[twitchyzero]

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17inhoqpv1kawjpg/original.jpg
http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17inhu04loo3wjpg/xlarge.jpg
Is The Acura RLX Concept Taking Us Back To The 90s?

Get yourself a pair of Zubaz, because Acura's bringing back the early ‘90s all over again with the RLX — a big, V6-engined all-wheel-drive sedan concept with four-wheel steering.

Like the Vigor and the Legend of Acura's heyday — and the current RL — the RLX is almost completely devoid of any exterior styling. It's just sixteen and a half feet of car.

Like the old Legend, the RLX makes do with a V6 while its competitors all sport V8s. It's an all-new 3.5-liter engine with direct injection, putting out 310 horsepower or 370 with the assistance of an optional electric motor.

Both engine configurations are interesting: the 370-horsepower hybrid comes with SH-AWD, which puts the engine's power to the front wheels, and only drives the rears with the electric motor. It's like the new NSX, but in reverse.

The 310-horsepower base engine doesn't come with AWD, but it does get brand-new four-wheel-steering, which was Honda's technocratic calling card in the early ‘90s. In the RLX, it's called "Precision All-Wheel Steer," and it adjusts the toe angle of the rear wheels in conjunction with the car's electronic steering and stability control programs.

View the gallery
On the inside, the RLX comes with two big digital screens: an eight-inch display and a seven-inch touch screen. The driver gets all the standard safety collision warning lane departure programs and Facebook/Twitter connections as as every other luxury car, as well.

When this RLX concept becomes a real production car in 2014, we'll finally see if this thing is a return to interesting, spritely, durable old Acuras of the past, what with its high-output V6 and assorted technological gimmickry, or if it's just another fat, beige sedan that no one will notice, care about, or buy.

Is The Acura RLX Concept Taking Us Back To The 90s? (http://jalopnik.com/5899403/is-the-acura-rlx-concept-taking-us-back-to-the-90s)

What do you guys think? I miss the long wheelbased acura's of the 90's...current-gen RL is a decent car but lacks power....and its sales are terrible and i'm surprised they haven't canned it yet. Can a new Acura Vigor/Legend/1st gen RL survive in the future market and compete with infiniti/lexus/audi/bmw/benz? I'm not sure how well it'll fare in the 300hp range v6...but its tech is interesting

If you change the beak grille and the wheels I think this car would look superb...esp slammed

[smoothie.]

Im a big fan of the legend coupes and the 05/06 RL's.

but the msrp's of them... no way.

[RRxtar]

Man Acura seems lost.

Best selling car is the TSX which is actually a really nice car, that could probably benefit from a sporty version but instead they are canning because its taking away from TL sales instead of trying to improve TL sales by making it more interesting to consumers in the market.

Acura "our boring cars aren't selling well. lets try making them more boring"

[donjalapeno]

bring back the DC

[Teh Doucher]

Long body acura's ftw. Miss my old 03 a-spec tl.

[rsx]

Love the RL, this one looks like a camry!

[Sky_High]

I dont know about this new RLX concept....but the 2013 Toyota Avalon does look quite nice

http://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/avalon/img/hero/hero-3.jpg
http://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/avalon/img/photogallery/photo2.jpg

I wonder how much of its body parts + hardware is shared with the new GS 350?

[TypeRNammer]

Acura RLX Concept revealed - YouTube

Check out the RLX Concept in motion!

[godwin]

Not that much on drivetrain hardware as Avalon is a stretched Camry.. so it shares more parts with Camry and the ES not the GS.

I dont know about this new RLX concept....but the 2013 Toyota Avalon does look quite nice

I wonder how much of its body parts + hardware is shared with the new GS 350?

[rJZx]

Acura RLX Concept revealed - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ZzfaJ04qI)

Check out the RLX Concept in motion!

more impressed by that video than the car

[Energy]

I like the technology (SH-AWD, 4 wheel steering, etc) but it looks so boring.

[Over9K]

Ugly head lamps.

Belt line is WAYYY to high.

Still has that stupid grille.

Exhaust tips are pretty fucking gay.

Guy on the right needs to go on the Subway diet.

Acura just stole HICAS.

High Output V6 in a FWD, still not a luxury car.

Wtf is wrong with the hood?

So baked.

[keifun]

bring back the DC

I agree. They need something to compete with the 86/FRS/BRZ

[dogeatcookie]

I dont know about this new RLX concept....but the 2013 Toyota Avalon does look quite nice

http://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/avalon/img/hero/hero-3.jpg
http://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/avalon/img/photogallery/photo2.jpg

I wonder how much of its body parts + hardware is shared with the new GS 350?

