Archive for 'Acura ZDX'
Pantone Top Color for 2012
December 21, 2011 by AcuraLuxury, under Acura ZDX.
What consumer products need is a jolt, a shot of energy and boldness, all of which comes from Tangerine Tango, the reddish-orange hue that Pantone announced as its top color for 2012. If Acura followed color trends, would you fall in love with next year’s color hue if put into production?
The ‘happening’ color is expected to brighten up things this spring!
The world doesn’t need more gray, and the blues are covered, too. What consumer products need is a jolt, a shot of energy and boldness, all of which comes from Tangerine Tango, the reddish-orange hue that Pantone announced Wednesday as its top color for 2012.
“There’s the element of encouragement with orange, it’s building on the ideas of courage and action, that we want to move on to better things. I think it would be a disservice to go with a relaxed, soothing color now,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, the research division of Pantone Inc., which creates color standards for the fashion, beauty and home industries.
The annual forecast for the next year’s dominant color takes into consideration both what Pantone thinks shoppers want and need. Those are influenced by the designer runways, fabric shows, news events, pop culture and consumer habits. “Part of what we do is look at the zeitgeist,” Eiseman explained. “We have to look at everything in the world around us. It’s not an arbitrary choice.”
Consumer spending is a big player in reviving the economy and it needs adrenaline, she said. Orange is a more urgent call to action than last year’s hot-pink hue Honeysuckle, which was also supposed to channel cheerfulness coupled with nostalgia. Before that, there was the more serene turquoise and optimistic yellow.
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“Color is really emotion,” agreed Beth Eckerstrom, director of trend and product development at Crate and Barrel. “Everyone thinks it’s a physical thing, but it’s really emotion.”
As she picks the palette for future products, Eckerstrom said she looks for shades that feel fresh but still are familiar, not foreign. “Over the past years, there’s been a return to organic, natural product finishes and colors. They’re complex neutrals, not beige and taupe, but people want to bring the outside in. This tangerine color is a fresh accent. … It seems like such a bright, but it’s really a gerbera daisy-flower shade, which makes it sort of neutral.”
She does indeed like it partnered with green and distressed wood finishes. “This color is usable.”
For his spring collection, Tommy Hilfiger used the tangerine color coupled with red, although it also complements navy and brown. He imagines men wearing the orange in a striped or paisley tie, or for women, as a color for a purse or even a trenchcoat. It’s a color that will move seamlessly through the seasons.
Look for tangerine with red in the current resort collections for luxury accessory brand Judith Leiber, and it will continue as a top color for spring, used in a stripe pattern with cobalt blue, fuchsia, gold and white dubbed Palm Beach.
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At the mall-level chain Charming Charlie, which organizes displays by color, tropical orange and hot pink will come together in February for the launch of a theme called Hotel Tropicana. Tangerine is the kind of color that can change your mood in a minute, said general merchandise manager Kasia Romo, and retailers like that.
“I’m not a big follower of feng shui, but feng shui would say it’s a color that inspired play, happiness and good times ahead,” Leiber creative director Jana Matheson said.
People also will find it surprisingly flattering, she added.
Orange will be a new addition to the closet, and newness is what drives purchases, Hilfiger said in a phone interview. “I feel very strongly about 2012: I think people over the last couple of years have been conservative with buying clothes. Eventually you have to refresh the wardrobe.”
Since a little orange goes a long way, this will be an easy trend to tap into, predicted Brandi Shipp, vice president of marketing for the new lifestyle brand C. Wonder. It’s also a shade that works in fashion and home items that are traditional silhouettes and shapes, so there doesn’t have to be a full adjustment of the collective eye.
Consumers weren’t always so keen to orange, however, said Eiseman, who wrote the new book “Pantone: The 20th Century in Color.” It’s been used a lot in high fashion — think Versace and Hermes — for years, but to the general public, especially in the United States, it was more closely associated with fast food or children’s products, she explained. It all started to change as computers opened many doors in the 1990s.
“When use of the computer started taking off, you could see the awareness of colors used in other cultures. The orange began to come through. Italians got it, and certain Asian countries like India and Indonesia used orange, and then it started to make its way into the mainstream. And then in 1998 one of the iMac choices was orange,” Eiseman said. “And at this point, we’re ready to acknowledge orange as a ‘happening’ color.”
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Acura of Tempe Review: 2011 Acura ZDX
August 17, 2011 by AcuraLuxury, under Acura Review, Acura ZDX.
Photo: 2011 Acura ZDX
The Acura ZDX is a high-style, luxury-laden, all-wheel drive crossover that looks more like a four-door sports coupe than a clunky SUV. Here’s our review of the 2011 Acura ZDX from Acura of Tempe.
