below the edge of the curb and this particular curb being rough hewn granite had a place where a spot projected outward a bit.
Next time when getting the car relatively close to the curb, I'm slipping it into reverse to see the relative spacing to the curb before proceeding. Have ordered a replacement wheel off Ebay and will get the damaged wheel repaired to be a replacement for when curb damage happens again. This happened twice before with my 2006 RL with 45 profile tires. 40 profile tires look good, but my, my, my they are prone to curb damage when a fellow like myself does not pay close enough attention when parking. Acura, set the pace for others to follow and develop a sensor or camera set-up for seeing how close the wheel is to the curb for the MMC!
Had this happen on prior car wheels. The cost of a aftermarket curb sensor is about 150. Honda could probably have it for 50 installed. I always wonder how car companies cannot handle user experience in a systematic manner~specially at the higher end price point.
The Canadian Sport Hybrid Advance and the JDM New Legend (Sport Hybrid) both have cameras that allow you to look down at curbing.
I'm not sure why we didn't get that in the USDM, considering the technology was already available.
Not just for the RLX, this is same for the latest MDX too.
The Canadian top-trim (Elite) MDX comes standard with the "surround backup camera" system that allows the occupancies to view the curb/ground at all front/rear/left/right sides.
But this system is not available to any US market MDX, for any price.
That and a rear seat power outlet would have increased the MSRP too much. LOL! I wonder what determines what goes in which country's bin of features? We sure could use this one.
What I really want to see is her design that 2-door coupe that sits between the athletic stance of the TLX and the regalness of the RLX, with a little NSX sprinkled on for some zing. A5/E-coupe/4-series killer.
CLX anyone?
I would be all over this. Accord Coupe on steroids.
Saying that she worked on the RLX before she worked on the NSX is probably a mistake.
Originally Posted by holografique
I agree George...the RLX's largely conservative design does not speak the same language as her more aggressive and stylistic design work in the ZDX and now the NSX.
What I really want to see is her design that 2-door coupe that sits between the athletic stance of the TLX and the regalness of the RLX, with a little NSX sprinkled on for some zing. A5/E-coupe/4-series killer.
CLX anyone?
I don't think she did the RLX. Her return to Acura coincided with the plans for the RLX refresh, but not the original design. She did do the ZDX before she left for GM, but that detour was only for 11 months (per linkedin).
With the ZDX, she had to work around the existing MDX chassis so many fixed points were set. This clearly influenced the overall design but I thought it was pretty good in many respects. I don't feel that she was responsible for the grills that are so despised. I think those go back to Dave Marek.
Could she draw a good coupe from the TLX chassis? I think it's possible, but we're always going to be saddled with the current engine placement (over the front axle) that will affect proportions. It would be really cool if Acura could pull a page from the Fiat X1/9 and Toyota MR-2 and utilize the engine/transmission subframe from a FWD car and move it to the rear to make a (relatively) inexpensive mid-engined RWD sports car. It would give her more freedom in design to make a unique stance and create a direct lineage to the NSX. Much like a 911 to Boxter relationship.
Originally Posted by weather
That NSX is gorgeous.....and at the fear of sounding like a pervert, she is gorgeous!
Do not fear, we know the answer and love you for it.
I don't think she did the RLX. Her return to Acura coincided with the plans for the RLX refresh, but not the original design. She did do the ZDX before she left for GM, but that detour was only for 11 months (per linkedin).
I think you're right Colin, when I originally saw that statement in the article, I immediately saw that it could be mis-interpreted as the "RL refresh" which resulted in the current RLX design, when I agree it's probably speaking to the upcoming refresh of the RLX that we have yet to see.
If that all happens to be the case, then I think we are definitely in for a nice update
We should see the 2016 refresh soon-spring is right around the corner.
Many are talking about this RLX refresh, but I think it's too early. Also, consider that they have the 2016 ILX refresh, 2016 RDX refresh and 2016 NSX launch all on the calendar this (2015) year.
IMO, it's more logical to schedule the re-launch of the RLX after the NSX debuts to capitalize on the (assumed) buzz it will generate. (Again IMO) A spring 2016 launch of the 2017 RLX might follow ~3 months after the first NSX deliveries and would give them more time to prepare more RLX Hybrids as well.
Edited to add: I read somewhere that the new Performance Manufacturing center in Ohio could ramp up to 8 cars a day. IMO, that seems like a lot of NSXs to me. Maybe they could move some sub-assembly of RLX Hybrid components there with final assembly next door?
11-08-2014, 11:26 PM
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