Honda’s Acura luxury division is no stranger to sports cars , and the brand is dusting its lineup with just a little bit of that performance magic via PMC Editions of its vehicles — and the RDX got next.
Related: 3 Things That Make the 2020 Acura MDX PMC Edition a 6-Person NSX
The PMC Edition takes an RDX A-Spec with the Advance Package and adds goodies like gloss-black 20-inch alloy wheels, a body-color grille surround and black-chrome exhaust finishers; there’s also a gloss-black treatment for the roof, side mirrors and door handles. It wears Thermal Orange Pearl paint that’s shared with Acura’s NSX supercar.
Inside, the orange follows through on the stitching for the seats, center console, door panels, steering wheel and floormats. Other equipment includes a 10.5-inch color head-up display, 16-way power sport seats trimmed in Ebony Milano leather and Ultrasuede, heated steering wheel and heated outboard rear seats.
Mechanically, there’s not a lot that’s different. The RDX PMC Edition uses the regular RDX’s 272-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that pairs with a 10-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive is standard. However, Acura said Performance Manufacturing Center master technicians hand-assemble and install all drivetrain and chassis components, wiring harnesses and electronics.
The 2021 Acura RDX PMC will be built alongside the TLX and MDX PMC Edition models in addition to the NSX at Acura’s PMC in Ohio. The new model will arrive in October at a price Acura says to expect in the low-$50,000 range. For comparison, a base 2021 RDX starts at $39,225 and tops out at $49,025 for the Advanced Package model with all-wheel drive (all prices include a destination charge ).
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By Fred Meier and Brian Normile