2014 Acura RLX Technology Preview Drive Page 2

Front-wheel-drive versions of the 2014 RLX aren’t left out; they get their own all-new handling-oriented technology, called Precision All Wheel Steer. The idea builds on decades of development of rear-wheel steering systems and is quite simple: a special actuator is placed along the toe-control link for the multi-link rear suspension. Through it, the system can electronically manage rear toe-in—adding varied amounts of it to the inside rear wheel (up to two percent)—to increase stability during abrupt handling maneuvers, like high-speed lane-changes, or to reduce understeer during other higher-speed corners.

A ‘nudge’ into a more confident line

The effect of this technology (and its advantages) is more straightforward than that of the hybrid system (which we look forward to revisiting when it’s close to production), and it’s easy to feel in both tight corners and high-speed sweepers. It’s especially pronounced in tight corners and in high-speed lane-change maneuvers, where it provides a subtle yet noticeable ‘nudge’ of the back end—not widening its line, but making it feel more neutral near the limit, and more like the front and rear wheels are following your intended line. It’s all very fluid and there’s nothing digital in the way the system deals with transitions.

There’s one other big advantage of Precision All Wheel Steer: more stable braking. On abrupt stops, no matter the speed, the RLX system kicks the toe in smoothly up to a maximum, to help keep the rear wheels more stable.

Between these two breakthrough technologies, we already anticipate that the 2014 Acura RLX will be more responsive and enjoyable to drive—as well as more efficient—than a number of those top-shelf luxury sedans. And with these technologies here, and perhaps further developed in the NSX, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Acura name does some status-climbing in the next few years.