The Comeback Starts Here: A Closer Look at the Acura Type S Concept
Last week we reported on the debut of Acura’s Type S Concept, a striking sport sedan which represents a comeback of the “Type S” designation that adorned a few different enthusiast-oriented Acura models during the early to mid 2000s.
After seeing the press images that Acura released last week, we were excited to get a look at the car in person and get some more detailed photos. Fortunately we had the opportunity to do exactly that during The 2019 Quail: A Motorsport Gathering where the car made its public debut.
While events like The Quail are full of concepts and prototypes that represent the extravagance of the high end luxury and supercar market, there was something that gravitated us toward the Acura booth simply because it represents a more realistic and attainable segment of the automotive market.
But that's not to say the Type S Concept is mundane or boring by any stretch. There was a constant crowd around the car throughout the event and despite being a sport sedan from a Japanese brand in an event full of ultra high end European machinery, the Type S seemed to be generating plenty of interest.
Many of the official press images released of cars these days are so heavily edited and processed that they look more like renderings than actual photographs, but we were pleased to see that the Type S looked just as good in "real light" as it did in the press images.
One of the first things we noticed about the car was the how striking the color was in person. The Double Apex Blue Pearl hue looked beautiful under the Carmel sun—perhaps even better than it does in the press images.
While we don't know how much of the Type S Concept will actually make its way onto production vehicles, we certainly hope this color will be offered. We even think it'd look great on the current Acura NSX.
We also took note of the interesting bonded carbon fiber material found on the splitter, diffuser, side skirts, rear wing and even the wheels. While carbon or "carbon look" trim is ultra common on cars these days, the weave used here is larger than we are used to seeing and really helped to set things off.
In addition to having a unique look, the bonded carbon is said to be functionally improved as it places layers of carbon directly on top of each other for improved strength.
Another thing that we noticed in person that we didn't pick up in the press images was the pattern of the grille. Rather than a uniform pattern, the diamond shapes are small near the center and then get larger as they spread outward.
Perhaps the trait we liked most was the way the rear quarter panels protrude from the body, making for a rather wide, muscular look. They are also necessary given the fact that the concept rides on 285-width 21-inch tires all around.
One thing we weren't able to find out any more about was the car's drivetrain. We've heard rumors about a twin turbocharged V6 with AWD, even though the profile is one that still brings to mind a rear-drive car.
We've also heard some speculation that the Type S Concept may even hint at a new performance car beyond the next gen TLX that it's said to influence. We do have to say that the concept looks quite a bit larger in person than the current TLX.
Whatever the case, these are interesting times and we are even more excited about the return of the "Type S" designation and the future of Acura's performance cars after getting a chance to see the concept in person. Who wouldn't want a return to form from the brand that brought us exciting and reliable "everyday" cars like the Integra GSR, RSX Type S and TL Type S?
Want to see more from The Quail 2019? Check out our selection of five past, present and future vehicles from the prestigious event.
