After a long hiatus, a Type S model will return to the Acura lineup next spring.
We’re talking about the 2021 TLX Type S which will feature a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that promises to have far more power than the outgoing 3.5-liter V6 which developed 290 hp (216 kW / 294 PS) and 267 lb-ft (362 Nm).
Besides the new engine, the Type S will have a high-performance braking system and a torque vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. One thing it won’t have is a manual transmission.
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2006 Acura RSX Type-S with a six-speed manual
Following yesterday’s unveiling, we reached out to Acura about the possibly of a do-it-yourself gearbox. The answer probably won’t come as much of a surprise, but the company told us “There are no current plans to offer a manual transmission in the new TLX.”
As a result, the ten-speed automatic will likely remain the only option. The news will probably disappoint some fans, but the automatic features Sequential SportShift technology as well as several improvements over the previous eight- and nine-speed transmissions. Acura has also said the Type S will receive “unique transmission tuning to provide an aggressive and responsive characteristic during performance driving scenarios.”
The decision to go auto-only isn’t unexpected, but Type S models were known for their slick manuals. In fact, the last Type S was the 2008 TL Type-S which had a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produced 286 hp (213 kW / 290 PS) and 256 lb-ft (347 Nm) of torque. It could be connected to either a close-ratio six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic.
Of course, there were also other manual Type-S models including the 2002 RSX Type-S which had 200 hp (149 kW / 203 PS) and a six-speed manual. Even the luxurious Acura 3.2 CL Type-S offered a six-speed manual – although the one we drove had an automatic.
