With only three sedans and two SUVs to offer, Acura has been struggling to keep up with Lexus and Infiniti, the other two Japanese premium brands created specifically for the U.S. market. The fact that Acura committed to a rather bland corporate design, limited body styles, and a couple of engines didn't help either. But, that may change soon, as the brand just previewed its next design language with a bold looking concept car at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show.

Dubbed Precision Concept, the vehicle in the photos hints toward a bolder, more distinctive future for Acura design. The show car was penned at the Acura Design Studio in California by the same people who crafted the NSX and is described as a model that "will literally shape the direction of all future Acura products."

The concept depicts a low-slung, sporty sedan with a fastback-like roof and features styling cues previously not seen on any Acura production car. There's no word as to when the first model based on the Precision concept will hit showrooms, but the study has plenty of interesting features to talk about. Keep reading to find out more about it and make sure you access our gallery section for photos from the Detroit Auto Show.

Updated 08/23/2016: Acura decided to show its new Precision concept at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours and we were there to take some shots. Check the picture gallery to check the new images.

Continue reading to learn more about the Acura Precision Concept.

2017 Acura Precision Concept

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Acura Precision Concept
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Much like any concept created to explore new and challenging ideas, the Precision is a rather futuristic appearance, especially among other Acura products. The front end makes up for the most aggressive Acura I've ever seen, mostly due to the massive, sharp grille, which the company describes as a "diamond pentagon" grille, and the squinty, LED headlamps that stretch all the way to the wheel arches. Both the engine hood and the apron feature sharp creases that appear to be a radical interpretation of the brand's current design language, save for the missing Acura "beak."

The approach is quite radical around back too, with a pair of slender taillights integrated into the fenders and the sculpted edges of the fascia. Down below, there's a sporty bumper with sharper cues and massive exhaust outlets, which not only have been pushed well toward the wheels, but also feature a unique design that somewhat matches that of the taillights.

The car's profile is also interesting to look at, showcasing extremely short overhangs that make the wheelbase seem downright massive. The sleek sedan is actually pretty long at 204 inches, which makes it a full two inches longer than the long-wheelbase version of the Infiniti Q70 and nearly two inches longer than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Likewise, it's significantly longer (by a whopping eight inches) than Acura's largest sedan, the RLX. The wheelbase is also ten inches longer than that of the RLX and 2.5 inches longer than that of the S-Class. This is a big Acura!

Getting back to its design features, the profile is quite sexy to look at, sporting muscular fenders front and rear, a protruding character line that exudes aggressiveness, and deeply sculpted side skirts that feature big gaps underneath the front doors. I have no idea whether these gaps have something to do with aerodynamics, but it's interesting to see them on a sedan. Rounding off the concept is a set of massive 22-inch wheels with an intricate, five-spoke design.

Overall, the Prestige is a daring concept that's challenging not just for Acura, but for other manufacturers in the full-size segment as well. It wouldn't win a beauty contest I would judge, but I'd definitely give Acura a big hand for getting out of its comfort zone.

Exterior Dimensions

Width

84 Inches

Length

204 Inches

Height

52 Inches

Wheelbase

122 Inches


Interior

Things get even more dramatic on the inside, where Acura went wild with all sorts of futuristic designs ranging from a double-layered dashboard to "floating" rear seats. The dash doesn't feature a traditional instrument cluster. Instead, Acura opted for a tablet-like touchscreen that seems to float just above the steering wheel column. Likewise, the main display has been replaced with a large screen that's about half the length of the dash and sits above the center stack. The latter is also far from conventional, featuring a slim display and three buttons for "Drive," "Park," and "Reverse."

Nearly every surface is wrapped in leather, either white for the lower dashboard, center console and seat backs or a reddish shade of brown for the upper dashboard, seating surfaces, and steering wheel. Acura also crammed a lot of high-quality, genuine wood in there. At a quick glance, there seems to be three different types of wood on the center console, door panels, and dashboard. Other highlights include white contrast stitching for the dark leather surfaces, a sports steering wheel with paddle shifters and Integrated Dynamics System controls, and a head-up display.

Acura says that the Precision concept also "explores a new approach for Acura’s digital human-machine interface (HMI)." The system is supposed to enable a "more intuitive, advanced and seamless connection between man and machine," using the big center screen and the floating touchpad, but no specific details are given.

Drivetrain

Acura had nothing to say about the Precision's drivetrain, but given that the brand has made it clear that it wants to focus on performance with upcoming models, the concept could use the the 3.5-liter V-6 engine and hybrid system from the RLX Sport Hybrid. The combo cranks out 377 horsepower to all four wheels in the RLX and should make the Precision significantly quicker given the concept's advanced technology. Of course, the hybrid drivetrain would only make sense in a production version, as the concept could have nothing under the hood. Until I see it rolling, the Precision is just a trailer queen.

But, let's say that Acura will put the Precision in production a few years for now. By then, the Japanese will probably develop and more powerful and efficient hybrid drivetrain or even an all-electric system. Another option would be a detuned version of the drivetrain used in the new Acura NSX, which is good for 572 horses between the engine and three electric motors.

Conclusion

It's hard to not get excited about concept cars, but the fact that this show car comes from Acura makes it that much more special. The Japanese brand has showcased numerous concept cars over the last decade, but none was as radical and spectacular as the Precision. Granted, it's not the most beautiful sedan out there and it has plenty of design features that might be classified as weird, but it's a sign that Acura is finally thinking out of the box and looking to make a bold statement. It will take a few years before this styling language finds its way on a production car, but the results should be interesting to say the least.

Updated History

Updated 01/12/2016: Acura unveiled the new Precision Concept at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show.