Acura creates a new category, but BMW beat them to it

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Rather than sit back and wait for the recession to end with its current lineup, Acura has hopes of launching a whole new product segment.

An Acura press conference opened with a video positioning the new Acura ZDX SUV as a car to appeal to people who desire “an experiential lifestyle ... those who want a vehicle that demands attention.” The Acura ZDX combines the functionality of an SUV and the practicality of a sedan. However, it may be that BMW got there first with the X6, a car that L.A. Times automotive critic Dan Neil described as being ‘about as useful as a laminated pizza.’

The car that Acura showed was a prototype, but the company says it will be close in design to the car that arrives in showrooms this fall. The automaker says the ZDX will attract a “new level of customer to Acura.”

-- Doug Stewart