Acura has confirmed the mid-size TLX sedan will bow as a close-to-production concept at next month’s Detroit Motor Show. The TLX will replace the current TL.
Compared to the TL, the TLX will shrink in size in order to clear room between it and Acura’s range-topping RLX sedan. As it stands, the flagship RLX is just 2.1 inches longer than the mid-level TL.
The TLX is expected to ride on a modified version of the Honda Accord’s platform. The car will be offered with a wide array of engines including two all-new direct-injected units and Aura’s latest 3.5-liter V6, which is good for 280 horsepower under the hood of the RLX. A gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain might join the TLX lineup later in the production run.
Honda will initially stick to its tried and true six-speed auto for the TLX, but we hear a seven-speed dual-clutch unit could eventually join the mix. Both two- and four-wheel drive models will be offered.
Stylistically, look for the TLX to shed the TL’s sharp edges in favor of the softer edges first seen on the RLX sedan. The TLX will sport the latest iteration of Acura’s shield grille, as well as the company’s new signature Jewel Eye LED headlights.
Following its debut in Detroit, the Acura TLX will morph into a production sedan and like greet the public for the first either at the New York Show next April. Look for the sedan to reach Acura showrooms as a 2015 model across the country next summer.
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