Spy Shots: 2009 Acura TSX
Yesterday, Ben Stewart over at Popular Mechanics had a close encounter of the prototype kind while spending some time on the Angeles Crest Highway in So. Cal. He caught a glimpse of a camo'd current generation Accord sitting in a local lot and, knowing that it could be driven away at a moment's notice, began snapping pics of the moribund mule.Now, an Accord sporting an ill-fitting bra is nothing to get too excited over, until Ben figured out that it's actually the next generation Acura TSX in drag. Supposedly, underneath the body panels is the "new" TSX chassis, necessitating those awkwardly flared fenders, housing 225/50ZR17 tires.
He came to this unlikely conclusion after noticing a few other TSXs following the mule (comparison testing) and when he got back to the office, Stewart made few calls. Turns out that the upcoming TSX will be built on an all new platform, likely using the turbo mill that's found in the new RDX, with the option of sending power to all four wheels.
What's it going to look like you ask? Less crease, more swoop is the short answer. But if you need a bit more detail than that, check the Honda Sports4 Concept that debuted at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show.
[Source: Popular Mechanics]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jim 9:22AM (2/17/2007)
I suppose it's too much to hope for to think we might get the wagon version as well.
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Rick Lyon 10:10AM (2/17/2007)
Hey, it's the new Accord. No wait, it's a more expensive Accord. Rear tail light wrap is still hideous.
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Ken 10:15AM (2/17/2007)
Wow I just love the rebadged '05 Accord. It doesnt even look like they removed the Honda badge from the back.
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Todd 10:33AM (2/17/2007)
Or maybe it's an Accord with big tires..
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AMcA 10:39AM (2/17/2007)
Looks like they're ripping off the S-class front fender . . . .
Geez, can't they come up with something original?
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That One Person 10:56AM (2/17/2007)
I believe it's just a test mule. Companies sometimes take old vehicles and put whatever equipment they are testing into it. If not, nice Accord...
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david 11:38AM (2/17/2007)
is it just me or anyone else out there find accords and whatever this is soooooooooooo boring? yawn! they may run good, but
sorry, i dozed off. where was i?
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Eric L. 11:39AM (2/17/2007)
Even though the article clearly says its a test mule, I still love how people who don't read it carefully think its either an Accord or that the new TSX is ugly.
VERY sharp find with those fender flares.
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little soldier 11:42AM (2/17/2007)
The Acura TSX is the same car as the European Accord and they came to market at about the same time. So, the next Accord would not be the current European Accord.
I believe the next Accord would be something like the Accord Coupe concept.
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Tim UF 12:49PM (2/17/2007)
THe current TSX is a pretty close direct port of the euro accord is it not?
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hondalover 1:35PM (2/17/2007)
the best car ever honda accord 2008....
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courtstone 2:24PM (2/17/2007)
Okay...This is clearly an '05 Honda Accord. Why are we assuming thats is an '09 Acura TSX??
I believe the poster of this blog was way too excited when crown this an '09 Acura TSX.
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david 3:30PM (2/17/2007)
hey hondalover, you mean best boring, dull, unflattering, put you to sleep appliance ever?
accord. used to be buicks, now accord for the over 65 crowd. heard it comes with a depends dispenser in the console.
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SOhp101 4:02PM (2/17/2007)
If anything, this is the car that they used to test the 2.4 turbo engine that they put into the RDX. I remember reading an interview where a Honda/Acura R&D person mentioned that they took a regular Accord, put in the turbo engine and drove it around downtown LA for testing purposes.
Those wheels look strikingly similar to the 18" wheels available in the A-spec TL and RL.
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shimman 4:22PM (2/17/2007)
well, i will be disappointed if honda cannot put direct injectors & 6 speed transmission in auto & manual forms.
i really hope the weight won't be increase more than 150lbs with all those equipments from the current model.
i guess honda is targeting audio a4 quatro as a main competitor
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rob 4:24PM (2/17/2007)
david,
i'd love to know what you own. and we know you don't own a ferrari or a lamborghini. because if that was the case you'd probably not be wasting your time posting on this lowly blog. so, please, enlighten us.
