As Acura most successful and most selling product, the new 2009 TSX has a lot of ground to cover. Acura didn’t mess with success and designs the new TSX with similar cues as the out going generation. To satisfy the demands of its customers, Acura made the new TSX bigger and with a revised engine, producing slightly lower horsepower but more improved torque. More pictures and witty comments after the click. Continue reading
Finally, Acura of America officially released some words about the launching date of its successful TSX model. The 2nd generation TSX will be launched in New York International Auto Show on mid March. Pending further photos, here is one official one from Acura.
Above is the picture of 2009 Acura TSX to be launched sometimes middle of this year or earlier. Honda/Acura of America uses advance year model to describe brand new model year. You know, like those fashion magazine, February edition is launched in January and so on… This is actually quite a novel marketing concept, I’ll discuss about it later on.’
The model pictured above doesn’t have front parking sensor like the Accord Euro Wagon teaser picture.
Oh, Acura TSX is also Honda Accord Euro sedan with different bumper/grill combo, as like the picture from the teaser ad for it.
Wow… I’m actually speechless, the car looks sweet indeed. It is not so much different than current generation Accord Euro Tourer, but somehow it’s sharper and leaner from this angle. For those in the not know, Accord Tourer is essentially a wagon version of Honda Accord Euro, or more famous in America as Acura TSX. The picture is taken somewhere north of the world’s hemisphere (from the license plate). The original poster on Temple Of VTEC forum didn’t state the origin.
Above are several photos regarding Honda Accord Euro in transit on a transport truck in Japan. I can now able take an assumption from all of those pictures regarding Honda plan for their products. As you can see from my previous post about refreshed Acura RL, this new Accord Euro/Acura TSX have similar backlights, it has that curved midpoints just like the RL albeit longer. The front end (estimation from the Accord Euro Wagon) also looks similar to the RL, from the hood line straight down to the front grill. Honda probably wanted to seamlessly update their product portfolio so we can see clear distinction between Honda and Acura. After all, Honda is planning to make Acura as a separate entity, this Accord Euro/Acura TSX might be the last “rebranded” product.
Well, it’s finally official, these are teaser pictures taken from a short promotional film of 2008 Accord Euro Wagon. This pictures also applied to the 2008/9 Acura TSX because basically the TSX is Accord Euro sedan in Japan and in America (under the guise of Acura). Like any Honda Accord Euro wagon before it, the sedan version front fascia is exactly the same with its wagon counterpart.
Higher resolution pictures and the original movie can be found by clicking here.
Now let’s talk about the engine this baby will come with. According to Temple Of VTEC forumers, it is confirmed that this car will come with Honda second generation diesel engine, the I-DTEC. The engine will be introduced along with the car unveiling in Europe, but the I-DTEC will come in 2009 for Acura TSX in America. Two things about the engine option that raises an eyebrow is that it is rumored that the car will come with a VTEC Turbo found in the RDX, and an option of small displacement V6. Well, a high output engine is surely needed if Acura wants to keep their promise of introducing SH-AWD, their patented unique all wheel drive system across their product portfolio. After all, all wheel drive system although the safest form of drivetrain configuration out there also burdens the engine because it has to drive all four wheels at any given moment.
But one thing that I do not know for sure… What it’s base engine option? Another K series? K20? Honda has A-VTEC for quite a long time now, but it seemingly for technical reasons they didn’t release the engine yet. I’ve talked about Honda newest VTEC mechanism here, so just click on it if you’re curious.
Anyway, I think I have to apologize to Honda after all… I’ve wrote on my previous entry that I would apologize publicly to Honda for ranting about how the Asian/US Accord looks if they come up with the modulo concept body kit. However, I realize that Honda is doing a market/product integration which is doing very well actually. The US market can make do without bling-bling, even though the Asian market prefers it that way. However, I’ve not even look at the real car and I made a harsh judgment from pictures that can be out of proportion or not true to scale, skewing my expectation and perception of the car. Surely, with Accord Euro looking very… Stylish so to say, Honda designers know what they are doing.
So there you go, my apology.
I am still willing to buy an SX4 though…