Just as everybody else seems to be doing this week, Acura is gearing up to focus on the China, now the largest car market in the world. To that end, they've decided to debut a concept outside of North America for the first time, by revealing its Acura Concept SUV-X at the Shanghai Auto Show.
It's even got a dash of the NSX design language that we like so much.
As you can see in the very intense reveal video above, the "Concept" SUV-X isn't so much a concept as it is a pre-production model for a small soft-roader.
Acura says that it expects to begin local Chinese-market production for a model based on the vehicle here within three years. It also doesn't seem to be a great leap forward, as it closely resembles the Acura RDX that's been on sale here for the past couple of years, though without a lot of the "box" past the A-pillar. (It does keep that goofy shield-thing on the front that Acura's been pushing for the last couple of years, now in disposable razor form.)
But it's not nearly as boring as the Acura MDX (they really aren't creative with these names, are they?), especially with its fluid lines, upswept taillights, and that golden copper hue. It looks like the Acura NSX's cousin that has four kids, with a tan like it just came back from a beautiful Chinese beach.
Then again, it does seem to have a bunch of cuts and slashes, especially on the front quarter panel, like it's just gotten into a knife fight down a Beijing alleyway. At least it's not bleeding, I suppose.
All that said, if they can keep the nice tone of the paint, the angular lights, the chiseled folds and creases, and the ready-to-pounce rear haunches that look like they've been taken off the Jaaaag of an alternate future, Acura may have a hit on their hands.
They made an SUV look like a supercar. I could get down with that.