I asked CR-V9 to translate the article and this is what he sent me:
This is the rough tlanslation of the article.
Did you notice something about ZDX which was introduced at the NY Autoshow ? Yes, it looks like the one we showed you as the next NSX in the last year's August issue. Indeed the new NSX's prototype was supposed to be showed at Detroit Autoshow but the project had been frozen as you know.
According to an anonymouse source, Acura's first car woud carry over the NSX's design queue. If that were so it would make sense ZDX looks like that. After ZDX, Accord(TSX) and Acura TL were about to be retouched accordingly. Since it would be rather difficult to change them from bottom up. There must be the one to follow ZDX in similar design style.
What we have found is a big fish. We had a tip that Acura/Honda's first 4 door sport coupe is rapidly developed. The outside dimensions are, length would be a little longer than current Accord/TSX, be positioned between TSX & TL. Since it would share the same platform from ZDX, wheelbase would be 2750mm, 45mm longer than Accord. And the width would be wider and height would be lower, 20mm lower than Accord/TSX.
In another words, it would look low and wide. It would not be an ordinarily sedan. It seems that it is a bit too big , it is not that big, still a mid-sized in the main market of the North America.
This car is all about it's design, low height and wide body, emphasized on style and sporty but still be elegant and luxurious.
We have no doubt that it will have 3.7l V6 to match it's elegant style and be combined with Acura's techno family jewels, the SH-AWD and the Motion adaptive EPS. It should achieve a high cornering speed. In another words, It would be a car with Acura's all techno gizmos because of the fact that the Legend with V8 on FR, SH-AWD had been frozen.
If that so, this could be placed in Legend's place. Though current TL is bigger, the luxurious sporty 4 door sedan would be more image appropriate. It is very probable that this could be the next Acura/honda's flagship because it is about time to change the Legend.
We think they would show it at Detroit Autoshow next year and in end of 2010 they would start to sell in the North America, in 2011 in Japan.
Engine choice sounds about right. Flagship is a little questionable, unless the term flagship doesn't mean price-only. If it's more like the ZDX, that is, built on its platform, then it seems it won't be so much a TL with 1.5 doors along the side, but rather an entirely new product (not a CL). Maybe this will be Acura's sports GT car.
This does sound pretty speculative still. I guess we'll have to wait for Detroit to see if this pans out. Not too far away, I guess.
Either the MDX platform part is in error, or the dimensions listed in the article are mistaken. I find it hard to believe they got the overall width down that low using the truck's running gear.
Varmint wrote: Either the MDX platform part is in error, or the dimensions listed in the article are mistaken. I find it hard to believe they got the overall width down that low using the truck's running gear.
I agree it doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense. There seems to be a lot of confusion between the various "sources".
The term 'platform' reminds people of the 'floorpan' which can be misleading.
The term 'architecture' is more widely-used in the industry; the electrical, etc, systems and some pressings may indeed be ZDX, but the metal bits could equally be borrowed from a TSX.
In many ways, look how the BMW X6, X5 and 5er saloon and 5er GT (pay particular attention to that!) are all very closely related. It seems Honda is doing exactly likewise, but on Accord/MDX architecture.
I was contacted by another one of our readers (sugaki) who has seen the article and he offered up the following summary:
Acura is working on its first 4-door sports coupe, geared toward the North American market. Body size will be a bit longer than Acura TSX, in between the TSX and TL. Compared to ZDX, it'll seem smaller and lower. Height will be 20mm lower, so wide and low. Headroom possibly lower than the current Accord (TSX). Base platform likely same as ZDX; 2750mm wheel base (45mm longer than TSX), slightly wider width.
Stylistically, combines sports, luxury elegance.
"Almost certain" to have a 3.7L V6, matched to SH-AWD and Motion-Adaptive EPS.
Rumor has it that a next-gen Legend with a V8, FR and SH-AWD was planned, but put on hold in addition to the NSX. Hence this practically may be the successor to the Legend.
