Acura has brought its Type S performance brand back after a hiatus of more than a decade. The 2021 Acura TLX Type S is the first performance special from Acura in a generation, and we now know its price. The TLX S will start at $52,300, plus a $1,025 destination fee.
That sticker gets you a 355-horsepower V6 with a twin-scroll turbocharger. It sends power through a 10-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels via Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. The Type S features a stiffer chassis than the standard TLX, along with an adaptive suspension and Brembo performance brakes.
Our own Micah Muzio put it through its paces on a race track recently. See his experience here.
Only 2,000 examples of the TLX Type S will be built for the 2021 model year. It will come with just one option: a high-performance wheel and tire package that adds NSX-inspired split 5-spoke wheels, reducing unsprung mass more than 21 pounds, and 255-series Pirelli P-Zero summer tires. The $800 upgrade seems like a bargain.
While the Type S is a performance-oriented edition of a luxury sedan, it’s not meant to rival BMW’s M cars or something from Mercedes’ AMG division. It more closely targets a BMW M340i or the Audi S4. Against that competition, Type S offers an extensive equipment list and a reasonable price.
