Acura Performance Engineering

Put the Driver First

That is the driving principle behind Precision Crafted Performance. That is what has driven us to bring together creative minds and challenging spirits to enhance the partnership between car and driver. The result is an unequaled standard assembled with unparalleled precision and unrelenting craft. It is a sensation of power and agility wrapped in purpose-driven design. It is what driving was always meant to be.

Front view of a Tiger Eye Pearl 2021 Acura TLX Type S driving around a bend with sun glinting off the roof of the car. // Vue avant d’une Acura TLX Type S 2021 de couleur œil de tigre nacré avec des reflets du soleil sur le toit qui négocie un virage.

Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC)

Before your foot hits the gas, before you even step inside, the performance has already begun. At the Performance Manufacturing Centre, our engineers build openly and efficiently, designing their own workstations and programming their own assembly bots. This ensures every Acura is precisely engineered – with a good dose of human common sense.

Two technicians work on a white Acura NSX at the PMC. / Deux techniciens travaillant sur une Acura NSX blanche au PMC.

Proof in Practice

Innovation is our obsession. You can see it across our entire model line. Every refinement, every tweak, every fine-tune results in better performance on the road.

Passenger side view of a white Acura TLX driving at night - red, purple and yellow lights are blurred in the background by the motion of the car. // Vue du côté passager d’une Acura TLX blanche circulant la nuit avec en arrière-plan des lumières floues rouges, violettes et jaunes.

Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™

Acura engineers set out to bring the torque-vectoring technology of track vehicles to the street. That’s how they built the revolutionary all-wheel drive system that strategically distributes power among the wheels for a performance gain that you can truly feel. Today, Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®) is available on the RDX and MDX models.

Passenger side view of a white Acura TLX driving at night - red, purple and yellow lights are blurred in the background by the motion of the car. // Vue du côté passager d’une Acura TLX blanche circulant la nuit avec en arrière-plan des lumières floues rouges, violettes et jaunes.

Engineering Highlights

Notable milestones in a legacy of performance-focused engineering.

Powertrain

i-VTEC®

Intelligent Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (i-VTEC®) increases horsepower by advancing valve timing relative to engine RPM.

Variable Cylinder Management®

VCM® improves V6 fuel efficiency by running on three cylinders during highway cruising.

Drive-by-Wire Throttle System™

The system varies throttle sensitivity to provide the appropriate response and feel to different driving conditions.

Sport Hybrid 3-Motor System

Our exclusive drivetrain system uses electric power to improve efficiency, acceleration and handling.

10-Speed Automatic Transmission

Acura’s 10-speed automatic transmission, with Sequential SportShift and standard paddle shifters, takes full advantage of the engines’ high-torque output. Offering a wider ratio range and more discrete gears, it includes four-gear direct downshifts and a lower first gear compared to the previous 9-speed automatic and 8-speed DCT.

Chassis & Handling

Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®)

SH-AWD® greatly enhances high-performance dry-road handling with the all-weather advantages of conventional all-wheel drive.

Sport Hybrid SH-AWD®

The SH-AWD® effect is enhanced by twin electric motors to distribute torque for on-rails handling.

Active Damper System

Our available Active Damper System adjusts to road and driving conditions every few milliseconds.

Agile Handling Assist

Braking individual wheels helps you smoothly and easily trace a desired line through a curve.

Front view of an MDX highlighting the Double Wishbone through the body. // Vue de face d'un MDX mettant en évidence le Double Wishbone à travers le corps.

Double Wishbone Suspension

Derived from our performance DNA, the MDX's double wishbone-shaped control arms deliver more precise control of the wheel camber. The sharp responsiveness enhances tire-to-ground contact for exceptional handling and cornering grip.

Front view of an MDX highlighting the Double Wishbone through the body. // Vue de face d'un MDX mettant en évidence le Double Wishbone à travers le corps.

ACE™ Body Structure

Our Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ body construction is designed to help reduce and disperse force in frontal crashes involving virtually all car sizes.

Testing The Hard Way

We don’t just talk power and precision, we put them to the ultimate tests. From sand to snow to the shake room, we put our vehicles through countless hours of some of the harshest conditions we can throw at them. Spoiler alert, they pass.