Fine Lines: Acura's Keen Edge

PHOTO SUPPLIED

The 2010 Acura ZDX -- coming this fall -- is the first Acura to use Keen Edge design from the start of its development.

John LeBlanc

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Except for a few spicier models along the way, Japan's first luxury brand, Acura, has been an icon of conservative luxury since its inception in 1986.

Video: Acura's design language

Rival premium brands from Toyota (Lexus) and Nissan (Infiniti) have taken some of the Honda premium brand's spotlight by offering more horsepower, bigger engines and daring designs.

However, Acura has fought back in the past few years. Its new Keen Edge design language is meant to showcase new technologies like the Super Handling-All Wheel Drive system.

Wheels spoke with Acura designer Jon Ikeda, to get caught up on the brand's latest design plans:

WHEELS: Anyone who hasn't been in an Acura showroom in the past, say, five years, would be in for a shock with the bolder-looking range of models. What was the motivation for the change in design strategy?

IKEDA: First, it's an industry thing. Safety regulations and better aerodynamics for improved fuel economy is something that customers have to have.

But cars end up looking the same. So from a design standpoint, it's hard to be yourself. As a brand, (with Keen Edge) we wanted to put some kind of design stake in the ground, be distinctive.

Second, Acura is unique. We're not German, or domestic. The cars are built here in North America, but grounded in Japanese culture.

WHEELS: Explain the brand fundamentals that make up your new Keen Edge language?

IKEDA: You saw it first on the Acura Sports Concept, 2 1/2 years ago at the 2007 Detroit auto show. But Keen Edge design is rooted in who we are: the new technologies we want to introduce, as well as the human – or emotional – side of things.

WHEELS: Was one objective to move away from Acura's previously conservative designs?

IKEDA: If you look at (Keen Edge) as a whole, it's all about emotional waves flowing – surfacing that connects the lines.

But at the same time, we tried to make the connection that the cars are machined out of a single piece of billet. It's more mathematical, if you will.

Being more "aggressive" is one way of looking at it. We now want to portray strength in all of our designs. We have SH-AWD in most of our cars, and we definitely want to play up the form of the tires and the stance of the cars.

Especially with the new 2010 ZDX (coming this fall). It's what we consider the first Acura to use Keen Edge design from the start of its development.

WHEELS: How does the ZDX achieve this visually?

IKEDA: If you look at how our cars sit on the ground, they definitely have a more aggressive stance. A real ready-to-go, animalistic look.

One of the key areas we wanted to emphasize on the ZDX is over the rear fender arch.

We wanted a look that would undulate over the wheels; like water flowing over the wheel. If you follow that line, it would take you right over the cabin, and it shows both the emotional and machinelike form we're trying to achieve.

Watch a slideshow on the elements of Acura's design at Wheels.ca

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