Update March 18, 2024: Checking in with a contact at Acura today, they confirmed that these are in fact legitimate Acura patent images, but it wont come to fruition as a future Acura model. Here is their statement about the images:
“Our Acura design teams occasionally submit design concepts for patent protection as part of a standard design process for potential future products. The design patent images in question are several years old and relate to a concept model that will not come to market.
So it turns it the design is a few years old, perhaps it’s linked to the design of the Precision EV Concept as the two share some styling characteristics.
March 14, 2024:
Patent images portraying what looks to be a new Acura sedan have recently been circulating online. While I can’t verify the original source, MotorTrend says the image’s patent filing makes reference to the Acura Precision Concept from 2016.
The design clearly shows the proportions of a large sedan, with a stretched out hood and a long front overhang. It wears a pointy-nosed Diamond Pentagon Grille, similar to the one seen on the Acura Precision EV Concept SUV from 2022. The front lacks any sort of air intakes or vents, which would suggest an EV, but the quad exhaust tips from the rear contradict that. Overall I feel the design is rather tame with simple body lines, but then again patent images are never inspiring.
So what might this sedan be? Most have already associated it with the next-generation TLX, MotorTrend is hinting at a Legend/RLX revival, and Kirk Kreifels has drawn many comparisons to the current Honda Accord, proposing it could be a rebranded Acura model based off the Accord.
The patent images don’t include details such as side mirrors or door handles, as well as moonroof or body panel lines. T could that the design is , perhaps it might even be an early concept.
I absolutely love the design and aggressive styling of Acura’s current sedans, the Integra and TLX, so I’ll remain optimistic that the next-generation models will live up to its predecessors. As for this mystery sedan, we’ll just have to wait and see if it resurfaces in the upcoming months.
[Source: MotorTrend]