Acura TLX GT Race Car to Debut at Mid-Ohio

After completing an initial test program, Acura Motorsports will debut the new 2015 Acura TLX GT in Pirelli World Challenge competition this weekend at American Honda's "home" circuit, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in the hands of RealTime Racing owner/driver Peter Cunningham.

The new TLX GT will move Acura into the top category of the Pirelli World Challenge, facing competition from the Audi R8, Bentley Continental, Cadillac CTS-V, Dodge Viper, Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Gallardo, McLaren 12C and Porsche 911.

Cunningham will pilot the Acura in a pair of Pirelli World Challenge events during a doubleheader race weekend, on Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3. The Pirelli World Challenge series supports with the Honda Indy 200 Verizon IndyCar Series weekend at Mid-Ohio.

"We're excited to debut the Acura TLX GT race car in front of our 'hometown' audience of associates from the many Honda facilities in central Ohio," said Art St. Cyr, President of Honda Performance Development and Vice President, Auto Operations, American Honda. "The competition in the Pirelli World Challenge is fierce, including many of the luxury makes the TLX will compete with on the sales floor. Acura has never shied away from a challenge. Instead, we seek it out, both on-track and in the marketplace."

Four Signs That It's Time For A New Car

1.    You have to perform a sacred ritual every time you try to start the car

2.   Your paint job looks like this.

      3.     Your bumper is comprised of more duct tape than actual plastic. (Unless you're going for the hillbilly chrome look.)

4.   Your exhaust emits enough smoke to rival a Bon Jovi concert. 

If your car is exhibiting any of these symptoms, it's time to check out our inventory.

En garde! April Fools Pranks for Car Lovers

Each year it seems that April 1st pranks just get more outrageous. Seriously, maybe you shouldn't even leave the house. And don't even think about getting on Facebook. 

Perhaps the best way to avoid falling victim to the shenanigans this year is to administer the deception. After all, they do say that the best defense is a good offense.

Here are a few ideas for pranks involving cars. 

*Disclaimer: People take their cars very seriously so choose your victim wisely.

1. Cellophane wrapping. This one needs no explanation.

2. Accessory Overload. If you have access to your victim's keys, this one can be really great! Turn on the radio, wipers, A/C, hazards, parking brake and whatever else you can think of so that the next time they get in the car, well...

3. Balancing Act. Using tape or a similar adhesive utility, secure an empty coffee cup or mug to the top of your car. Watch the bewildered stares as you maneuver around the city with seemingly super driving powers.

4. Hit and run. Leave a note that will make your victim think that somebody hit their car!

5. A smashing success. Obtain an old car window from a scrap yard. Smash it to pieces, roll your victim's car windows down and place the broken glass on their seat and on the ground. All that's left is to break the news.

Let us know if you have any auto related pranks of your own!

Acura Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Chosen as Finalist for Green Car Technology Award

First of its kind 3-motor hybrid all-wheel-drive system in Acura RLX Sport Hybrid enhances power, handling and fuel efficiency for a new driving experience

 

Acura's pioneering Sport Hybrid Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD) system has been chosen as a finalist for Green Car Journal's 2014 Green Car Technology Award, which will be awarded January 22, 2014 at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C. The award considers technologies that enable significantly improved environmental performance. The 2014 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid, launching in spring of 2014, is the first Acura vehicle to utilize this groundbreaking new technology that delivers exhilarating performance with class-leading fuel economy ratings via its three-motor hybrid system with unique electric motor-powered torque-vectoring capability.

The RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system uses a total of three electric motors. In front, there is a single 35-kilowatt (47 horsepower) motor-generator integrated with the 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission that boosts engine performance and helps recharge the vehicle's lithium-ion battery pack via regenerative braking and engine-powered electricity generation. In the rear, there is a Twin Motor Unit (TMU) containing two 27-kilowatt (36 horsepower) electric motors that dynamically distribute electric-motor torque to the rear wheels, providing both positive and negative (regenerative braking) torque to aid performance and handling.

