(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY March 10: Honda Motor Company Middle East and North Africa (MENA) announced the launch of Honda's luxury brand 'Acura' at a packed press conference in Kuwait Monday evening at the Courtyard Marriot Hotel.
Addressing the gathering the Director of Honda Motor Company-MENA Shunichi Uchida stated the ACURA name was derived from 'acu' a Latin form meaning mechanically precise or done with precision. Honda introduced the Acura brand to the US market in 1986 to be the world's first Japanese luxury brand. At first it was a two-car show: the Legend sedan and the Integra sport coupe and sedan. The Acura brand is available officially in 5 markets USA Canada Mexico China and Russia. Kuwait will be the 6th market. In year 2014 Acura globally sold 190 thousand units and had it's best year in terms of annual sales since 2007 and third consecutive year of increased sales in the highly competitive US market. Acura has been setting new standards in automotive design and engineering for two decades through bold innovation a refined sense of aesthetics and precision manufacturing. By introducing groundbreaking technologies like Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) and the Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) structural design Acura has continuously redefined the state of the art. Acura brand is meant for 'Distinctive' customers who are looking for a stunning vehicle with exhilarating performance unsurpassed comfort and safety features with the most exacting attention to details. And the extreme care that Acura gives to the making of each automobile extends into the community and environment as well. Acura products launched in Middle East will be first available in Kuwait through officially appointed exclusive dealer 'Al Mulla International Auto Trading Company W.L.L.'. The new dealer will be responsible for sales and after sales through its state of the art facility operations and hospitality to provide premium experience to Acura customers. Customers can book their car by visiting Acura Showroom and be among the first to own Acura brand. Acura model deliveries will start from April 2015. On the 2015 Acura MDX and TLX which were unveiled at the event Mat Hargett- Vice-President Acura Development Honda Research & Development in the Americas said the 2015 MDX is the third generation of Acura's seven-passenger luxury performance SUV the first to be developed from the ground up using an all-new purpose-built platform (body and chassis) fully optimized for the needs of today's luxury SUV buyers. The new MDX harnesses a host of Acura signature technologies to deliver on Acura's product direction of 'Synergy between Man and Machine' and to offer higher levels of luxury silence comfort and prestige in a vehicle that performs 'at the will of the driver' with intuitive control and exhilarating dynamic performance. Developed on the image of an 'Executive Family Jet' the 2015 MDX is sleek and refined prestigious and powerful and designed to deliver on the unique performance and functional needs of the luxury SUV driver and passengers. In designing the new MDX Acura engineers focused on three core values: class-leading fuel economy ratings; new levels of prestige and luxury comfort; and top-level safety performance. At the same time they sought to further enhance the MDX's dynamic performance while maintaining its core appeal - the family-friendly seven-passenger cabin and nimble mid-size SUV exterior size and appearance. The 2015 Acura MDX is powered by an all-new direct-injected 24-valve 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management(tm) (VCM(tm)) producing 290 horsepower and 355N-m of torque. The MDX's engine architecture is shared with two racecars that recently finished First and Second in the LMP2 class at the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Employing a 6-speed automatic transmission with Sport Mode and Sequential SportShift Paddle Shifters the new MDX will be offered Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) featuring Acura's new Agile Handling Assist technology. The new MDX boasts of an 'Executive Aero Sculpture' exterior design that lends it a sleek tailored and sophisticated appearance. The aerodynamic body design refined by engineers in a new wind tunnel at the company's Ohio R&D center helps the MDX achieve an improvement in aerodynamic efficiency making it one of the most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient luxury SUVs on the road. The MDX's dynamically tuned platform more airtight body and triple path isolated dampers along with the use of new sound-deadening materials such as acoustic glass and expanding body sealers and Active Noise Control technology make this the quietest and most composed MDX yet. With a single press of the illuminated One-Touch Walk-In button the second-row seats automatically fold and slide to their forward-most position. The second-row seats now features a four-position recline and a new Extended Slide capability that provides six inches of total fore-aft seat adjustment for optimal balance between second- and third-row legroom. Rear cargo capacity is also improved and includes a new under-floor storage area. Up front there is a 10-way power adjustable and ventilated driver's seat and an 8-way power adjustable and ventilated passenger seat. The MDX also addresses a major shortcoming of many luxury SUVs available front-seat storage space with a spacious new center console that can accommodate a purse laptop case or a pair of iPads. The MDX's luxury quotient is further boosted by its interior appointments including premium leather-trimmed interior silver plated accents LED overhead and cabin accent lighting along with new luxury features such as Smart Entry second-row sunshades and auto-linked air conditioning and climate-controlled seats. In addition the 2015 Acura MDX harnesses a range of Acura signature technologies such as Acura Jewel Eye LED headlights and more powerful Acura/ELS Studio premium audio system. The 2015 MDX offers a host of innovative driver assistive and visibility technologies including a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow Blind Spot Information (BSI) and Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS). The new MDX is equipped with a broad array of advanced safety technologies including the next generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering II (ACE II) body structure 4-wheel Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control and airbags (front front side driver's knee and side curtain with rollover sensor) as well as the available Forward Collision Warning (FCW) systems. 