BY JARED GALL, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY G. RUSSELL
January 2007
Following the ground-breaking naming convention started by the Advanced Sedan concept unveiled in L.A., Acura unveiled a concept in Detroit called the Advanced Sports Car concept. Having been out of the sports car market since the NSX passed back in 2005, Acura appears to be readying for re-entry, although NSX purists will be disappointed that the company’s next sports car will likely not be a mid-engine exotic, but a front engine grand tourer, possibly a 2+2.
Shorn of most all exterior trim, door handles, and even a grille, the Advanced Sports Car concept otherwise provides a pretty accurate look at what a future Acura GT might look like. The long, sloping hood, sleek roof, and muscular rear haunches formed from a blend of curved surfaces and sharply creased edges would translate well from show stand to show room.
If (and that’s a very little if) anything similar to the Advanced Sports Car concept were ever to find its way into production, rumor has it that a 5.0-liter V-10 making at least 450 horsepower might power all four wheels through Acura’s Super Handling All Wheel Drive system. We forecast a price in the low six-figure range, putting this car head to head with the Lexus LF-A in a future comparison test.
