The prototype for the upcoming sporty crossover was first spotted testing at night in California’s Death Valley back in August. The latest shots show the car testing at Germany’s Nuburgring race track – a benchmark for any serious performance vehicle. Until now, prototypes for the crossover have all been spotted in the United States. The fact that engineers are testing the vehicle in Germany could suggest that an eventual European launch could be on the cards for Acura, just as Nissan has done recently with its Infiniti brand.
The shots reveal an extremely low roofline that starts to descend after the B-pillar and gives the vehicle a coupe-like profile similar to BMW's X6. Other details include dual exhaust tips and slanted-back angular headlights. There are also several shots of the interior, which reveal a similar design to the cabin in the current MDX SUV.
Acura is yet to reveal any specific details about a new crossover model, however the company’s vice president for corporate planning and logistics, Dan Bonawitz, confirmed recently that Acura’s first all-new model would be launched in 2010 and that it would be followed by the NSX-replacement later that same year.
This means the crossover could feature a V8 engine, which Acura plans to introduce within the next 18 months. The other engine option would likely include the current 3.7L V6. Honda’s Super-Handling AWD system would also likely come as standard.