TORRANCE, California, July 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Acura will celebrate its 30^th Anniversary and showcase the brand’s Precision Crafted Performance brand heritage with its extensive presence at the 2016 Monterey Automotive Week.  Bringing the brand’s luxury and performance DNA to life will be West Coast debuts of the stunning Acura Precision Concept, showcasing the future design direction of Acura, and the 2017 Acura NSX GT3, which is being prepared for competition in North America.

“There’s no better place on earth to showcase and celebrate our brand heritage and future direction in this 30^th anniversary year than at Monterey Automotive Week,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager for the Acura Division. “We’re acutely focused on our Precision Crafted Performance DNA, which is exemplified in products like the NSX and Acura Precision Concept.”

Central to Acura’s presence at Monterey Automotive Week are three pinnacle representations of Acura’s performance-oriented, premium automotive brand values, including the all-new 2017 NSX supercar.  Launched this spring, the NSX challenges supercar norms with its bespoke 75-degree twin-turbo V-6 engine mated to a 9-speed dual clutch transmission and three electric motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. Produced exclusively at the Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio, the Acura NSX is the only supercar manufactured in the U.S¹.  Focused on custom craftsmanship, the dedicated manufacturing center uses new and innovative approaches to body construction, vehicle painting, final assembly and quality assurance to deliver a truly world-class new NSX to customers around the world.

The Acura Precision Concept, with its supercar-like stance, more performance-minded proportions and alluring design details, points toward a bolder, more distinctive future for Acura vehicle design.  The refreshed 2017 MDX, now on-sale, is the first inspired by this striking vision.  The Acura Precision Concept was developed by the Acura Design Studio in California.

Joining these vehicles at various events throughout the week will be the Acura NSX GT3, which is slated for homologation as an FIA GT3 class racecar this fall and will campaign in North America in 2017.  The NSX GT3 will be powered by the same 3.5-liter, 75-degree, twin turbocharged DOHC V-6 engine that powers the production 2017 Acura NSX, including the block, heads, valvetrain, crankshaft, pistons and dry sump lubrication system.  Its aluminum-intensive, multi-material space frame is constructed at the Performance Manufacturing Center. 

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
Acura will once again be the premier automotive sponsor for The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, on Friday, August 19. As a Sapphire-level sponsor for one of the week’s most esteemed events, the Acura display will celebrate the brand’s 30^th anniversary and performance heritage. The 2017 Acura NSX supercar will be joined by the Acura Precision Concept and the NSX GT3 racecar. Additionally, guests will have an opportunity to experience the refreshed 2017 Acura MDX via a ride and drive event at The Quail Lodge & Golf Club.

Carmel-By-The Sea Concours on the Avenue
Acura will kick-off the week’s activities as the premier automotive sponsor of the Carmel-By-The Sea Concours on the Avenue on Tuesday, August 16. In its fourth year of participation in the event, Acura will showcase its complete lineup of performance luxury vehicles in Carmel’s historic Devendorf Park.

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
This year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will showcase Acura’s racing heritage with the West Coast debut of the 2017 Acura NSX GT3 racecar, which will be displayed alongside the 1991 RealTime Acura NSX, campaigned by Peter Cunningham (1991 to 2002) and driven by Cunningham to the Speed World Challenge GT championship in 1998.  Both will be on display at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion in the Acura garage August 20-21.  

Gordon McCall’s Motorworks Revival
Acura will again have a presence at Gordon McCall’s prestigious Motorworks Revival, displaying the groundbreaking NSX supercar next to its corporate sibling, HondaJet – the world’s most advanced light jet. Gordon McCall’s prestigious Motorworks Revival takes place on Wednesday, August 17 at the Revival in the Monterey Jet Center.

The 2016 Monterey Automotive Week will be held August 16-21. Visit www.montereycarweek.com for more information.

For More Information
Consumer information is available at www.acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/Acura. Additional media information including pricing, features and high-resolution photography is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles.

