MT: When did you start this latest relaunch of the brand?

JI:Maybe 2015. That's when the NSX came online. And that's when we were completely reorienting ourselves back to "precision crafted performance," our heritage. If we're going to be a performance brand, we needed to have the supercar as the halo…I'm not going to lie to you, we did wander around a little bit and we've refocused. NSX happened, racing happened, A-Specs, but the RDX was one of the first of the next generation of cars for us, a proof point to say, "Hey, we're ready to show you what new-look Acura is all about."

MT: The RDX became more premium?

JI:We went more upscale. Our transaction prices went up, but we're still conquesting. We're trying to build emotion again, make fun-to-drive cars again. And it resonated well in the market. RDX did well.

MT: What is the strategy for TLX?

JI:We wanted a blank sheet of paper. For the people that are left driving sedans, like myself, you need to get that first knockout punch and have that presence. Making low, sleek, long, wide vehicles is what Acura was known for back in the late '80s, early '90s, and we're refocused on that. With the RLX leaving our sedan lineup, it freed us to do theproportions and sizes we wanted. It's close to an [Audi] A7 or [Porsche] Panamera. We were already going to say goodbye to the low-end version of the current TLX, the four-cylinder model. Type S is coming right around the corner.

MT: Other models in the works?

JI:We've got an MDX coming right behind [the TLX], and following that is the Type S. We're completely revamping everything. The RDX has shown the way and given us confidence that we've chosen the right path.

MT: Will allfuture models get a Type S?

JI:That's the plan. The Type S is the sports derivative of all of our lineup. We need to focus on them. The equity we want to put on Type S is huge. Yes, we want to put Type S on everything, starting with the TLX. We've already talked about it being on the MDX.

MT: Why give TLX its own dedicated platform?

JI:Going forward, we will have to look at how we share things and whatnot, but for this vehicle, it's [new from the] ground up. It's its own thing.

MT: Can future products use the platform?

JI:Currently, that's not in discussion. As future products get vetted out, who knows? But right now, this chassis is specifically designed for this vehicle. If we were to expand and do derivatives, there's possibilities.

MT: Can Acura share with Honda?