A Production, Gas-Powered Acura Nexera? U.S. CEO Wants It To Happen

Acura said its stunning Nexera coupe concept was purely that—a concept, and there was no production intended whatsoever. Showing off something so extreme at Monterey Car Week is a bold move, and the two-seat, scissor-door design study was meant more to preview pieces of the next RDX, MDX, and other mundane people-movers than it was to show off a new sport coupe the brand would sell. As it turns out, the brass behind the project actually want to see it happen, and with a gas engine to boot.

Motor Trend was talking to Acura (and Honda) execs and learned that Acura creative director Yasutake Tsuchida was thinking of a production vehicle in mind when he penned the Nexera. The car was designed with electric propulsion in mind, but that might not be how it makes it to production.

American Honda president and CEO Eiji Fujimara was less tight-lipped, going on to say,

“I would like to do this car [...] I would like to do it with an engine, personally, but we will do what the customer wants, if that’s engine or hybrid or EV.”

Obviously take all of this with a grain of salt; there isn't any guarantee that things go further to production beyond these off-the-cuff interview tidbits. Honda is giving Acura a fairly major revamp for 2030, which interestingly doesn't include any PHEVs. Honda Vice President of Auto Strategy Gary Robinson said, "PHEVs just don't work in the market." Instead, they will work on electric vehicles (EVs), gas-only models, and traditional hybrids.

Being that the new Honda Prelude is off to a lukewarm start, we stand behind the idea of a new Acura coupe being gas-only. The Integra returned; isn't it time for a new RSX or Legend?

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