New York: Acura ZDX aimed squarely at BMW X6
by John Neff on Apr 8th 2009 at 12:15PM 
Acura ZDX – Click above for high-res image gallery
After a few weeks of teasing, Acura has finally revealed the ZDX, its new four-door, luxury crossover "coupe" that is clearly aimed at the similarly proportioned BMW X6. The ZDX wears the now familiar shield grille and sharp styling that has spread across the entire Acura lineup. To further emphasize the crossover's coupiness, Acura designers have hid the rear door handles in the base of the C-pillar. The ZDX rides tall on 20-inch, 9-spoke wheels and also glints under the lights thanks to a number of chrome trim pieces including a pair of shiny dual exhausts out back. Inside you'll find typical Acura luxury with high quality materials arranged in a high-tech package that includes a new multi-view rear camera system with both a wide angle and top down view. The production ZDX will be V6-powered and kept in line by Acura's superb Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system.
Feel free to poke around the ZDX in our high-res gallery below. It's the best expression yet of Acura's new design language, which has taken some getting used to on its current lineup of sedans. This segment-busting crossover should arrive in dealerships by the fall of 2009, according to Acura.
Check out our high-res gallery of live and official shots below, as well as Acura's official press release after the jump.
Gallery: New York: Acura ZDX
Gallery: Acura ZDX
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Live photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc
PRESS RELEASE
All-New Acura ZDX Debuts at New York International Auto Show
Provocative Four-Door Sports Coupe Goes On-Sale This Fall
NEW YORK, April 8, 2009 – A prototype of the provocative Acura ZDX luxury four-door sports coupe made its world debut at the New York International Auto Show today. The production version of the dramatically styled prototype goes on-sale in the fall of 2009. The segment bending ZDX features stunning coupe-like styling with the added benefit of a commanding presence and flexibility utility.
"The ZDX is truly a luxury performance coupe – plus," said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales. "The emotional coupe styling coupled with a luxurious and dramatic interior and surprising versatility, allows the ZDX to define its own segment and attract an entirely new customer."
The ZDX is designed to break new ground for Acura in the areas of provocative styling, contemporary luxury and meticulous refinement. With its sensuous curves, sharply raked roofline and bold fender flares, the ZDX blurs the distinction between coupe, sedan and sport utility vehicle. Clean, flowing lines start from the headlights and run the length of the car, accentuating the cars presence and grace. In keeping with the coupe-inspired styling, the rear door handles are cleverly concealed in the C-pillar. The all-glass tailgate opens wide to reveal a highly functional cargo space with integrated under-floor storage. The prototype is finished off with stylish dual chrome exhaust outlets and 9-spoke machined wheels fitted with 20-inch Michelin tires.
"From the very first sketch of the ZDX, I wanted to create an emotional vehicle that challenged conventional thinking of what a sports coupe should be," said Michelle Christensen, ZDX exterior designer. "My goal was to create a strikingly beautiful exterior, and use that attraction to help draw you into the rich interior."
Inside, the ZDX exudes modern luxury while focusing on pampering the front passengers. The cabin is enveloped in leather, which gives the interior a luxurious and inviting feel. The hand-stitched leather dash and instrument panel sweep down to form a dual cockpit layout, creating a personal and intimate experience for the front seat occupants. The premium leather seats are highly bolstered to support the passengers during sporty driving and at the same time provide comfort during a long getaway. A black monochromatic center stack leads to the textured metallic center console, which complements the black and pearl white leather trim. The thick leather wrapped steering wheel provides ample grip and is framed by racing-inspired paddle shifters for the ultimate in driver control. The cabin is enclosed by a panoramic glass roof which runs the entire length of the vehicle, providing occupants with a breathtaking view of the world around them.
The production ZDX will bring a new level of prestige and sophistication when it arrives at Acura dealerships in the fall, offering the latest advancements in performance, technology and safety. The ZDX will deliver sports sedan performance on the road with its powerful V-6 engine mated to an all-new, smooth shifting 6-speed automatic transmission. The potent powertrain will be coupled with Acura's exclusive Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®) system, giving the ZDX outstanding handling and cornering capabilities in all-weather conditions.
In typical Acura fashion, the ZDX will be available with the latest in customer enhancing technologies and advanced safety features including an all-new blind spot information system, which will help drivers change lanes more confidently. A new multi-view rear camera makes parking even easier with the added enhancement of both a wide angle and top down view. Acura signature technologies like Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition™, AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic and Weather™, Acura/ELS Surround® premium audio system and Bluetooth® connectivity will also be available on the all-new model.
The ZDX represents the next step for Acura in its advancement to becoming one of the top luxury brands and makes a clear statement toward the future of the brand.
