Designed to achieve a high level of energy efficiency, the studio also is expected to be certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). A number of measures were adopted in the design and construction of the studio, with the goal of achieving LEED gold certification.
“This Acura Design Studio will help conceive and design the future of Acura,” said Toshihiko Nonaka, president of Honda R&D Americas (HRA). “Our goal here is to create emotional designs that create a strong and distinct image for Acura products.”

A number of Acura models, including the Acura MDX luxury sport utility vehicle and Acura TL luxury performance sedan, have been designed, developed and engineered by HRA. Moving Acura design activities into a state-of-the-art independent studio provides a more clear focus to advance the unique character of the Acura brand.

“The effort to distinguish Acura in the marketplace begins with design,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and the Acura Division. “The Acura Design Studio will be critical in our efforts to deliver products at the right times and ahead of the competition.”

Key technologies in the Acura Design Studio include a computer-generated virtual simulator that enables design stylists to display virtual vehicles in a one-to-one ratio. Other features in the facility design include the parallel arrangement of the interior and exterior design areas on the styling floor to better enable collaboration of designers involved in a new vehicle.

As the latest expansion of HRA product design and development capabilities in North America, the Acura Design Studio joins the Honda Design Studio in Torrance, Calif. and the Advanced Design Studio in Pasadena, Calif. to further HRA’s existing Los Angeles Center for research and design.

A celebratory groundbreaking for the Acura Design Studio was conducted March 27, 2006, marking the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Acura brand. Acura was the world’s first Japanese luxury nameplate and the first Japanese luxury automaker to design, develop and manufacturer its vehicles in North America. Today, nearly two-thirds of all Acura vehicles sold in America are researched, designed, developed and assembled exclusively in North America.

In the effort to achieve a Gold rating by the USGBC, the Acura Design Studio includes many energy-saving attributes such as an Energy Star reflective roof to reduce heat gain and lower air conditioning requirements; reclaimed water used for landscaping; and an intelligent lighting system that makes greater use of natural light. Honda has other LEED gold certified facilities in Gresham, Oregon and Raymond, Ohio.

HRA began its operations in California in 1976 with local market research activities and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 30 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development.

With the addition of the Acura Design Studio, the company operates 13 major R&D facilities in North America with more than 1,200 designers, engineers and support personnel engaged in the development of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment products for North America and global markets. HRA’s major centers include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, CA) responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, OH) responsible for complete product development, testing and support of North American supplier development; and two dynamic test facilities in California and Ohio; and the North Carolina Center (Swepsonville, NC) responsible for power equipment R&D.

    Acura is the technology advanced performance division of Honda Canada
Inc. Six vehicles (CSX, TSX, RDX, TL, RL and MDX) are marketed under the Acura
brand. Both the Acura CSX luxury compact sedan and the MDX luxury sport
utility vehicle are produced at the Honda of Canada Mfg. facility in Alliston,
Ontario.

Vehicles earning this designation afford “superior overall crash protection” among the vehicles in their class, according to IIHS. To qualify for Top Safety Pick, vehicles must earn the highest rating of good in all three Institute tests — front, side, and rear. They also have to be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC), which is a standard feature on the MDX and optional on the Taurus and Sable beginning with 2008 models.

“Criteria to win the Top Safety Pick award are tough because they’re intended to drive continued safety improvements such as high crash test ratings and rapid addition of ESC,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “Recognizing vehicles at the head of their class for safety helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple results.”

Initially only 13 cars, minivans, and SUVs qualified for the 2007 awards. As automakers introduce new models or make safety changes to existing ones, the Institute adds winners throughout the year. With the addition of the MDX, Taurus, and Sable, consumers now may choose among 18 cars, SUVs, and minivans that offer top-rated crash protection and ESC.

IIHS says automakers make changes to earn the Top Safety Pick award: The Taurus replaces the Five Hundred, which was introduced in the 2005 model year and earned Top Safety Pick in 2006 but lost the designation for 2007 when the Institute, based on new research, tightened award criteria to include the availability of ESC. The Five Hundred didn’t offer ESC, which is optional on the 2008 Taurus and Sable. These cars also include side airbags with head protection as standard equipment.

“We’re pleased that manufacturers are making rapid vehicle changes to reflect the latest safety research,” Lund says. “It’s only relatively recently that research has shown the dramatic benefits of ESC in preventing crashes. In a competitive marketplace, automakers are moving quickly to make ESC at least available and increasingly standard on most new cars and SUVs.”

Rear crash protection is another area of improvement. When the 2007 MDX was introduced, its seat/head restraints were rated marginal overall, the second lowest rating. The head restraints are attached to a lever arm that moves the restraint up and forward as an occupant’s back pushes into the seatback during a rear-end crash. Honda engineers changed the design of the lever mechanism so the head restraint moves toward the head earlier in a crash. The Institute tested a seat/head restraint with the new design, and it improved to an overall rating of good. The Top Safety Pick award applies to MDXs with the new seat design built after May 2007.

Source: IIHS
www.iihs.org

It’s been awhile since we heard anything about the 2009 Acura NSX. It was over a year ago when Honda officials confirmed a V10 engine for the next-generation NSX, but since then all we’ve heard or seen out of Japan was the Sports Car Concept shown in Detroit. These latest spy photos taken just outside the Nurburgring suggest work is still very much in progress. This chopped up S2000 features four tailpipes in back and a heavy-duty double wishbone suspension. There’s also a makeshift hardtop and some big time wheels and tires. Stay tuned for more shots when this prototype hits the ‘Ring.

