Acura Unveils RLX Sport Hybrid in Montreal

By Bill McLauchlan

The new pinnacle of Acura’s luxury performance sedan lineup has made its Canadian debut at the auto show now underway in Montreal. The 2104 RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD (Phew! What a mouthful) is reported to be the most powerful and technologically advanced vehicle in Acura’s history.

“The RLX Sport Hybrid sets a new bar in luxury performance sedans, but it does it the Acura way,” said Jerry Chenkin, president and CEO, Honda Canada Inc. It “has some of the most advanced technology on the planet,” he noted, “but this sedan is more than the sum of its parts. With the RLX Sport Hybrid everything comes together to create true synergy between man and machine.”

Photo: CNW Group/Acura Canada

The 377-horsepower luxury performance sedan is the first vehicle to deploy Acura’s new three-motor hybrid powertrain technology – a world first, which will also power the Japanese automaker’s NSX supercar when it comes to market in 2015. The system combines a highly efficient, direct-injected V6 engine with a new 7-speed dual clutch transmission with built-in electric motor and an electrically powered variant of Acura's highly regarded torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system.

This advanced new hybrid powertrain is touted by the company to deliver great driving performance with responsive power delivery and precise, sure-footed handling. Supported by the instantaneous torque delivered by its high-output electric motors, the RLX Sport Hybrid runs a zero to 100 km/h (60 mph) time comparable with competitor’s V8-powered machines. This performance, however, is coupled with a 6.8 L/100 km fuel rating in city driving and 6.3 on the open highway. Its combined rating is 6.5 L/100km by the federal government’s NRCan calculation, which is in the range of 4-cylinder-powered luxury sedans.

The RLX Sport Hybrid comes as another step in the complete revision of Acura’s sedan lineup, which began with the introduction of the ILX entry-level luxury sedan in 2012. Earlier this week, Acura’s third new luxury sedan was unveiled in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show. The TLX prototype is an all-new modern luxury sports machine that delivers a perfect blend of five-passenger luxury comfort, advanced technology and athletic performance. The TLX will be bookended by the RLX Sport Hybrid on one side and the ILX on the other.