Car of the Year Contender & Vegas Voyage
Odometer (Legend): 516,653
Odometer (ILX):
Happy Halloween! It’s trip time here. I’m off yet again tomorrow to Sin City (AKA Las Vegas, Nevada) for a few days of car-related fun. On Friday I’ll attend the SEMA show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. My ILX knows this 309-mile drive well as we’ve done it a number of times already this year.
This year’s SEMA show promises to have some great features, including some souped-up Acura ILX’s. A press release distributed on Tuesday gives us a sneak peek at the “Street Build” car that will be on display.
Specifications:
- Company Name: Evasive Motorsports
- Name of Vehicle: 2013 Acura ILX Street Build
- Powertrain Modifications: CT Engineering supercharger kit, CT Engineering intake, Hondata FlashPro, Greddy SP Elite prototype exhaust
- Chassis/Suspension Modifications: 19 x 8.5 (+45 offset) Volk G25 wheels, 235/35ZR-19 Pirelli P Zero tires, Tein Street Advance Coilovers, Stoptech big brake kit, Evasive Motorsports corner balance and alignment
- Exterior Modifications: Acura Genuine Accessories front underbody spoiler, Acura Genuine Accessories side underbody spoiler, Acura Genuine Accessories rear underbody spoiler, Acura Genuine Accessories deck lid spoiler, Acura Genuine Accessories body side molding, Rays Dura-Nuts lug nuts, S&A Design vinyl stickers
- Interior Modifications: CT Engineering short-shift kit, Acura Genuine Accessories illuminated door sill, Acura Genuine Accessories trunk tray
Can’t wait to take a peek!
Weather (at least on this side of the country!) has been prime the last couple of weeks so I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity to get the cars out. Friday after work I took a quick jaunt up Arizona Hwy 87 toward Payson with the moonroof open and rear windows down in the coupe. Lots of saguaro cacti out that way!
Car of the Year & ILX News
Acura has known how to build quality cars for a long time now. The original Legend coupe which debuted in 1987 took home the title of Import Car of the Year. Now, 25 years later the 2013 Acura ILX is in the running for Motor Trend’s highly coveted Car of the Year title. Read up on it here.
I’ve had a blast with my ILX since I got the keys in mid June, and my friends know how much I love showing the car off. My buddy Nick works graveyard shift for a local towing company and was sure to let me know when he’d found his first ILX victim this week! D’oh! To the unlucky new ILX owner in Tempe – keep an eye on those parking restrictions!
The ILX movement is catching on, and it’s fun to see the enthusiast community grow. Facebook ILX Owners group member Luke from Columbus, Ohio just picked up this beautiful Crystal Black Pearl 6-speed.
Check out this new ILX commercial demonstrating the car’s abilities to read text messages, a feature I experimented with awhile back.
Aaron’s New Ride
Finally, I’m sending some well-deserved congratulations to my good friend Aaron on today’s purchase of his 2013 Audi S5. I had the privilege of shuttling Aaron from central Phoenix to Audi of Chandler tonight where his 333-horsepower, “Monsoon Gray” sports coupe awaited delivery.
The Acura feels a bit out of place in this parking lot but still proudly shows off its innovative design.
Aaron’s car as it awaited him in the “Delivery Area.”
And getting some hands-on training from the salesperson.
Since I had a bit of time to kill while Aaron took care of paperwork, I watched another gentleman take delivery of the below car, a 2013 Audi A8L. This monster is a 500-horsepower, 463 lb-ft of torque luxo-ride powered by a W12 motor. The pricetag? Only $154,000.
I watched with a bit of wonder as the salesperson showed the new owner, a boots-wearing cowboy from Tucson, a special feature that assists closure of the front doors and “sucks” them in once they are lightly closed. I didn’t have the heart to tell the guy that my 18-year-old Legend had that same feature in 1994, and Acura called it “Active Door Strikers.” Didn’t want to spoil his fun.
🙂
Finally, the customary key handoff and send-off!
Aaron’s making a huge upgrade from his black A4 and promised the salesperson he’d keep the speeds reasonable as he got acquainted with his new ride.
34 miles and just a baby.
Aaron let me drive his car back from our celebratory dinner, and I must say it was one sweet ride. The flat-bottomed steering wheel was one of my favorite features. As much as I’m not usually a fan of automatic transmissions, this one is a 7-speed dual-clutch unit and actually is quite fun to drive!
Safe travels to all this weekend and make every mile Legendary.
drivetofive 
November 1, 2012 at 6:58 pm
I have been anxious to see Aaron’s car! He looks especially pleased. Good for you, Aaron! I will check out your ride in January! My car is at about 101,000 now and ready to hit the road again soon. Have a blast at the SEMA show and then Beckam’s birthday party!
November 3, 2012 at 8:10 pm
It’s been a whirlwind weekend and it ain’t over yet! SEMA exceeded all my expectations. I’ll be processing pictures for the next few days without a doubt. Look for a write-up later this coming week! Great to be in St. G tonight.
November 1, 2012 at 8:09 pm
VEGA$!
Enjoy SIN CITY!
November 3, 2012 at 8:11 pm
Thanks, Dave! Vega$ treated me well – though I didn’t gamble. Had a couple late nights there with good times, good people, and great food. My friend Buck ate a deep fried Twinkie last night at the Golden Nugget casino. Can you imagine?!
November 2, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Noticed the Legend went more miles than the ILX since last post. Starting to prefer that one?
November 3, 2012 at 8:12 pm
Eric, picking a “preferred” vehicle out of these two would be like saying I have a favorite child, but they each excel in their own way. I knew I was taking a long-haul in the ILX this weekend so I spent more time in the coupe this prior week. They both get plenty of exercise, that’s for sure! Which of the two would you rather be behind the wheel of?
November 3, 2012 at 8:19 pm
Never driven a Legend. Love my ILX, though.