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It’s been 13 long years since Acura made a mid-size sedan with the Type S moniker, but the wait will be over soon enough. The Japanese automaker recently announced that we can expect the 2021 TLX Type S to hit dealer showrooms in a couple of months and it even announced pricing for it.

The 2021 Acura TLX Type S will be out soon

The highly-anticipated 2021 Acura TLX Type S is set to grace dealership showrooms and lots in late May, according to the automaker. That’s not too bad, considering it teased the long-awaited and long-overdue second-generation NSX for years. So the fact that Acura is giving us a proper heads-up and solidified release state is a step up from the past.

Also, according to the information that Acura released, the forthcoming TLX Type S will be priced in the “low $50,000s,” which will put it in Audi S4 territory but will still undercut other German rivals like the BMW M340i, as Autoblog reported. And while that pricing might sound a little high for an Acura, let’s all keep in mind what the sporty sedan will offer.

2021 TLX Type S shown in Tiger Eye Pearl paint
2021 TLX Type S | Acura

The Acura TLX Type-S will be stacked with performance

Speaking of the NSX, the new TLX Type S will don 20-inch Shark Gray wheels that look like they were inspired by the brand’s supercar. That’s where it ends, though, as the TLX Type S will have a new turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine stuffed under the hood, which will produce a stout 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. That’s six more horsepower than the aforementioned S4, so we know this new TLX will be a formidable competitor in this category.

Beneath those NSX-inspired wheels will be a set of Brembo brakes that will provide a lot of stopping power and when the corners do come up, the TLX Type S’ sport-tuned chassis and double-wishbone suspension should be up to the task. To maximize the car’s surefootedness, the TLX Type S will transmit power through a “sport-tuned” 10-speed automatic transmission and out to all four wheels via the brand’s Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system.

No, a manual transmission will not be offered, but we can all breathe a sigh of relief that a “Sport +” drive mode will be offered, which is not something you’ll find on the regular Acura TLX.

a rear shot of the 2021 TLX Type S shown in Tiger Eye Pearl paint
2021 TLX Type S | Acura

Will the Acura TLX Type S be worth the higher price tag?

Considering the current Acura TLX model starts at $37,500 and tops out at $48,300 for the TLX Advance with SH-AWD, we don’t think that the TLX Type S’ price tag is too much of a stretch. However, we don’t know what the entire options list will consist of, so that price could increase well into the $50,000 range.

Acura did mention that the TLX Type S will come with suede and leather seats with “Type S” logos in addition to “several premium and sophisticated features from the TLX Advance package,” which includes the 17-speaker ELS system. Additional information is yet to be released, but at least we don’t have to wonder about this specific model anymore.

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