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Acura makes RLX its technology flagship (pictures)

As a replacement for its former RL flagship sedan, Acura takes the covers off the 2014 RLX, its new top-end car featuring technology such as LED headlights and a dynamic Krell audio system.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
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1 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET
At the 2012 New York auto show, Acura showed off the RLX concept, and follows it up at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a complete production version, maintaining much of the look and all the technologies announced in the concept. And although we will have to wait for the hybrid version, Acura frosted the cake with a Krell audio system.
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2 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET
LED headlights, often shown on concepts, make it to the production RLX. Better yet, these low-power light sources come standard at every trim level. Another surprising standard technology featured on the RLX is what Acura calls Precision All-Wheel-Steer (P-AWS), which adds steering capability to the rear wheels to aid in cornering.
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3 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET
The RLX will launch as a front-wheel-drive sedan with a direct injection 3.5-liter engine, the powerplant part of Acura's new Earth Dreams drivetrain technology initiative. This engine produces 310 horsepower and 272 pound-feet of torque. Later in 2013, Acura plans on offering a hybrid, all-wheel-drive version of the RLX that adds electric motive power to the rear wheels.
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4 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET
The RLX comes in at 2 inches longer than the outgoing RL. Acura will offer a number of driver assist features, such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, and a blind spot monitor.
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5 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET
Similar to the 2013 Honda Accord, the RLX shows up with two LCDs on the center stack. It seems that the upper LCD comes in cars with the navigation option, while the lower LCD serves as the main screen in cars without navigation. Acura also launches a smartphone integration feature called AcuraLink in the RLX, which is comparable to the HondaLink integration intro'd in the Honda Accord.
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6 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET
Acura adds some color to the RLX's instrument cluster, with an LCD between the tachometer and speedo.
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7 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET
Acura give the RLX a six-speed automatic transmission with a sport mode. Paddle shifters on the steering wheel allow for manual gear selection.
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8 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET
One showpiece of tech in the RLX is the Krell audio system, available at upper trim levels. Krell is a very high-end home audio system manufacturer. After being enlisted by Acura, Krell engineers spent four years developing the 14-speaker system for the RLX. Metal grilles for the door woofers give the system a custom look, but what really stands out is the sound quality, with incredible dynamic range for music reproduction.

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