Mated to an advanced, lightweight and low-friction direct-injected V-6 engine, the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD in the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid combines V8-like performance with 4-cylinder-level fuel efficiency and exhilarating "on the rails" handling performance like no other vehicle in its class. The efficient, compact system helps the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid achieve the most spacious five-passenger seating in its class while also garnering a top-in-class EPA fuel-economy rating of 28/32/30 mpg (city/highway/combined).1 The RLX also makes extensive use of advanced materials, including aluminum and high-strength steel, to minimize vehicle weight while increasing body stiffness and rigidity. High-strength steels comprise 55 percent of the body with ultra-high strength steel used in key areas for enhanced collision performance, as illustrated in narrow frontal offset and side impact crash safety and roof strength tests. Use of aluminum in key areas saves 76.1 pounds compared to traditional all-steel construction, providing high strength with light weight that directly benefits ride, handling, fuel efficiency, emissions and safety performance.

The 5 Best Car Chase Scenes of All Time

1. The Blues Brothers (1980)


 

2. To Live and Die in LA (1985)

 

3. The French Connection (1971)


 

4. Bullitt (1968)


 
5. Ronin (1998)

 

5 interesting facts about Thanksgiving that you may not have known!

The American Thanksgiving feast is one of the world's most iconic holidays, but there is a lot most people don't know about it!  Here are 5 things that you may or may not have known about Thanksgiving and its origin in America!

1.)  Of the Mayflower's original 102 passengers, only 40 of them were "Pilgrims" as we would recognize them.  The rest were called the "Strangers", men and women just looking to hitch a ride to the new world.  In fact, the Mayflower wasn't even originally intended to be a human transport vessel; it was supposed to be a wine transport.

2.)  Despite Macy’s being the largest, the oldest Thanksgiving parade was held in Philadelphia in 1920 by Gimbels department store. The parade was very small, with only about 50 people.

3.)  The Pilgrims didn't actually dress in full-black attire with metal buckles on their hats and shoes.  In reality, metal buckles would've been too expensive for the incredibly destitute Pilgrims.  It is more likely that they would've used leather laces and straps instead of the buckles.

4.)  Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird, feeling that the eagle was a creature predisposed to "bad moral character".  He wanted to instead pay homage to the bird that had more historical significance to the young country.

5.)  When George Washington advocated for a national Thanksgiving celebration, a number of other founding fathers and statesmen were supportive of the measure. Thomas Jefferson was not one of them. Jefferson referred to the idea as “the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard."  Guess he wasn't a fan of cranberry sauce!

Winter Weather Is Almost Here, Is Your Car Ready?

Have you prepared your car for the winter weather that’s fast approaching? Here are some tips to make sure you are fully prepared for whatever this year’s winter weather decides to throw at you.

Regular Maintenance

Now’s the time to get your car up to speed on all of its regular maintenance. That means taking care of any fluids that may have been neglected while you were out enjoying the summer sun or going in for that 60,000-mile tune-up if you’re due. Check, change and/or top off your oil, coolant, brakes and transmission fluid as needed. In the case of your oil or automatic transmission, make sure you get a high-quality filter, too.

When looking at your car’s brakes, check to see if your rotors are warped or cracked. Do they have deep grooves or are the pads worn close to their minimum clearance? Your vehicle will be experiencing harsher conditions soon, so avoid any potential problems as soon as possible. Make sure all your lights are working properly to ensure good visibility. New bulbs are easy to install yourself or easy to have installed when getting your vehicle serviced. The same goes for windshield wipers. If your blades are more than six months old, odds are it’s time to swap them out for new ones.

Check Your Tires

Go ahead and have your tires rotated and inspected. The last thing you need in cold, wet weather is to be driving on bald or dry rotted tires.

Consider looking into snow (or winter) tires, depending on your location or length of time you’ll be spending in the snow. Winter tires are made with special low temperature resilient rubber compounds and have deep treads that grip unplowed snow and ice.

Don’t forget to make sure your spare tire has enough air in it. Once you’ve made sure everything looks good, take a look at your tire pressure.

Stock Your Car

Stranded by the side of the road can be dangerous in the best of conditions, but when sub-zero temperatures or bad weather is involved, it could become deadly. Carrying these supplies is essential:

- a blanket
- jumper cables
- a flashlight
- chains
- a first-aid kit
- a small knife
- flares
- water gloves
- small shovel
- waterproof matches
- ice scraper
- a bag of sand or kitty litter to help provide traction if your car is stuck in the snow