Acura Design Chief Explains Sports Car Concept as RDX Preview

Acura unveiled its Nexera Vision concept sports car, a sleek coupe with butterfly doors, and Yasutake Tsuchida, the brand's creative director and VP of auto design, spoke about why a sports car was used to preview the upcoming RDX crossover.

Tsuchida said designers need to show their vision through a sporty car, which is why they expressed it with those proportions. He reiterated that the concept is meant to show Acura's future exterior and interior design language, plus new technologies and materials, including "phantom lighting" and sustainable cabin materials like recycled aluminum, Alcantara, post-consumer recycled polyester, and CircuLeather.

When asked if Acura might bring back a sporty coupe, Tsuchida said, "Personally, I want the car." Asked which engine he'd want in the concept, he paused, chuckled, and answered: "Something fast."

The Drive noted that two years ago it reported on an "NSX-type" performance EV in Acura's pipeline, and the outlet speculated whether this concept previews that car, though it added that an EV powertrain seems unlikely. The writer admitted the concept might be more than Acura claims, but said time will tell.