Probably not much, since the GS is on a RWD platform and the Avalon shares its powertrain with the Camry.

[CP.AR]

I think it looks rather nice... but again compared to their current lineup anything looks nice.

[StylinRed]

those headlights for some reason reminded me of the helicopter in independence day
that tried to communicate with the aliens

http://www.rotaryaction.com/images/inday1.jpg



car reminds me of the Camry for some reason

[rJZx]

Ugly head lamps.

Belt line is WAYYY to high.

Still has that stupid grille.

Exhaust tips are pretty fucking gay.

Guy on the right needs to go on the Subway diet.

Acura just stole HICAS.

High Output V6 in a FWD, still not a luxury car.

Wtf is wrong with the hood?

So baked.


http://dash.ponychan.net/chan/files/src/133251842183.png

[46_valentinor]

i think its a pretty nice car! the front is pretty bossy, aggressive, muscular while the back is simple like the 7 series.
i don't think acura is trying to follow their competitors by doing the huge hp, rwd thing, instead they are trying a new approach and going with new ideas and technologies that beats their competitors. i mean, if they follow their competitors then everyone will just go with european brands right?
like with all new cars, its just going to take some time to get used to it.

[TypeRNammer]

More importantly it will do 30mpg in the city!

[tonyvu]

wish they would get rid of that grill

[shenmecar]

I like the looks of it. Just ditch the vents in the rear bumper and those ugly wheels.

[Culture_Vulture]

Personally I love it, I don't know if it was the intent to make it resemble a LS430/460, but it's looking pretty damn good.

Come to think of it, Acura could really use a model in the same class as the LS series :D

[MindBomber]

Ugly head lamps.

Belt line is WAYYY to high.

Still has that stupid grille.

Exhaust tips are pretty fucking gay.

Guy on the right needs to go on the Subway diet.

Acura just stole HICAS.

High Output V6 in a FWD, still not a luxury car.

Wtf is wrong with the hood?

So baked.

Honda released the the 4ws Prelude in 1987, based on a 1978 patent, which took years to transcribe into a functional design for a passenger vehicle. Proof the R&D for 4ws began long before Nissan released Hicas in 1985 is all on paper.

If you want to get really technical though, Daimler-Benz was the first company to released a four-wheel steering vehicle. Not Nissan, not Honda.

[godwin]

You guys don't have a clue how patent works do you? Patents don't cover ideas. 4 wheel steering is just a result of mechanisms. There are many ways the mechanisms are built / work to achieve the 4 wheel steering result. eg just simply switch from clutch packs to torque convertors can work around a patent.

Not to mention Japanese companies participate in patent pools, Honda / Nissan included.

Competition between brands make good business especially since it riles up rabid yet clueless fanbois.

Honda released the the 4ws Prelude in 1987, based on a 1978 patent, which took years to transcribe into a functional design for a passenger vehicle. Proof the R&D for 4ws began long before Nissan released Hicas in 1985 is all on paper.

If you want to get really technical though, Daimler-Benz was the first company to released a four-wheel steering vehicle. Not Nissan, not Honda.

[Cillu]

I'm loving the rear. Change the rims and headlamps and we're good to go!

[MindBomber]

You guys don't have a clue how patent works do you? Patents don't cover ideas. 4 wheel steering is just a result of mechanisms. There are many ways the mechanisms are built / work to achieve the 4 wheel steering result. eg just simply switch from clutch packs to torque convertors can work around a patent.

Not to mention Japanese companies participate in patent pools, Honda / Nissan included.

Competition between brands make good business especially since it riles up rabid yet clueless fanbois.

I'm not all that familiar with the patent process, I'm not an engineer, I'm also not implying that it covers ideas though.

I'm just saying, Honda didn't steal Hicas. Other companies had developed and released it prior to Honda or Nissan, and Honda was working on it before Nissan released it.

[Jackygor]

This looks great. It is definitely a step towards the right direction.

[Anjew]

why is honda always trying to hide the exhausts??

[twitchyzero]

Personally I love it, I don't know if it was the intent to make it resemble a LS430/460, but it's looking pretty damn good.

Come to think of it, Acura could really use a model in the same class as the LS series :D

http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2007/03/29/lexus-ls600h_48.jpg
http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ASs8TlZccXhvrF4lTD2p1w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD00MjA7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2012-04-04T200135Z_1782187544_GM1E8450BEO01_RTRMADP_3_USA. JPG
I'm loving the rear. Change the rims and headlamps and we're good to go!
i kind of like the headlights

why is honda always trying to hide the exhausts??
perhaps trying to give that eco-friendly image? It's a hybrid after all and doesn't sport v8 like its competitors.