ZDX Prototype Dimensions:
Length: 192.4 inches
Width: 78.5 inches
Height: 61.8 inches
Wheelbase: 108.2 inches
Wheel/tire: 9-spoke custom alloy wheels with Michelin Latitude HP 275/40ZR 20 tires
Powertrain: All-aluminum VTEC® V-6, all-new 6-speed automatic transmission with Sequential SportShift and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®)
Seating capacity: 5-passenger
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
luv_my_car 12:18PM (4/08/2009)
Why the ugly front? WHY?
the profile shot looked nice. but.... i dont think its any competition for the X6
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ronzo 12:40PM (4/08/2009)
Honda has a lot of talented, bright people in their company and I have no idea how this new Acura front end design has gotten by all of them into production models. It's hideous.
This thing will not compete with the X6. It will flop.
It's extremely ugly.
AIL 12:44PM (4/08/2009)
@ronzo complete sales flop would be perfect step-for-step competition for the X6. It is a pathetic and pointless vehicle. The fact that enough execs and marketoons at Acura thought it was worth competing with is saddening.
cdwrx 1:15PM (4/08/2009)
Because of the ugly sides and back. It's quite a cohesive disaster.
Shiftright 1:54PM (4/08/2009)
It doesn't have to compete with the X6 because nobody wants that thing.
ronzo 2:51PM (4/08/2009)
AIL, you've got a point.
ken_aisin 4:39PM (4/08/2009)
+1, the front is absolutely horrible. But if it's there to compete with the X6, I guess it has to be as hideous as the X6.
But to be fair, the rear end is not good, but it's not that bad when compared to the new TL. The TL's rear is an awful eyesore, way too busy with way too many lines.
Anyhow, it's time to clean house, Honda. Yes, your America design house.
ken_aisin 4:52PM (4/08/2009)
Will Honda execs ever get the message that their new designs are hideous? As far as I can remember, the Autoblog staff were the only people who praised the styling of the new TL, and I actually suspected that Honda could have paid them to praise the TL on Autoblog.
ack154 12:19PM (4/08/2009)
Who ever mentioned in the last story about this that it looked like a Prius... I see it now. I didn't notice before, but that main pic did it.
I like the look of the X6, this is just... bleh.
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Rich 2:24PM (4/08/2009)
Don't be daft, man.
It looks like an Insight. On stilts.
MGS4TW 4:38PM (4/08/2009)
Both of you are daft... This looks SOOOO much like the Cadillac Converj Concept...
http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-01/44478582.jpg
ugg.tryptophan 4:52PM (4/08/2009)
@Rich
The Insight looks miles better than this bloated whale
chconline 12:20PM (4/08/2009)
The rear 3/4 actually looks pretty nice. From the photos, the front overhang seems to be way too long -- but I do believe, like the TL, that it will grow (Seriously I thought the TL was a ugly hunk of crap when it first came up... now it really has substantial presence on the road -- it's surprising how I actually like it after all this time lol) and the front overhang/lines actually cannot be represented properly in photos whereas it's perfectly fine in real life.
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Miguel 1:14PM (4/08/2009)
Yes, that's true, the rear 3/4, and the top view... but other than that... maybe if you take the front clip and replace it with something else, then it would make it a killer ride.
Sektor 12:21PM (4/08/2009)
This looks better than the picture they posted yesterday. Still doesn't look "good" IMO.
Better picture quality can do wonders.
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phooky 12:22PM (4/08/2009)
At first glance I really like it. Looks like it's basically a wagon with progressive styling and additional ground clearance. Those headlamps are pretty cool looking too.
Much better looking than the X6 IMO, and doesn't really have the X6's awkward "what the hell am i supposed to be" look
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Enigmatic 12:36PM (4/08/2009)
Yeah, I agree. On first glance it looked much more like a wagon than a crossover, but it seems car companies use those terms fairly interchangeably. Nonetheless, I think it looks alright, but I've never been a big hater of the guillotine grill either.
Rick C. 12:44PM (4/08/2009)
I'm done with this. Can the car companies get back to making real cars, not high riding station wagons being passed off as...crossovers, whatever that contrived marketing term means.
Rev 12:52PM (4/08/2009)
Additional ground clearance? Which picture are you seeing any sort of extra clearance? This thing would not be able to drive over a puddle of water let alone do any sort of off road driving... It looks like a big wagon without the extra storage or sporty profile...
Or like a bloated, heavy Prius.
And goodness, can Honda not do interiors? 40 years on earth and every McHonda I've had the misery of being in either had a buttonfest or an out-of-date bin-part nightmare...
Hike15 12:22PM (4/08/2009)
Is it me, or has Acura done everything wrong lately? Making everything uglier, canceling the NSX and the V8, coming out with something this useless instead. Can they please do something right?
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