Acura has long struggled to carve out a successful niche in the luxury market. It may finally have found the design language that this requires in the form of the Nexera Vision concept making its debut during this year’s Monterey Car Week. Headlight.News takes a closer look.
The Acura Nexera seen with its butterfly doors open.
It’s been 40 years since Japan’s first luxury automotive brand made what, at the time, was an auspicious debut. Yet, all these decades later, odds are few folks – especially those buyers in the high-end market – can tell you what Acura is all about. Indeed, among major luxury marques, it ranks near the bottom in terms of brand recognition.
A critical part of the problem: the lack of a distinctive and appealing design language. It’s not that Acura hasn’t tried. It’s come up with a variety of different approaches over the years, including the oft-derided “shield grille.” None have quite clicked.
That helps explain why the Internet today is abuzz about the new concept vehicle set to debut over the weekend at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, one of the most popular events during the annual Monterey Car Week in California. Dubbed the Nexera Vision, it’s a sleek and exotic sports car that, Honda’s luxury brand claims, “ignites a bold new era for Acura with a unique fusion of timeless beauty and high-tech details, inside and out.”
“Challenger spirit”
Before I go much further, let me address the question everyone is already asking: “When will they build it?” For now, at least, Acura officials firmly insist there are no plans to put Nexera into production. It is not the long-rumored third-generation NSX.
That out of the way, they also make it clear that this isn’t some fantasy-in-chrome exercise leading nowhere. Meant to reflect the brand’s “challenger spirit,” we can expect to see key design elements, like the long hood, distinctive exterior lighting details and cockpit-style interior, show up in future production models.
“We are using the 40th anniversary of Acura as a springboard to our future, with the Acura Nexera Vision serving as the design language for future Acura models,” said Yasutake Tsuchida, Acura Creative Director and Vice President of Auto Design. “Our goal with this new design direction is to define Acura performance through disciplined proportions, sculpted form and the seamless integration of advanced technology, creating an expression that is both progressive and authentic to the brand.”
What’s a Nexera Vision
An electrically operated rear spoiler is part of Nexera’s active aero package.
It’s no surprise that Acura chose this approach to debut as its design “springboard.” There may not be much of a market for sports cars these days but they do provide a perfect canvas for showing what your designers and engineers can do.
Nexera isn’t as radical as some concepts we’ve seen over the years – not that it has to be. It doesn’t even follow some of the norms of the modern sports car world, its overall silhouette suggests its designed to put an engine up front – hence the long hood flowing rearward into a steeply raked glass greenhouse. The butterfly doors are designed to attract attention, of course. And the roof flows into a tapered fastback.
There are some creative elements to the exterior design, such as the ducktail’s active spoiler, part of Nexera’s active aero package.
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Phantom lighting
Nexera’s A-shaped lights all but vanish when turned off.
Perhaps the most intriguing feature – from a future production standpoint – is the lighting. The concept features A-shaped LEDs (of course), at both ends. If they look at all familiar, considering them the next step in a design development process first envisioned for the Acura Next-Gen Hybrid SUV Prototype.
The ultra-thin lamps are designed to be visible only when needed. Turn them off and they effectively vanish into the Matte Titanium bodywork.
Acura calls this technique, “phantom lighting,” and it’s very definitely going to reappear in future production models, starting with the next-generation RDX Hybrid.
Powertrain
“The Acura Nexera Vision exudes confidence and high-performance capability,” Acura tells us in a statement.
Perhaps, but the reality is a bit different. The design may suggest a front-mounted engine layout – or perhaps an all-electric drivetrain, the concept isn’t a runner. There’s no powertrain under the skin, not anyway, if you don’t count a small electric motor that allows the Vision show car to be moved around on stage under remote control.
Clearly, though, the overall design – enhanced by the active aero features – are meant to suggest it could move with blistering speed.
High-tech cabin
No good sports car concept is complete without a “cockpit-style” cabin, and here’s where Nexera really stands out.
There is, of course, the de rigeur digital display which is easily viewed above the yoke-style steering “wheel.” But, in this era, it’s surprisingly modest in size.
The seats, meanwhile, are fixed directly to the floor. They can’t slide fore or aft. To find the perfect driving position a motorist moves the yoke and pedals.
The concept’s cabin is finished black-and-white, with gloss black, carbon fiber and, curiously, pink accents. While there’s clearly an emphasis on luxury, much of the cabin is finished with sustainable materials, including recycled aluminum and Alcantara – which is made from recycled polyester.
“Sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in how premium quality and performance are defined, and the Acura brand is embracing innovative material technologies that bring fresh possibilities to the customer experience while supporting broader environmental ambitions,” explained Yasutake Tsuchida, Acura’s Creative Director and Vice President of Auto Design.
What’s next for Nexera
Acura’s design team is looking for ways to incorporate Nexer design details into future production models.
There are more than a few instances where concepts designed purely for show have wound up in production after scoring raves from the media and, more importantly, from potential buyers.
At this point, however, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards for the Nexera Vision. As I noted, it’s really not even designed to fit a working powertrain – perhaps reflecting the current soul-searching Honda Motor Co. is doing as it retreats from what had been quite aggressive EV plans.
That said, we clearly will see key elements, starting with the phantom lighting, show up in production models in the not-too-distant future. And, just possibly, Nexera could have strong influence if and when a new Acura NSX comes to market.
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