2008 Acura - Reputation Meets Innovation

The Acura cars with their elegant lines, easy to drive quality and safety innovations are among the most sought after by drivers all around the world. In their continuous search for safer, more maneuverable performance cares, the designers and engineers at Acura have fitted the recent models with a number of technical innovations that make the cars more reliable and easy and fun to drive. The added innovations do not only relate to the performance of the car but also to the safety of its passengers. The list of technological innovations includes Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (also called SH-AWD), Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC), Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE), the Drive-by-Wire Throttle System, the Vehicle Stability Assist system (VSA), HandsFreeLink, Voice Recognition, LATCH, Occupant Position Determination System (OPDS), the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and many more.

The Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, or SH-AWD, is the first control system that allows independent torque-distribution. Independent torque distribution means that the wheels of your Acura car have a better grip on the road. The system is used to help increase turning precision and also to improve passenger safety. Acura is the first car builder in North America to use such a system on their models. The Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control, or VTEC, is a cleverly designed system that helps the Acura engine with fuel efficiency at lower velocities and ads to the output of the engine at higher velocities. This fuel efficiency system was another innovation that was introduced to the North American car market by Acura.

One of the most important safety improvements added to cars today is Acura's ACE (Advanced Compatibility Engineering), a system that incorporates crash protection into the frame of your vehicle. The Vehicle Stability Assist, or VSA, is a four channel system that adjusts the engine power and the pressure on your brakes to ensure added control in any driving conditions. The air bag system on an Acura car includes side curtain air bags, dual-threshold air bags and front side air bags, and the car's safety system also includes LATCH and OPDS. The Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) is designed to protect the passenger side of the cabin in case that an accident can not be avoided. The unique child seat mounting system called LATCH ensures the safety of your child passengers.

For their innovative performance and security systems several Acura models have been awarded the maximum of five stars possible after a series of tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Acura RL was awarded five stars in rollover, side and frontal tests, the Acura MDX received its stars for passenger and driver safety and the SUV earned its five stars in the side impact test.

By Michael Rad.

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Acura's Future Cars

Acura, the manufacturer of quality Acura catalytic converter, is set to offer three new and exciting cars: 2 as 2008 year model and 1 as 2009 year model. These three cars are the 2008 RDX, 2008 MDX, and the 2009 Acura NSX.

The RDX has the same roofline, greenhouse, and C-pillars as the last yearÕs concept vehicle. However, the doors are different. This is not just due to the handles. In last yearÕs concept, rear doors were cut out around the wheels. But for manufacture, their shape is more squared off.

Under the hood of the RDX is the first turbocharged engine for either Honda or Acura street vehicle. The all new 2.3-liter i-VTEC turbocharged four-cylinder yields 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. It is paired to a five-speed manual-automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. Standard with this vehicle is AcuraÕs Super Handling All Wheel Drive system, standard front, side, and side curtain air bags. The vehicle also comes with Acura's navigation system with real-time traffic reports and an ELS DVD-Audio surround sound stereo system.

The RDX will form part of the small, premium cross over segment, along with the Land Rover Freelander and the Audi Q5.

An SUV competed with the Mercedes-Benz ML and the Lexus RX300, the 2008 Acura MDX is built to straight at the BMW X5 and the Porsche Cayenne. To have the same level of performance as it competitors, AcuraÕs engineers built the vehicles parts at Germany s Nurburgring, which is known for its ability to produce quality parts that will give driving dynamics.

The exterior of the new MDX exposes several refinements. Frank Paluch, the chief engineer of both the original and second-generation MDX models, asserted that their aim was to provide a stealth family package. This was done by the design team through lowering the visual center of the new MDX, which they call the C-line. The D-pillar was also angled sharply forward to blend with the third row seating. Paluch added the new MDX looks smaller, but wider, longer, and lower.

Acura is doubted about power train performance, but Paluch says their goal is for best-in-class V-6 performance.

Last, but certainly not the least among Acura cars, is the 2009 NSX. The conceptualization of the next NSX is not yet final. Automobilemag.com said Honda is still in the process of finalizing what kind of car it should be and what will its appearance be.

The mid-engine Honda HSC concept will no longer be seen on the next NSX. The new vehicle will have front-engine, and not mid-engine as compared to the first mentioned car. Honda Motor CEO Takeo Fukui decreed a ten-cylinder engine that frustrated employees from Japan to California to Ohio , who would like to develop a V-8 that could be used across a wider product range, such as a proper flagship sedan for Acura.

By Evander Klum.