In 2024, Honda's luxury brand wants to launch its first all-electric SUV. The Precision EV Concept, which debuted as part of Monterey Car Week 2022, anticipated the model christened ZDX as a production car. Now we have caught a first Erlkönig.
Those responsible at Acura are not particularly creative - at least in relation to the names of the concept studies that Honda's luxury brand is rolling into the limelight. Already in 2016, an Acura Precision Concept debuted at the Detroit Motor Show. However, the 5.18 meter long, very sleek sedan never received a series equivalent. This is supposed to be different with the new Acura Precision Concept, in the name of which an “EV” was inserted and which made its debut at the Monterey Car Week in August 2022: a production version should be available for purchase in 2024. Its premiere is scheduled for the end of 2023. The new electric model will then simply be called the Acura ZDX and will be flanked by a slightly more powerful, sportier ZDX S variant.
The concept study designed in Acura's Los Angeles-based design studio is intended to be formally based on Italian luxury boats. Maybe that's why it has its matt blue paintwork with a strong depth effect, which is complemented by gray areas in the sill area. In contrast, the window and roof sections are almost completely black. The character lines in the body are striking: the upper one begins as a bulge in the front hood and curves up to the rear lights. The lower one starts at the front wheel arches, then rises and meets its counterpart just before the B-pillar. There are no door handles to be seen, and there are compact, rear-facing cameras instead of exterior mirrors. The wheels are pretty big at 23 inches.
Light games everywhere
The lighting is of particular importance in the Precision EV Concept; Acura calls them "theatrical". Since the concept car, thanks to its electric drive, can do without the brand's traditional pentagon-shaped grille, the designers have arranged light segments like diamonds in this area to mimic this styling element. The headlights and rear lights have a similar design: slightly larger and triangular on the outside and tapering inwards as a light bar. Additional light elements can be found in the front and rear aprons. The brand logos are also illuminated.
According to the interior designers, the interior design was inspired by Formula 1 cockpits. That's not entirely far-fetched: the compact steering wheel has a rectangular shape and the seating position should be comparatively low. Behind the valance there is a transparent touch display that stretches over the center console and curves towards the driver's seat.The upper part of the dashboard picks up the play of light from the outside. The fact that recycled materials are used everywhere, the leather is made from 100% biomass and only FSC-certified wood is used is part of the good show car tone these days.
The interior embodies two theme worlds: If the driver takes the wheel himself, the Precision EV Concept presents red instruments on the corresponding display and adjusts the ambient lighting accordingly. If, on the other hand, the electric SUV is in autonomous "Spiritual Lounge" mode, the steering wheel retracts and transforms the interior into a soothing and scented biotope with an animated underwater projection.
First Erlkönig caught
Acura has yet to provide any information on the electric drive of the Precision EV Concept. The only thing that is clear is that the ZDX will be on the platform taken over by GM. The Acura ZDX thus becomes the sister model of the Cadillac Lyriq . The ZDX will also roll off the assembly line at GM's Springhill, Tennessee plant in parallel with this one. The GM relationship suggests a 340 hp electric motor on the rear axle in the base model. The S variant could come with motors on each axle and thus all-wheel drive and 500 hp. The base price is speculated to be around $ 60,000. Visually, the ZDX remains close to the study in the production version. Changes arise in the points that are relevant for a series model. The Erlkönig shows conventional exterior mirrors, conventional door handles and less extravagantly shaped aprons and side skirts. Otherwise, the lines correspond to the study. The ZDX should come as a series model in 2024.
Conclusion
With the Precision EV Concept, Acura is showing what the ZDX electric SUV, which Honda's luxury brand wants to bring to the market in 2024, could look like. The ZDX will be on the Ultium platform inherited from GM. This makes it the sister model of the Cadillac Lyriq.