2015 Acura TLX: The 2015 Acura TLX is an all-new midsize sports sedan. Developed under the theme of 'Red Carpet Athlete' the all-new TLX is designed to deliver a unique and compelling blend of sports-sedan athleticism and premium (red-carpet) luxury refinement while delivering on Acura's product direction of 'Synergy between Man and Machine characterized by vehicles that perform 'at the will of the driver' with intuitive exhilarating and confidence-inspiring driving dynamics. To achieve its dual mission of even sharper sports-sedan performance and increased luxury refinement the TLX employs a host of new technologies including two new high-output direct-injected i-VTEC engines; two advanced new transmissions including the world's first automotive Dual Clutch Transmission with torque converter; and the latest iterations of Acura precision-handling technologies Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS) and Agile Handling Assist (AHA). These new technologies in combination with its all-new body and chassis design help define the TLX as the most dynamically advanced Acura ever produced; quick and responsive in sporty driving stable and sure-footed in higher speed maneuvers calm and quiet during long-distance cruising. TLX was also designed to appeal to a broader cross-section of luxury sports-sedan customers with wider range of powertrain and drivetrain options. . The TLX's new chassis powertrains and precision-handling technologies are wrapped in a lithe new exterior design with taut body surfaces dynamically sculpted fender arches and purposeful character lines. Acura's signature Jewel Eye LED headlights standard on all models lend the TLX an advanced and bright-eyed appearance while producing superior down-the-road illumination. Its LED lighting theme carries through to the LED-accented side mirrors LED taillights and LED license plate illumination. The TLX's spacious five-passenger interior is designed and engineered to underscore the 'Red Carpet Athlete' development theme of the new TLX providing a high degree of refinement luxury comfort and technological sophistication while supporting an exhilarating driving experience. High-end premium elements include a soft-touch one-piece instrument panel upper cover and alloy and wood-grain accents. TLX models featuring the new 3.5-liter V-6 engine utilize an advanced new Electronic Gear Selector using an intuitive push-button array in place of a traditional gear lever freeing up center-console space while presenting an advanced and futuristic appearance. All TLX models incorporate an Electronic Parking Brake with Automatic Brake Hold which when activated retains brake pressure when the vehicle is stopped simplifying driving in heavy traffic or on steep hills. At the heart of the TLX's athletic sports-sedan performance capabilities are two new powertrains both utilizing direct-injection i-VTEC valve trains with variable cam phasing and low-friction technologies to deliver higher output and more linear and responsive power delivery as well as to garner class-leading fuel-economy ratings. The direct-injected 2.4-liter DOHC i-VTEC in-line 4 producing a peak 206 horsepower and 247 N-m of torque is mated to an all-new 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (8DCT) with torque converter the world's first transmission of this type to be paired with a torque converter. Featuring Sequential SportShift closely spaced ratios ultra-quick shifts and automatic rev-matching downshifts the 8DCT gives the 2.4-liter TLX an aggressively sporting yet refined feel. The direct-injected 3.5-liter SOHC i-VTEC V-6 incorporates the Next generation variable cylinder management (VCM II) with the ability to deactivate three of the engine's six cylinders for improved fuel efficiency. The aluminum-alloy 24-valve engine produces a peak 290 horsepower and 355 N-m of torque. The engine is mated to a new 9-speed automatic transmission with wider gear ratios featuring Sequential SportShift. TLX models with either the 2.4-liter or 3.5-liter engine come equipped with the latest iteration of Acura Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS). P-AWS system was integrated into the fundamental chassis design from the earliest stages of development allowing engineers to take full advantage of its independent left and right rear-wheel toe angle control to enhance overall handling precision low-speed maneuverability and high-speed stability. The TLX also advances Acura's reputation for delivering cutting-edge safety and driver-assistive technologies. The TLX is the first Acura vehicle to deploy a new cooperative monocular camera and millimeter wave radar system that expands both the fidelity and scope of the vehicle's road-sensing capabilities. This fusion of camera and radar technology underpins the TLX's available Collision Mitigation Braking SystemTM (CMBS) which can now provide enhanced car-to-car and car-to-pedestrian collision mitigation while also enhancing the capabilities of the Adaptive Cruise Control. The TLX is the first Acura vehicle to deploy a new Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) system which is included with the Advance Package. RDM uses the monocular camera to recognize painted lane lines Botts' Dots and Cat Eye markers to determine lane boundaries. When the vehicle's current travelling direction strays from a detected lane the system warns the driver and assists by applying corrective steering input and if required braking force to help the driver maintain their current lane. Additional standard and available driver-assistive features include Blind Sport Information (BSI) Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Keep Assist (LKAS). The TLX is built on an all-new platform (body and chassis) that was designed from the ground up to support and enhance the vehicle's outstanding driving dynamics luxury-sedan refinement class-leading fuel efficiency and high-level collision safety performance. New Motion-Adaptive Electronic Power Steering delivers a high level of steering precision and responsiveness while aiding fuel efficiency. For more information on the above two products please visit www.acura-mideast.com
By Iddris Seidu
Arab Times Staff
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