[buddy]

not feeling the head lights at all ...

[Over9K]

Honda released the the 4ws Prelude in 1987, based on a 1978 patent, which took years to transcribe into a functional design for a passenger vehicle. Proof the R&D for 4ws began long before Nissan released Hicas in 1985 is all on paper.

If you want to get really technical though, Daimler-Benz was the first company to released a four-wheel steering vehicle. Not Nissan, not Honda.

Honda's was all mechanical.

Nissan uses hydraulic/electronics.

[Bahhbeehhaaaa]

FUKINN JIZZED !~

RLX or LS460? :hotbaby:

[mmmk]

I'm loving the rear. Change the rims and headlamps and we're good to go!

All Acuras are going to eventually have those headlights.
I think the first will be the MDX in 2014 after the RLX.

[Shorn]

Both engine configurations are interesting: the 370-horsepower hybrid comes with SH-AWD, which puts the engine's power to the front wheels, and only drives the rears with the electric motor. It's like the new NSX, but in reverse.

i'd only be interested in the 370hp hybrid.. but i have no idea why they decided to put the 310hp on the front wheels and the 60hp from the electric motor to the rear wheels. makes no sense. why not reverse it?

it looks quite nice though.

[supafamous]

I was hoping that they might got the route of the CLS/A7 instead - it's a more niche-y market but it would have given them a halo sedan and it's not like they are going to sell many of these anyways.

That said, this is an interesting approach to a full size luxury sedan which is attractive enough. (the colour is terrible though).

[Domani]

why is honda always trying to hide the exhausts??

Highend non-sporty imaged cars tends to hide their exhausts.

[twitchyzero]

i'd only be interested in the 370hp hybrid.. but i have no idea why they decided to put the 310hp on the front wheels and the 60hp from the electric motor to the rear wheels. makes no sense. why not reverse it?


so they can keep it exclusively for the NSX and charge a higher premium for that? Like how current gen only the BMW M3's got LSD compared to the other 3 series trims..bad comparison but yeah.

[Shorn]

so they can keep it exclusively for the NSX and charge a higher premium for that? Like how current gen only the BMW M3's got LSD compared to the other 3 series trims..bad comparison but yeah.

well i would have thought that the customer base they are targetting for the NSX is probably radically different from the customers they are targetting for the RLX.. but i'm not a businessman so what do i know.

[Over9K]

http://i.imgur.com/dCHw7.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FoXyvaPSnVk/S7ERzhtjeMI/AAAAAAACsEc/z5_w5ABWbTo/s1600/2011-Chevy-Cruze-RS-13.jpg

[twitchyzero]

Acura RLX: This Thing Has Sixteen Freaking Headlights (http://jalopnik.com/5964060/acuras-new-rlx-flagship-has-sixteen-freaking-headlights?post=54687175)
:pokerface:

[bensta]

reminds me of new escalade platinum front ends

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/10q1/335966/2010-cadillac-escalade-esv-platinum-awd-led-headlight-photo-336017-s-1280x782.jpg

[ilovebacon]

http://dash.ponychan.net/chan/files/src/133251842183.png

more like, what the hell wrong with those rims..

[shenmecar]

One weird thing about the interior I can't really explain is this funny little trapdoor to view the frame number. It's even labeled "FRAME NUMBER." Is easy frame number access a big selling point in this segment? It looks pretty handy to stash just a little bit of drugs or a couple vials of illegal tiger urine as well.

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/186qe4pabg4nvjpg/xlarge.jpg

HEY GAIZ, WANT TO CHECK OUT MY FRAME NUMBER??? I bet you don't know your FRAME NUMBER in your merc, bmw, lexus...........

[AW607]

HEY GAIZ, WANT TO CHECK OUT MY FRAME NUMBER??? I bet you don't know your FRAME NUMBER in your merc, bmw, lexus...........

I've actually seen some other vehicles that have a Frame Number cover on the floor/carpet of the car.. some Hyundai vehicles, namely. Probably a common thing, except some manufacturers don't make it as obvious? :pokerface:

[one2one]

The back looks they copied it from the BMW

[tamazoid]

Here's a rendering of the new jewel eye led headlights

Jewel Eye

[Synarchist]

finally a better rl, the last one was such a fail design

[Acura604]

not bad.. although i'm thinking the highest end 2013 accord trim would be a better , cheaper alternative.