I'm currently flying back home to Atlanta from the 2014 NAIAS. I just wanted to share a few quick things that I heard about the TLX yesterday and also to share another photo gallery showing some of the other sights from day 2 at the 2014 NAIAS media days.

UPDATE 17.January: Be sure to watch the TOV Video that we just posted featuring the Lead Designer of the 2015 TLX, Jared Hall.

First, here are a few points on the 2015 TLX:

• We asked why there wasn't a 6MT mentioned and whether one would be available at some point in the future. Of course, there was no direct answer to the second part of the question, but we were reminded that Acura has never introduced a 6MT option for the TLX in previous generations, seemingly keeping the door open for the possibility of a 6MT option being added at a later date.
• We were told that the new 2.4L engine with 8-speed DCT combo is actually quite sporty. We are told that we should forget about the current 2.4L in the TSX as the all-new one is considerably sportier, and definitely a noticeable step above the current TSX's K24 as well as the Accord's new Earth Dreams 2.4.
• When asked about the possibility of turbocharged engines finding their way under hood in the future, the answer was not definitive but it tended to hint in the affirmative.
• We didn't ask this question directly, but there was some buzz about a possible TLX coupe variant being on the board for the future.
• Along those same lines, unsurprisingly, it seems rather unlikely that we will ever see a wagon variant of this vehicle.
• It seems that the production TLX will be revealed at the New York Auto Show. This was not directly confirmed but rather strongly hinted. Look for the production TLX to hit showrooms in mid-late Summer.
• We have a video interview coming up with an HPD employee which gives some more details on the Realtime/Acura TLX GT race car, but basically it runs a stock block engine straight off the production line, with a stock crank, running the factory 3.5L displacement. Pistons, rods, and the (twin) turbo hardware are the key changes. The class rules specify an output range of 450-550hp, and the HPD engineer indicated that they would comfortably be at the top of that range, and would likely even need to run intake restrictors to keep this production-based engine to keep it within the specs.
• The (fixed torque distribution) AWD system, suspension, brakes, and transmission are all strictly race parts - these are not at all based on the production components. First of all, it's my understanding that the GT class won't allow anything crazy like torque vectoring AWD systems, plus, the TLX's SH-AWD system is not designed or built to deliver that much torque under the stress of race conditions, so it wouldn't be suitable to race in this class even if it were legal by the rules.
• The 2015 TLX GT racecar will debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in late March

And just a quick note on the 2015 Honda Fit (see photos, video and more info here and here) - I popped the hood and took a look at the new DOHC 1.5L Earth Dreams engine - it has a L15B1 (or possibly L15B11) designation. And finally, as some of you may have noticed, we suffered a few technical glitches under the extreme traffic loads during the press conferences. We need to work out a few things to make some of our new software features more efficient during the live updating/refresh process, and we should be able to get these kinks worked out in time for the New York Auto Show, which is the next time we will likely be carrying live press conference coverage. At this point Acura is expected to host a press conference in New York but it doesn't seem like Honda will be showing anything new.