According to the magazine's speculation, at the quickest it'll be unveiled at the Detroit auto show, and sold in North America first towards the end of 2010, then in Japan in 2011. Magazine wondering if it'll be the Accord or Legend in Japan.
Interestingly, the article says that the current TSX and TL design will be reworked in addition to the ZDX.
Jeff wrote: I asked CR-V9 to translate the article and this is what he sent me:
This is the rough translation of the article.
Did you notice something about ZDX which was introduced at the NY Autoshow ? Yes, it looks like the one we showed you as the next NSX in the last year's August issue. Indeed the new NSX's prototype was supposed to be showed at Detroit Autoshow but the project had been frozen as you know.
According to an anonymous source, Acura's first car would carry over the NSX's design queue. If that were so it would make sense ZDX looks like that. After ZDX, Accord(TSX) and Acura TL were about to be retouched accordingly. Since it would be rather difficult to change them from bottom up. There must be the one to follow ZDX in similar design style.
What we have found is a big fish. We had a tip that Acura/Honda's first 4 door sport coupe is rapidly developed. The outside dimensions are, length would be a little longer than current Accord/TSX, be positioned between TSX & TL. Since it would share the same platform from ZDX, wheelbase would be 2750mm, 45mm longer than Accord. And the width would be wider and height would be lower, 20mm lower than Accord/TSX.
In another words, it would look low and wide. It would not be an ordinarily sedan. It seems that it is a bit too big , it is not that big, still a mid-sized in the main market of the North America.
This car is all about it's design, low height and wide body, emphasized on style and sporty but still be elegant and luxurious.
We have no doubt that it will have 3.7l V6 to match it's elegant style and be combined with Acura's techno family jewels, the SH-AWD and the Motion adaptive EPS. It should achieve a high cornering speed. In another words, It would be a car with Acura's all techno gizmos because of the fact that the Legend with V8 on FR, SH-AWD had been frozen.
If that so, this could be placed in Legend's place. Though current TL is bigger, the luxurious sporty 4 door sedan would be more image appropriate. It is very probable that this could be the next Acura/honda's flagship because it is about time to change the Legend.
We think they would show it at Detroit Autoshow next year and in end of 2010 they would start to sell in the North America, in 2011 in Japan.
Wow, this is getting interesting. I hope this car replaces the RL, call it ?SX. Then, bring the CSX to the US at its FMC (2011?) and make it a 1series/A3 competitor.
The reason why I like LSX is because it sounds like the Lexus LS, which is a good thing as that car is the flagship (for a while longer). GSX sounds like the Lexus GS, only sporty. Acura is running out of letters....
St3ve wrote: Wow, this is getting interesting. I hope this car replaces the RL, call it ?SX. Then, bring the CSX to the US at its FMC (2011?) and make it a 1series/A3 competitor.
They wont call it CSX. A railroad has that name.
I'm wondering whether there is a connection between this vehicle (badged as an Acura in North America) and the Crosstour.
klae17 wrote: The reason why I like LSX is because it sounds like the Lexus LS, which is a good thing as that car is the flagship (for a while longer). GSX sounds like the Lexus GS, only sporty. Acura is running out of letters....
That seems unlikely to me.
Back in the 90's when Lincoln (no compairsons, don't worry!) introduced the LS, they had orignially planned to call it LS6 and LS8 for V6 and V8 versions respectively. Lexus took them to court and argued that it sounded too close to LS430 (at the time), and Lexus won.
NickDC5 wrote: I'd imagine it'd either be called a CL or a GSX.
I think GSX would be a good name for this car.
Not too sure about that.... I keep thinking if they use GSX or LSX (as suggested in other threads) it'd seem that now Acura is "officially" looking up to Lexus; which I don't want. However aspired they might be by the Lexus success. Acura should stay the course and find its own path of success.
On a separate note, I hope they revive the NSX & the mid-level coupe program (XDS??) soon... It's getting dull looking at the Acura line-up.