Acura ZDX Sporty Crossover Concept Revealed at New York Show

Meet the Acura ZDX concept, or shall we say, a very close to production version of the Japanese firm's forthcoming crossover that is due to go on sale in the States in the fall of 2009. While most of us were questioning BMW's decision to add the X6 in its lineup, the Honda folks quickly picked up the idea and came up with their own four-door coupe crossover - we know, it sounds ridiculous...

"The ZDX is truly a luxury performance coupe - plus," said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales. "The emotional coupe styling coupled with a luxurious and dramatic interior and surprising versatility, allows the ZDX to define its own segment and attract an entirely new customer."

While we wouldn't actually fall in love with its exterior styling, we must admit that Acura's designers seem to have done a better job than their Bavarian counterparts. An interesting detail are the hidden rear door handles that are concealed in the C-pillar. Aside from a few minor details such as the headlamp and tail light housings, the exhaust tail pipes and quite possibly, the front bumper, don't expect to see other differences on the production model.

At 192.4 inches or 4887mm long, the ZDX prototype is less than two inches longer than the MDX (190.7 in.) but nearly 12 inches longer than the RDX (180.7 in. or 4590 mm). However, with a height of 61.8 inches, it's also around 7 and 4-inches respectively lower than its two crossover siblings.

Inside, the five-seater ZDX is virtually production ready though don't expect to see the hand-stitched leather dashboard and the two-tone trim, or at least not in the basic versions of the crossover. The prototype's cabin also features a panoramic glass roof which runs the entire length of the vehicle.

Acura said that this fall's production version of the ZDX will be powered by a V6 engine mated to an all-new, 6-speed automatic transmissio that drives all four-wheels through Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system.

ZDX Prototype Dimensions:

• Length: 192.4 inches
  
• Width: 78.5 inches
  
• Height: 61.8 inches
  
• Wheelbase: 108.2 inches
  
• Wheel/tire: 9-spoke custom alloy wheels with Michelin Latitude HP 275/40ZR 20 tires
  
• Powertrain: All-aluminum VTEC V-6, all-new 6-speed automatic transmission with Sequential SportShift and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD)
  
• Seating capacity: 5-passenger