NYIAS: Acura To Debut Hand Built TLX PMC Edition - But WHY Would You Want One?

Reminds me of the Pontiac Grand Prix GPX. A FWD driver with performance aspirations. It failed.

SHAWD...stupid name...is garden variety AWD and nothing that others don't also have.

Yeah...uh no.

The TLX and GP GXP are fairly different beasts. FWD vs AWD w/torque vectoirng?

The GXP waas a front-heavy FWD V8 cruiser. I'm sure this new TLX has a better overall balance.

And SH-AWD is a rather fun take on an otherwise technical set of drivetrain components that works well.

I think Acura needs to keep attention to its lineup before things get too stale. We're still a few months away from the new flagship at Pebble Beach. The ILX just got a new nose so it's at least 2 years away until a new one. The TLX just got a new nose last year so we're probably 2 years away. So, this is bridging the gap in new products and also introducing the PMC line which may take a more prevalent role in future products, as Acura has promised to bring back excitement to its sedans.

Nope, not "last year".

Acura updated the TLX exactly 2 years ago. A new TLX is right around the corner and I've seen it uncovered, not to mention a few unreported MN spy shots, cloaked in vinyl disguise (taken by Tall Guy YouTuber).

A few Acura fanatics obtusely speculated it was a 2020 model, neglecting the reality of product planning and managing a business.

The fact the expensive front end redo for MY 2018 needs to be amortized fully. Two years is not enough, to both amortize the TLX facelift and develop its successor for MY 2021.

Honda management were choosing final designs for the 2021 TLX back in 2017, but I can't say when they finished. Likely a year ago, was design freeze, hence mules running around. That means 2020 release date. 2021 TLX Type S is earmarked for roughly 370 HP, launches in Q4 2020 (I've heard November 2020).

To elaborate, the 2021 TLX has been in planning since late 2015. Formal engineering began over a year ago, with general production specs locked in place.

It was updated for model year 2018. That, to me, is "last year".

Well, the 2020 TLX is already on sale, so it is not "last year" at this point. Just making that clear, as it's a 2 year run now and not 1 year like you insinuated.

If someone reads that, they'll assume it's not that old and in dire need of a full redo, if a facelift was just "last year".

3 yrs + 3 yrs (face-l) = redesign.

Sadly the NSX has flopped, why would a PMC edition of any car (lovely name BTW) find success? Trying to tie these new editions to the "home" of the NSX is not a winning strategy.

It's a swan song, yielding maybe $15k per unit. Jon Ikeda is trying to throw everything at Acura and see what sticks, against stubborn Honda superiors. His Acura "reinvention" will be early next decade.

One of the few American Honda execs, who truly has an "in" with Honda HQ, mostly by virtue of his Japanese ancestry and serving as a bridge between both cultures.

One question I do have is, why spy photographers haven't particularly seen the actual 2021 TLX prototypes and not just the same old slapped together mules.

When a casual YouTuber, who can't even figure out what he's seen and is able to report on "shots" of prototypes, you aren't doing your jobs very well or your photographers are damn lazy.

To date I've only seen reports on Type S mules in old bodies, yet there are winter and night testing units of the 2021 TLX and MDX, running around the US Midwest. Get on it.