About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance, an original approach to technology and design that creates a new driving experience. On March 27, 2016, Acura celebrated the 30th anniversary of its launch as the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker.

The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the five-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. This spring, Acura launched its next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance.

[1] Assembled in the U.S. with domestic and globally sourced parts.

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TORRANCE, California, July 27, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Acura NSX GT3 racecar will make its public test debut on July 28 during Pirelli World Challenge practice sessions at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, Acura announced today. The racecar will be piloted by development driver, Peter Kox, during practice sessions on the 2.25-mile, 14-turn road course on Thursday, July 28 (8:50 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. EDT) and Friday, July 29 (4:15 p.m.- 4:45 p.m. EDT).

“Based on a very successful test program, we’re taking the next logical step in seeing how we stack-up against the competition,” said Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development. “Mid-Ohio seemed like the perfect opportunity, given the demands it places on a racecar and its proximity to NSX R&D and manufacturing.”

The twin-turbocharged Acura NSX GT3 is slated for homologation as an FIA GT3-class racecar this fall, in preparation for North American GT racing competition beginning in 2017. The car will be on display to the public in the paddock of RealTime Racing, Acura’s development partner for the GT3 program, over the course of the race weekend.

The Acura NSX GT3 racecar, featuring custom carbon fiber bodywork and aero components, is powered by a 3.5-liter, 75-degree, twin turbocharged DOHC

V-6 engine using the same design specifications as the engine in the production 2017 Acura NSX. The Acura NSX GT3’s aluminum intensive multi-material space frame is produced at the company’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio, the exclusive manufacturing home for the new Acura NSX. Its twin turbocharged V-6 engine is also assembled in Ohio at the company’s Anna, Ohio engine plant[i].

Initial development of the NSX GT3 racecar was conducted by the company’s Japan race engineering arm with testing on race circuits in Europe and Japan.  Additional development, testing and final homologation to FIA GT3 global racing specifications is currently being undertaken by the company’s North American race engineering group, Honda Performance Development (HPD), in Santa Clarita, California.

The NSX GT3 is a further extension of Acura’s GT motorsports program, where Acura, in partnership with RealTime racing, is campaigning two Acura TLX GT cars in the Pirelli World Challenge. In its most recent outing, Acura’s Ryan Eversley completed a sweep of the doubleheader race weekend at Road America. Acura and RealTime will compete in the Pirelli World Challenge GT Class at Mid-Ohio on July 29 and 30.

For More Information
Consumer information is available at www.acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/Acura. Additional media information including pricing, features and high-resolution photography is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles.

About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance, an original approach to technology and design that creates a new driving experience. On March 27, 2016, Acura celebrated the 30th anniversary of its launch as the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker.

The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. This spring, Acura launched its next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance.

[i] Assembled in the U.S. with domestic and globally sourced parts.

Video – http://acura.us/NSXGT3

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IRVINE, California, July 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — While today’s new cars are jam-packed with the lastest tech features and forward-thinking styling, they also are now more expensive than ever, with the average price of a new car currently at $33,801.  Many people shudder at the thought of a large monthly car payment, and most average American car shoppers cannot afford to buy a brand-new car outright, resulting in a sizable market for affordable used cars.  Based on the recommendations of KBB.com editors after consulting their master mechanic, Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, has named this year’s 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000.

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“While spending $8,000 or less won’t get you the newest tech or the shiniest paint job, it can buy you solid, reliable transportation that will last for the next several years if you play your cards correctly,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com.  “For those who feel a keen ache in their checkbook thinking about the prospect of a big monthly payment, this year’s list of KBB.com’s 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000 should provide some relief, because there are good used-car alternatives to a more expensive vehicle.”

KBB.com’s 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000 for 2016

To see KBB.com’s full coverage of the 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000 for 2016, including editors’ comments about why the vehicle made this list, vehicle photography, pricing details and editorial reviews, please visit http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/best-used-cars-under-8000/2100000852/.

