A twin-turbo V6, all-wheel drive, strong aesthetic value and a good mid-level luxury interior are the defining points of Acura’s new flagship sedan. A good 355 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque shove this four-door forward, and give it a comparable set of specs to Audi’s S4, BMW’s M340i, and Cadillac’s CT4-V. Given Acura’s history of sporty sedans, I have high hopes for this one, but maybe it’ll get lost in the mild sedan shuffle.
Acura says this will be the “quickest and best handling Type S in Acura history” which doesn’t really mean much, honestly. The company has only built three models with Type S badges, all of which were front-drive: the TL, CL, and RSX. None of those would be anywhere near as quick as this, and none have ever offered this much power. Even still, it looks like this will be the most capable performance Acura ever to not be called NSX. That’s something, maybe.
While we still don’t know the exact MSRP, the TLX Type S is supposed to start in the “low 50s,” and when you consider that includes this big-power engine, sport-tuned suspension, a full set of Brembo performance brakes, Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, Ultrasuede interior, premium ELS Studio premium audio and lots more, maybe that price isn’t so bad. Based on the specs and the price, this looks like a it’ll give the Germans a hard run.
Acura has invited me to Monterey to test the new TLX Type S on the street and track at Laguna Seca. I look forward to putting this car through its paces, and time will tell whether it stands up to the occasion, or falls flat on its face. So here’s your chance, what do you want to know about it?