Acura ZDX concept
Honda's sister brand Acura reveals its SUV sports coupe to rival BMW X6
Acura has revealed an unlikely rival to the BMW X6 at the New York motor show. The ZDX, which is initially just a concept, is a mix of four-door coupe and SUV that fits the same mould as the controversial Beemer.
In fact, the two cars share spookily similar dimensions – the Acura’s 4.89m length, 1.99m width, 1.57m height and 2.75m wheelbase aren’t dissimilar to the BMW’s respective 4.88m, 1.98m, 1.69m and 2.93m. On that basis it’s safe to assume that like the X6, the ZDX will top two tons.
The showroom ZDX will mate a V6 VTEC engine to a brand new six-speed sequential automatic transmission. The engine’s power is transferred to all four wheels via Acura’s SH-AWD technology, with highly accomplished all-weather handling and grip the aim.
Inside the car, it’s all about luxury. There’s an abundance of leather, a hand-stitched dashboard and a panoramic glass roof surrounding passengers while on-board technology includes premium surround sound, voice-control sat nav and a blind spot indication safety system. The ZDX can also seat five people, compared to the BMW’s four.
The exterior was designed by Michelle Christensen, whose aim was ‘to create an emotional vehicle that challenged conventional thinking of what a sports coupe should be.’ It has a similar silhouette to the X6 but manages to boast subtler styling.
The concept sits in a segment that Acura has yet to visit, and the production version, due for US sales in the autumn, will explore a new sales avenue for the brand. How successful a move it would be is debateable in the current financial situation. The car’s likely US-only sales will certainly strengthen its case more in this respect, however.
