Acura Type S Concept Teased, Signals Return Of Sporty Sub-Brand

The concept will debut during Monterey Car Week.

Acura is reviving its sporty Type S sub-brand with the arrival of the Type S Concept. Set to debut on August 15, during Monterey Car Week, the Type S Concept takes the form of a slinky four-door sedan. Or at least that’s what we think, given the Japanese luxury brand is merely teasing the model with a lone still photo and a nine-second long video.

Still, there’s enough here to give us a clue of what to expect from this concept, as the video shows off a shapely sedan-like silhouette, cab-rearward styling, and relatively short front and rear overhangs. If we were the gambling types we’d wager the Type S Concept previews the next-generation TLX, as the side profile, taillights, and front fascia in the teaser video and accompanying image appear to match those of the early TLX designs an AcuraZine user found embedded within the software suite of the current RDX crossover. 

The fact the Type S Concept likely previews the new TLX isn’t particularly surprising, given Acura’s parent company, Honda, filed for the trademark to TLX Type S all the way back in October 2016. And if the Type S models of yore are anything to go by, then expect the forthcoming TLX Type S to feature a more powerful engine, stiffer suspension tuning, and improved braking capabilities relative to the run-of-the-mill model. 

Despite the rear-drive looking proportions of the Type S Concept, the production model is expected to maintain front-drive underpinnings. Still, it’s likely the Type S will include Acura’s torque-vectoring Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system. Whether the car sends its power rearward by way of a prop shaft or if it instead uses a separate rear-mounted electric motor remains a mystery. 

Regardless, we’re excited to see the return of the Type S sub-brand to the Acura model line, and we can’t wait to get a look at the Type S Concept in the metal during Monterey Car Week.

Source: Read Full Article