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It is a car that is meant to be efcient and powerful. It is engineered so that it provides not only the ability to accelerate quickly, but to be able to go quickly through a curve, not just a straight line. Which goes to two words that Aoki uses when describing what the engineering team worked toward achieving in the development of the vehicle: Takaburi: exhilarating Inomama: at the will of the driver Fast and controllable. And yet there still is the aspect of efciency to the vehicle. The car is rated at 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. Notable when you take into account that the vehicle is rated at 377 hp, making it the mostpowerful Acura available right now. (The 2005 NSX was available with a 290-hp V6; presumably the next NSX will trump the RLX Sport Hybrid, but until it shows up in a showroom and not just auto shows . . .) Like the original RLX—which Aoki and his colleagues refer to as "RLX P-AWS" with the modifying acronym signifying "precision all-wheel steering"—the RLX Sport Hybrid has a 3.5-liter, all aluminum V6 under its hood that produces 310 hp @ 6,500 rpm. But the hybrid has an idle-stop feature and, consequently, revised cam timing so that the restarts are smooth. The additional power comes from three electric motors. There is a 35-kW electric motor that is integrated with a seven-speed dual clutch transmission (which can be used simply as an automatic or with gear selection via paddles). This motor performs three functions. (1) It supplements the engine as needed in driving the front wheels; (2) it provides regenerative braking for the front wheels; (3) it works as a generator, transforming engine power into electricity for recharging the lithium-ion battery pack. (Speaking of the battery pack: contained within the "Intelligent Power Unit" (IPU) it is rated at 1.3-kWh and consists of 72 cells. The IPU also holds a 12-V DC/DC converter, junction board, and electronic control units for the motors and batteries. It is located behind the rear seat of the vehicle. This reduces the cargo capacity in the trunk to 12-ft3 from 15.1- to 15.3-ft (depending on the trim package) in the non-hybrid RLX. However, it ofers 38.8 in. of rear seat legroom, which handily bests competitors including the Lexus GS Hybrid, Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series, and Audi A6.) The other two motors, both 27-kW, are housed in the Twin Motor Unit, a diecast aluminum housing that is located in the rear, where a diferential in an all-wheel-drive vehicle is typically located. (And while this is an all-wheeldrive car, unlike a conventional one, not only is there no rear dif, there is also no driveshaft, both of which mean less weight and fewer friction-related losses.) These motors are mounted backto-back such that each powers one of the rear wheels. They can also provide negative torque (think: regenerative t Although this looks like the 310-hp 2014 RLX and although this 2014 RLX has the same 3.5liter V6 under its hood, this is actually the RLX Sport Hybrid that, thanks to the addition of three electric motors, has a combined output of 377 hp. 23