Skip to main content

Acura’s TLX Prototype combines sensible Japanese luxury with a compactier sport sedan

Read our full 2015 Acura TLX V6 SH-AWD review.

The 2015 Acura TLX is here a bit early and – ooooh it’s shiny!

Technically the car just debuted at the Detroit Auto Show is a prototype, not the real production model, but it already looks better than most of what is on the road.

Acura says that the new TLX was inspired by the phrase “red carpet athlete”, which, translated from marketing speak to something an actual human being might say, means that this car is a hybrid between a luxury and sports sedan.

Acura has always done this particular combination well, and it looks like the new TLX will continue that tradition.

Slotted between the RLX and the ILX the new Acura will be almost be almost four inches shorter than the TL its replacing. That’s good news for when you want to get the power down in the corners, because the TLX maintains the same wheelbase. And that makes for nippier handling.

The car comes in either front or all-wheel drive configurations. Normally we don’t consider front-wheel drive very fun, but in this case you get Acura’s Precision-All Wheel Steer (P-AWS). That should help this car corner as precisely as a cat going after a mouse.

With front-wheel drive you can get either Acura’s 2.4-lite i-VTEC four cylinder, or the beefier 3.6-liter V6. But don’t worry; you can get plenty more acronyms with that. The 2.4-liter comes with Acura’s all new eight-speed dual clutch DCT transmission. Paired with the high-revving i-VTEC engine, this should deliver both solid economy and opportunities to pretend that you are a racing driver.

But if you are really focused on the athlete part of “red carpet athlete”, let’s take a look at the Super-Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) version. In this top-end TLX, not only do you get Acura’s all-wheel drive system of many letters, you get the 3.6 liter V6 as standard and a nine-speed transmission. NINE SPEEDS! That’s as many as my first three cars put together!

Acura hasn’t released power figures for the engines in this car, but expect a jump of 10-20 horsepower over the 305 hp you got from the TL.

In terms of looks, the TLX is definitely a step up from the TL. The silhouette seems to be cribbed from the Tesla Model S, and that is not a bad thing. There are also far more details in this design than we have grown accustomed to from Acura.

Even if you don’t love things like the compound curves over the rear wheels, and I do, you have to admit that they are at least interesting. My favorite details though are the wheels, the new rims not only look great but they really set off the proportions. Besides, they look like the rims on the Volvo S60, one of my favorite sedans … I know, I am a weirdo.

About the only bad thing I can say about the TLX’s looks is that I am still not a fan of the chrome beak. It’s not as pronounced as it used to be, but I still don’t especially want my car looking like a bling-y parrot.

We will report on details of the new TLX as they emerge, but it does look as though Acura has upped its game in the never ending luxury sedan arms race.

Peter Braun
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Peter is a freelance contributor to Digital Trends and almost a lawyer. He has loved thinking, writing and talking about cars…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more