Acura has presented a sport-minded concept car that revives the Type S name after a decade away and, the company hopes, will also help revive its performance cred with enthusiasts.
Ahead of the official in-the-flesh debut set happening this week during Monterey Car Week, here are details such as we have them and a host of photos.
In essence the Type S concept is a preview of what we can expect from the Type S variant of the upcoming second-generation TLX car, expected to debut next year as a 2021 model. The striking look is led by the brand’s signature diamond pentagon front grill, and a new variation of Acura’s usual jewel-eye headlights. Also hard to miss are the oversized air intakes, and the sloping roofline certainly gives the silhouette a gorgeous symmetry.
At the back end, sharp-looking slanted LED taillights grab immediate attention, and they surround an outsized Acura logo on the centre of the trunk lid. There are quad exhaust tips to make the car’s performance ambitions crystal clear, and the Double Apex Blue Pearl paint finish is another attention-grabber.
The return of Type S variants is a step forward from the existing A-Spec packages found on most Acura models, and the new performance variants are clearly designed to bring substance to the style of those A-Specs.
No word as yet regarding what lies under the hood of the Type S concept, if anything, but we’ll likely know more when the prototype debuts at Monterey this week. Meantime, we note that Acura has been developing a new twin-turbo V6 engine.
The Type S designation was first applied to performance variants of Acura’s TL, CL and RSX models in the 2000s.
“The return of Type S is instrumental in our mission to return Acura to its performance roots. We are revitalizing Acura on the foundation of our original and authentic brand values, piece by piece.”
- Jon Ikeda, Vice-President and Acura Brand Officer
