Acura fans, we have good news: the automaker is bringing not one, not two, but three all-new vehicles to the 2012 Detroit Auto Show in January. Two of those rides will be concepts, and the third appears to be a working prototype of a 2013 model.
The prototype is of the 2013 RDX, Acura’s five-passenger SUV. This marks the second generation of the RDX, which is expected to roll into showrooms in late 2012. We don’t know much about this re-design, but rumor has it that the 2013 RDX will arrive with a V6 engine and a few new styling details, courtesy of its big brother, the Acura MDX (pictured above and below).
Of the two other vehicles, pay particular attention to the ILX concept. Acura describes it as a “styling study of an all-new luxury compact sedan”, which is expected to launch in spring of 2012. If you keep up with our sister site, Motor Authority, you know that the ILX will be an entry-level luxury vehicle and that it’s meant to replace the Acura TSX. The ILX will be based on the Civic platform, and the final version is expected to ring in under $30,000. We’re not sure how closely the ILX concept appearing in Detroit will mirror the final product, but we know that Acura is betting big on the new model: it’s hoping to sell 33% more of them than the outgoing TSX.
The ILX should arrive with three powertrain options: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder automatic, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder manual, and a 1.5-liter hybrid. All of those will be manufactured here in the U.S., marking the first time that Honda will build a hybrid at an American facility.
Last but not least, there’s the concept version of the Acura NSX supercar, which is slated for rebirth in the near future. It’s likely to arrive with Honda’s new hybrid-based SH-AWD (short for super-handling all-wheel drive), which recently debuted at the 2011 Toyota Motor Show.
We’ll cover all three of those models as they roll out on January 9. Stay tuned to The Car Connection for those and other stories coming from the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.