Though it's difficult to pick just one star of this year's 2012 Detroit auto show, the Acura NSX and Lexus LF-LC concepts definitely attracted their shares of attention, and for good reason. The two low-slung concepts represent exciting showroom stars that are sure to get people in dealerships if production versions of the sporty cars are ever built. Until that happens years from now, let's engage in some armchair styling critiques of the two dualing Japanese luxury brand sports cars.
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The NSX concept would definitely win the "Most Improved" award for the Acura brand. From the front, the Lexus LF-LC concept is the bolder car, even when you ignore that arresting red paint. The exaggerated spindle grille with huge chrome accents is a little over the top, but what do you expect on a Detroit show concept car? Acura's latest NSX concept is more subdued and the brand's power plenum grille appears to be evolving nicely. We're more partial to the Acura's spear-style lower front fascia accents, but we can see why some might prefer the Lexus' LED daytime running lights and interesting headlight surrounds.
Moving to the concepts' sides, the Lexus is again features the more dramatic body, with an upswept rear quarter window and side scoop near the doors.
From behind, the Lexus has more attitude, though some might suggest that's because Acura's concept could be the more production ready of the two. Stacked exhaust pipes are a visual highlight on the Lexus while the Acura has cool LED taillights with an LED bar running the length of the trunk lid.
It's hard to compare the two cars' interiors because, well, the Acura concept doesn't have one.So tell us: which of these two concepts catch your eye, theAcura NSXor Lexus LF-LC?
I’ve come a long way since I drove sugar packets across restaurant tables as a kid, pretending they were cars. With more than 17 years of experience, I'm passionate about demystifying the new car market for shoppers and enthusiasts. My expertise comes from thoughtfully reviewing countless vehicles across the automotive spectrum. The greatest thrill I get isn’t just from behind the wheel of an exotic car but from a well-executed car that’s affordable, entertaining, and well-made. Since about the time I learned to walk I’ve been fascinated by cars of all shapes and sizes, but it wasn’t until I struggled through a summer high school class at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design that I realized writing was my ticket into the automotive industry. My drive to high school was magical, taking me through a beautiful and winding canyon; I've never lost the excited feeling some 16-year-olds get when they first set out on the road. The automotive industry, singing, and writing have always been my passions, but because no one seeks a writer who sings about the automotive industry, I honed my writing and editing skills at UC Irvine (zot zot!), serving as an editor of the official campus newspaper and writing stories as a literary journalism major. At USC, I developed a much greater appreciation for broadcast journalists and became acquainted with copy editing rules such as why the Oxford comma is so important. Though my beloved 1996 Audi A4 didn’t survive my college years, my career with MotorTrend did. I started at the company in 2007 building articles for motorcycle magazines, soon transitioning to writing news posts for MotorTrend’s budding online department. I spent some valuable time in the copy editing department, as an online news director, and as a senior production editor. Today, MotorTrend keeps me busy as the Buyer's Guide Director. Not everyone has a career centered on one of their passions, and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am.
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