Acura NSX is likely to touch the roads by 2009. The 2009 Acura NSX is most likely to target Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo. According to rumors Honda is already testing prototypes for the car in Japan. Front-engine layout, and mid-engine like one in the earlier model is worked on. The car is also likely to have V10 engine with 500 horsepower.

Super Handing All-Wheel Drive is most likely to be used in 2009 Acura NSX is is right now in Acura RL. It will send power to front wheels whenever required. Otherwise front engine layout would run most of the power to the rear wheels.

2007 Acura MDX

The 2007 Acura MDX concept was unveiled at the 2006 New York International Auto Show. This is a four-door sport utility vehicle and features a wider body and longer wheelbase. The new MDX has been equipped with an all-new and the most powerful engine among the Acura members. The 3.7L V6 engine is capable of throwing an awesome 300HP and 275lb-ft of torque. Added to this powerful feature is the all-wheel-drive system and the brilliant suspension tuned at the Germany’s Nurburgring racetrack.

The noticeable feature of MDX is its ability to resist rear collision. MDX is capable of withstanding the rear collision up to 50 miles an hour, an achievement over its competitors, such as the Cadillac SRX, Lexus RX400h, and the like.

This 2nd generation MDX from Acura, along with the Acura RDX, will be the first Acura vehicles that pass the Acura Quality Line, a quality control and verification process adopted by Acura alone.

The new Acura MDX beat the Acura TL as the top selling Acura vehicle in the United States.

2007 Acura RDX

Though Acura named this small SUV as ‘RDX’, it is antonymous with danger. The NHTSA crash test awarded the RDX a ‘5 Star rating’ for driver and passenger frontal crash and front/rear side impact tests and a ‘4 Star’ for its rollover.

The Acura RDX claims the title ‘Acura’s first compact luxury crossover SUV’. This entry-level is creating tough competition to its competitors such as the BMW X3, Lincoln MKX, and the Land Rover LR2. The compact body looks like the Honda CR-V, but it has been modified with a lot of modern features.

The RDX owns the credit for using Acura’s first turbocharged engine. Other advanced features include the i-VTEC, all-wheel-drive system and the dual balance shafts. The engine is capable of delivering a 240bhp @600rpm and a torque of 260ft lb @4500.

The all-aluminum body features the Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) that is capable of protecting the vehicle from collision. There are six airbags provided in the RDX of which the front bags are equipped with dual-threshold, dual-stage technology that is capable of adjusting the deployment speed and time depending on the degree of the collision. More safety is ensured by providing the head restraints and the seat belts that are equipped with pre-tensioners and force-limiters.

The interior of the RDX is worthy of appreciation. The standard leather seating, automatic climate control, and the moon roof adds comfort while driving. There is a lot of entertainment offered by the seven-speaker audio system that is featured by a six-CD/DVD changer. If that is not sufficient, you can enjoy the benefit of the free XM Satellite Radio service for three months!

2007 Acura TL

The 2007 Aura TL is a modern near-luxury executive sedan from Acura marque. The front-wheel-drive TL owns a powerful V6 engine capable of delivering superior horsepower output. This mid-sized four-door sedan possesses an impressive look with a powerful chassis. These features make this model more popular in the league of performance-focused cars. Added to these power-yielding features is the entertaining experience that is made possible with the help of the latest electronic additions in it.

Acura TL possesses the label of the ‘second top selling luxury sedan in the USA’. The TL comes in two variations- the standard TL and the performance-oriented TL Type. The standard TL is equipped with a 3.2L engine capable of a 258hp output whereas the TL Type-S has got a 3.5 L engine that is capable of a 286hp output. There are major modifications done in the engines of the standard TL 2007 model. The engine is re-tuned to give a more balanced driving environment than its earlier versions. The engine possesses a five-speed automatic transmission, manual shifting and a console-mounted lever. The TL Type-S is more aggressive in terms of its look and performance and can be called a hard-edged sports sedan. This engine is featured by the five-speed automatic transmission with shift pads on the steering wheel. Another modified version of the Type-S, the S-type R, comes with a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential to offer more traction.

The interior of the TL features the leather-covered seats that include an eight-way power-adjustable seat for the driver and a four-way power-adjustable seat for the front-seat passenger. Added to these are the well-advanced dual-zone air conditioning, power door locks, and an efficient music system with six-disc CD, DVD-Audo and XM satellite-ready AM/FM radio. WMA-and MP3 compatible playback, Dolby Pro Logic II, speed-sensitive volume control, and lastly a wireless cellular telephone system equipped with Bluetooth technology- these are the attractions that call for the attention of a luxurious traveler.

2007 Acura RL

The new Acura RL is a four-door top-of-the-line luxury sedan that was rated as the No.1of the ‘Top 10 Safest Vehicles’ by the ForbesAutos.com in July 2006. The rating was based on the comparison of 230 different popular passenger vehicles of the world.

The new Acura was modified to a lower level model considering the popular demand for a cheaper simple version of the model. Thus, the new Acura differs from its previous model in its optional navigation feature and also the absence of real-wood dashboard and the active headlights.

The most important feature of this model is its engine efficiency. Powered by the 3.5L V6 VTEC engine, it is capable of throwing a 290hp. Another special feature of this model is the Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system that offers better dry weather handling and stability in wet weather conditions. With this facility, the AL is capable of giving 100% rear-wheel torque and thus offers the best traction. No doubt, this is the perfect vehicle to go for a drive in the curved roads without any worry of its performance.

To add to the wheel control and the handling is the RL chassis that is featured with the front double wishbone and rear multi-link suspensions. The speed-sensing power rack, the pinion steering and the appropriate body structure add to ensure more suspension. The braking system is powered by the advanced technological features such as the high-friction brake pads and the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)..

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