To mark the return of the Type S emblem, the Acura TLX Type S will be built around a new 3.0-liter V-6 with a turbocharger in 2021. On Tuesday, Acura posted a short video detailing the development of this engine.
Most of the development work has been done at Acura’s mother Honda’s research and development facility in Tochigi, Japan, but the engines are built at the Anna engine plant in Anna, Ohio, making the development process an international proposition. The development team included veterans of the Honda Civic Type R and Acura NSX engine development programs.
Acura emphasized that the Type-S engine is not derived from its existing 3.5-liter V-6. The 3.0 liter engine has a unique block that only shares its 60 degree angle with the larger displacement engine.
2021 Acura TLX Type S
The technical highlights of the Type-S V-6 include a twin-scroll turbocharger, to which the engineers attribute the low torque peak of 1,400 rpm, and a highly stressed crankshaft made of forged steel – just like the NSX. The Type-S engine also has an active exhaust system (also derived from the NSX, Acura claims) for an emotional sound and cylinder deactivation that can shut off three cylinders to save fuel.
The result is 355 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission that distributes power to Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. Acura quotes 0-60 mph in about 5.0 seconds, which the automaker says is 25% faster than the standard TLX. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, up from 130 mph for the standard TLX.
The TLX Type-S won’t be the only Acura model with this Turbo V-6 for long. The engine will also be used in the upcoming 2022 Acura MDX Type-S SUV.
