The second new vehicle in Acura’s Type S stable is a high-performance version of the brand’s flagship MDX 3-row SUV. The vehicle made a public appearance towing a race car Acura plans to bring to this year’s running of the famed Pikes Peak Hill Climb later this month.
We don’t know the price or when the MDX Type S will go on sale. Acura promises more information soon
Second Step in the Rebirth of a Performance Nameplate
Most luxury automakers operate an in-house tuner shop that produces high-performance editions of their cars. Like BMW’s M division or Mercedes-Benz’s AMG shop, Acura’s Type S designates quicker versions of its luxury cars. But Acura dropped the Type S moniker more than a decade ago.
Earlier this year, it brought back this performance nameplate with the debut of the TLX Type S sedan. That car’s turbocharged V6 and torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive (AWD) turned out to be a good preview of what to expect from the new sport-tuned SUV.
Turbocharged Power and Torque Vectoring
The same 355-horsepower, turbocharged V6 powers the 2022 Acura MDX Type S. Acura says the engine “was developed by some of the company’s most experienced powertrain engineers, including members of the team that developed the bespoke twin-turbocharged V6 for the NSX supercar.”
The engine sends power through a 10-speed automatic transmission to Acura’s well-reviewed Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. It can send up to 70% of the engine’s power rearward and vector that power to either the left or right rear wheel to attack turns more aggressively. Brembo front brakes and double-wishbone front suspension should enhance cornering capability even further.
