2021 Acura TLX Reveal Set: New TLX Type S With Turbo V6 Confirmed
Acura is set to reboot the TLX, with the completely new second-generation sports sedan getting its big reveal later this month. Both the regular 2021 TLX – and the Acura TLX Type S the automaker today confirmed is in the pipeline – will combine performance with striking style, it's promised, borrowing heavily from some well-received Acura concept cars from recent years.
That includes the Acura Precision Concept, back in 2016, and the Acura Type S Concept, from 2019. We've seen hints of those cars arrive in new Acura models since then, but the new TLX is set to be the closest in aesthetic so far.
Right now, all we have is the teaser image that Acura has shared ahead of the 2021 TLX's public debut. That'll take place on May 28, at 10am PDT. Already, though, the wide rear, shapely curves, and bold diffuser with quad tailpipes indicate the TLX Type S will have some serious road presence.
It shouldn't be slow, either. The Type S will be the first to get Acura's new 3.0-liter V6 Turbo engine, the automaker says. Power output for that hasn't been shared yet, but the company promises it'll make the new TLX "the quickest, best-handling and most well-appointed sport sedan in Acura history."
The TLX occupies an important place in Acura's range, as its entry-level luxury sedan. The first generation car launched in 2014 for the 2015 model year, with a choice of 2.4-liter inline-4 and 3.5-liter V6 gas engines. There's also an all-wheel drive option, using Acura's SH-AWD system to push torque between the rear wheels depending on traction requirements.
A facelifted TLX appeared in 2017 for the 2018 model year, tightening up the styling and adding a grille inspired by the Acura Precision Concept. It also debuted the A Spec performance trim, a more striking version with new body styling elements, though no change in performance. Inside, the technology got an upgrade too, with features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and an optional bird's eye view camera.
Now, though, the second-generation TLX needs to bring Acura up to speed. It'll face off against recent cars like the Genesis G70, which wowed reviewers with its combination of performance, styling, and enthusiast-focused features such as a manual transmission option. Acura will also have the opportunity to introduce its latest infotainment system, presumably complete with the True Touchpad interface, as we saw debut in the third-generation RDX SUV back in 2018.
The first-gen TLX certainly went out with a bang. Acura green-lit a limited run of 2020 TLX PMC Edition cars, hand-built in gleaming red at the automaker's Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio on the same lines as the NSX sports car.