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DAN SMITH 11:47AM (3/02/2007)
WHAT A CONCEPT:
PLATFORM SHARING AND THE PROLIFERATION OF TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THE BOARD IS NOTHING NEW FOR HONDA, BECAUSE A BROADER USE OF CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY LOWERS THE COST OF PRODUCTION. SO THIS PARTICULAR "INSIGHT " REALLY SHOULDN'T COME AS MUCH OF A REVELATION TO ANYONE. NOW, HONDA'S SH-AWD SYSTEM WILL BE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE FOR A COMPANY WITH HONDA'S WELL ESTABLISHED "EVERYMAN" PRICEPOINT; EVEN IF THIS TESTMULE IS DESTINED TO BECOME ACURA'S NEXT TSX. I THINK IT'S A LOT MORE PROBABLE THAT A CAR LIKE THE NEXT TSX WILL PROBABLY BE SADDLED WITH HONDA'S LESS SOPHISTICATED REALTIME AWD SYSTEM BECAUSE THE SH-AWD PACKAGE WOULD FORCE THE COMPANY TO PUSH THE ANTE-POINT TO UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS; EVEN AFTER IT'S FOUND ITS WAY INTO EVERY POSSIBLE APPLICATION. SO IT REALLY WOULD RAISE SOME EYEBROWS IF THIS PARTICULAR TESTMULE HAD THE MORE SOPHISTICATED SETUP INCORPORATED INTO ITS DRIVELINE.
THE MORE INTRIGUING QUESTION TO ME, IS THIS. HOW LONG BEFORE WE START SPOTTING ACURA TLs WITH THE SAME POWERPLANTS AND POWERTRAINS AS THE RL?" THE TL HAS A FAR MORE ALLURING PERSONA THAN THE RL, AND ITS LAVISH SELECTION OF ACCESSORIES AND OPTIONS WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE THAT MANAGEMENT ISN'T TOTALLY BLIND TO THAT. IN FACT, I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT THE TL JUST MIGHT BE THE MOST ATTRACTIVE CAR THAT HONDA HAS EVER SOLD HERE IN THIS COUNTRY. SO WHY IS THE COMPANY NOT PROPERLY TARTING UP THEIR MOST COMPELLING DIVA AND SELLING IT AT AN UNGODLY PREMIUM?. IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME. HMA SHOULD STOP TREATING THE TL LIKE A LATTER DAY CINDERELLA AND JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT THE GLASS SLIPPER ON ITS FOOT. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT ANYONE COULD POSSIBLY MISS A TRUTH THAT'S SO PAINFULLY OBVIOUS. YOU JUST KNOW THAT THE MAGICAL FOOTWEAR IS GOING TO FIT. THE TL HAS FAR MORE CACHET ALL BY ITSELF, THAN ANY THREE OTHER MODELS IN THE COMPANY'S ENTIRE LINEUP, SO NOT GIVING THE CAR ITS DUE IS KIND OF LIKE FORCING SOMEONE LIKE PARIS HILTON TO WORK AS A CHAR WOMAN HER WHOLE LIFE.(OKAY, I DON'T WANT ANY LAME JOKES ABOUT THAT FABULOUS TV SHOW CALLED "THE SIMPLE LIFE."). WAKE UP AND SMELL THE CHANEL No. 5, HONDA. ACURA TL + SH-AWD = SUPERSTAR. I'M DAN SMITH FROM SQUARE-ONE AUTOMOTIVE.
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iamhoff 6:42PM (2/17/2007)
To everyone who can't get past the idea that it's the body of an '05 US Accord, it's a freaking disguise!! Manufacturers do this all the time. First clue, the California Distributor license plate. Second clude, the wheels (correctly id'd as being from the A-Spec TL package. If the distributor/factory isn't going with something stock appearing, odds are there's more that's non-stock (such as an engine). Third clue, the exhaust pipes/tips are not the ones that normally come on the Accord V-6, which also indicates non-stock. Fourth clue (and I agree with Eric L, great catch on those flares) is the fender flares. Again, on a seemingly stock-bodied vehicle, mods like that indicate suspension or chassis mods. Hell, look at some of the mules that Porsche and BMW have been flogging for the Cayenne, Panamera, and X6. Finally, follow the AB link to the Sports4 concept car. Those flares are spot-on. So we've got something a little bigger than the current TSX, turbo 4, awd, and priced a little below the TL. Sounds tasty.
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NoNameDenton 6:35PM (2/17/2007)
As long as Acura continues with front wheel drive luxury cars, I will stick with BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Aston Martin and such
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fuzzwonder 6:40PM (2/17/2007)
test mule: car which contains the components to run including engines, transmissions, etc and is not reflective of the final car in any way.
please read this before making comments on how that looks like an 05 accord. i didn't realize autoblog readers are so dumb.
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