To discuss this topic, or any other automotive-related information, with a Kelley Blue Book analyst on-camera via the company’s on-site studio, please contact a member of the Public Relations team to book an interview.

For more information and news from Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com, visit www.kbb.com/media/, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kelleybluebook (or @kelleybluebook), like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kbb, and get updates on Google+ at https://plus.google.com/+kbb.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new and used cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com ranked highest in its category for brand equity by the 2016 Harris Poll EquiTrend^® study and has been named Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year for five consecutive years. Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a Cox Automotive™ brand.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars with industry-leading digital marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. Committed to open choice and dedicated to strong partnerships, the Cox Automotive family includes Autotrader®, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, vAuto®, Xtime® and a host of other brands. The global company has nearly 33,000 team members in more than 200 locations and is partner to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, while engaging U.S. consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues of $18 billion and approximately 55,000 employees. Cox Enterprises’ other major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Media Group. For more information about Cox Automotive, visit www.coxautoinc.com.

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NEW YORK, July 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — If your last auto insurance bill came with a little sticker shock, it may be time to take advantage of a highly competitive insurance marketplace and do some smart shopping for a new policy, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Over the last two years, auto insurance costs have risen on average about 10 percent, according to the I.I.I. Why?

• A better job market: More people working means more people driving—and that means more accidents. Indeed, motor vehicle crash fatalities rose 8 percent from 2014 to 2015 according to the National Safety Council, the largest year-over-year percent increase in 50 years.
• Higher speed limits: Since 2012, 12 states have raised their speed limits to 70 or 80 mph—and as high as 85 mph in the case of Texas. In just one of those states, Ohio, a study found that crashes jumped by 19 percent in the two years following the change.
• More expensive claims and insurance related costs: Quite simply, people are driving more expensive cars. In addition, medical costs, litigation costs and the cost of auto repair work continue to rise faster than prices overall.  

“Don’t be one of those statistics,” said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president and chief communications officer at the I.I.I. “It’s very important to take driving seriously—not only will it keep you and your passengers safer, it can also help keep down the cost of your auto insurance.”

Your insurance premium is based on a variety of factors, including your driving record; how much you use your car; where it is parked and where you live; the type of car you drive; your age and gender; your credit score; and the type and amount of coverage. Understanding these factors can help you get a better deal on your policy.

The I.I.I. offers these tips for finding the best auto insurance policy for your needs and budget:

1. Shop Around
Prices and coverage levels vary from company to company, so it pays to shop around. But don’t shop price alone; look for a financially sound insurance company with a reputation for good customer service.

2. Check Insurance Costs Before Buying A Car
The price of the vehicle, the cost to repair it, its overall safety record and the likelihood of theft can all affect the price of your coverage, so check with your insurance professional before deciding which car to buy.

3. Increase Your Deductible
When you file a claim, the deductible is the amount you pay before your insurance kicks in. With a higher deductible, you can lower your premium significantly–but be sure you have enough money set aside to pay it if you have a claim.

4. Reduce Coverage On Older Cars
If the market value of your car is less than 10 times the auto insurance premium you are paying, purchasing comprehensive and/or collision coverage may not be cost-effective.

5. Maintain Good Credit
Many insurers use credit information to price auto insurance policies, so a solid credit history can lower your premium.

6. Ask About Discounts
Insurance companies offer a wide variety of discounts—here are some you can ask about:

• Antitheft devices
• Multiple policies with the same company
• College students living away from home
• Defensive driving courses
• Drivers ed courses
• Low annual mileage
• Long-time customer
• More than one car
• No accidents in three years
• No moving violations in three years
• Student drivers with good grades

RELATED LINKS

• 8 Questions To Ask Before Buying Auto Insurance
• Auto Insurance Basics—Understanding Your Coverage
• The I’s On Insurance: Auto Coverage

THE I.I.I. IS A NONPROFIT, COMMUNICATIONS ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED BY THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.

Insurance Information Institute, 110 William Street, New York, NY 10038; (212) 346-5500; www.iii.org

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