Acura Precision EV Concept reveal predicts the future at Monterey Car Week
Monterey Car Week is getting into full swing, and Acura showed up with its new Precision EV Concept. Acura makes it fairly clear that this concept isn’t a preview for any particular future electric SUV, but instead is showing it as an example of what the company’s design themes will be for all upcoming EVs.
The exterior is striking from the first glance as it wears a new-for-Acura Double Apex Blue shade of paint with a matte finish. Acura’s designers say the car’s shape was inspired by luxury Italian power boats. As is the case with many new EVs and EV concepts, the exterior lighting is as integral to the design as anything. The Pentagon grille we’re accustomed to seeing on Acuras is replaced with a light-up fascia that mimics the look and shape of Acura’s regular passthrough grille. You’ll also notice the patchy lighting in the corners of the front and rear bumpers, and Acura is calling this “Particle Glitch” lighting that is meant to look like the spokes on the 23-inch wheels. Both the headlight and taillight designs look like an evolution of Acura’s “chicane” light signature seen on current production cars.
While Acura says this SUV isn’t a concept for a specific car, it sure looks like it could serve as a preview to the brand’s first electric SUV based off the Honda Prologue. Acura has previously said that its version of the Prologue would come in 2024, and it mentions that the design language you see here would first be witnessed in that SUV.
Things look and feel a little less real when you step inside the Precision EV Concept. Acura says it was inspired by a Formula 1 cockpit and features lots of recycled/sustainable materials. You sit low down. And a yoke steering device replaces a traditional steering wheel — we genuinely hope this stays in the concept and never makes it to production. Two drive modes, a manual driving mode and an autonomous driving mode, change up the cabin. The “Instinctive” drive mode leaves the yoke in place, allowing you to drive and control the car. It brings up racing style instrumentation and makes all the in-cabin lighting red. Meanwhile, “Spiritual Lounge” mode transforms the Precision EV Concept into an autonomous vehicle, retracting the steering yoke and projecting underwater animations on the various screens.
Speaking of those screens, Acura calls this a preview of a new infotainment system. It’s a super-wide, curved screen, and it’s a touchscreen. We don’t see any evidence of Acura’s TrueTouch tech in this cabin, so that could be on its way out if this concept is any indication.
If you’re in Monterey this week, the Precision EV Concept will publicly debut at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering before being shown again at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Concept Lawn.
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