2011 Acura ZDX Review: Features & Options
The 2011 Acura ZDX is a midsize five-passenger crossover SUV that artfully blends luxury and modernity. Standard equipment on the base ZDX includes:
• 19-inch wheels
• Leather upholstery and interior trim
• Automatic xenon headlights
• Foglights
• Panoramic sunroof
• Ambient cabin lights
• Back-up camera with a rearview mirror display
• Leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Power title-and-telescoping steering column
• Power heated front seats (with a 10-way adjustable driver seat with memory and 8-way for the front passenger)
• Bluetooth
• Power liftgate
• 6-CD changer with 8-speaker stereo
• Satellite radio
• USB/auxiliary audio jack
If all those standard luxury features aren’t enough, Acura offers two significant option packages for the ZDX.
The ZDX Technology package adds:
• Keyless ignition and entry
• Perforated premium leather seats
• Navigation system with real-time traffic and weather
• Multi-view back-up camera
• Added Bluetooth phone functions with streaming audio
• Upgraded Acura/ELS surround-sound stereo with a built-in 15GB hard drive.
The ZDX Advance package includes these features plus:
• Electronically adjustable suspension dampers
• Blind-spot warning system
• Adaptive cruise control
• Collision warning and mitigation system
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Sport steering wheel
2011 Acura ZDX Review: Performance
The 2011 ZDX offers muscular performance and sharp handling, making it more like a sports coupe than a crossover SUV. Powering the 2011 ZDX is a 3.7-liter V6 that produces 300 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The ZDX features the same Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system found in other Acuras, capable of transferring different levels of power to individual wheels to maximize traction and grip through turns and in inclement weather.
2011 Acura ZDX Review: Safety
The 2011 ZDX is equipped with lots of standard safety equipment, including:
• Antilock disc brakes with brake assist
• Stability control
• Traction control
• Front-seat side airbags
• Full-length side curtain airbags
• Active front head restraints
Those who choose the ZDX Advance package adds blind-spot monitoring and a collision mitigation braking system paired to the adaptive cruise control, which detects the likelihood of a front-end collision and alerts the driver with visual and audible warnings. If the driver takes no action, the system engages the brakes and tightens the driver’s seatbelt. If the system deems a collision inevitable, it increases braking force and tightens both front seatbelts.
2011 Acura ZDX at Acura of Tempe
Acura of Tempe offers a large selection of luxury cars and SUVs, including the 2011 ZDX. Stop by our Tempe Acura dealer, located in the Tempe Autoplex, to test-drive the Acura ZDX today.
Acura of Tempe — Tempe Autoplex
7800 S. Autoplex Loop
Tempe, AZ 85284
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Acura of Tempe Report: 2012 Acura ZDX Details Released
August 16, 2011 by AcuraLuxury, under Acura ZDX.
Photo: 2012 Acura ZDX
The 2012 Acura ZDX is expected to be released later this year, but Acura of Tempe has already learned exclusive details about the new changes car buyers can expect in the brand new 2012 ZDX.
2012 ZDX Trim Levels
The Acura ZDX is available in a choice of three trim levels: ZDX, ZDX with Technology Package and the ZDX with Advance Package. Like all Acura models, the standard ZDX comes with a generous offering of standard features, including the panoramic glass roof and hand-stitched leather interior. Also standard are Bluetooth HandsFreeLink connectivity, power operated tailgate and a high powered audio system (with CD player, AM/FM radio, XM Radio with Note function music reminder and USB audio connectivity with iPod integration).
2012 ZDX Style
When the all-new Acura ZDX four-door sports coupe burst on the scene in 2010, it immediately garnered positive accolades from top media thanks to its dramatic styling, excellent performance and the latest in advanced technology. Staying true to the original design prototype, the 2012 ZDX will feature stunning design elements and a commanding presence that includes a panoramic glass roof with dual sunshades, hidden rear door handles and bold fender flares.
Inside, the 2012 ZDX features a hand-stitched leather dashboard, door panels and sculpted center console, giving it a warm and inviting feeling while creating an intimate cockpit for the driver and front passenger. The luxurious cockpit gives way to a generous cabin that provides comfortable seating for up to 5 passengers, making it the perfect weekend getaway vehicle.
2012 ZDX Performance
The 2012 ZDX not only boasts head-turning style but also delivers outstanding on-road performance. The 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine generates 300 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque for excellent acceleration, outstanding low- and mid-range torque and superior high-rpm power. The Sequential SportShift 6-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters gives the ZDX sporty driving characteristics while simultaneously enhancing fuel economy.
Adding to the 2012 ZDX’s dynamic capabilities is Acura’s exclusive Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system and available Integrated Dynamics System.
2012 ZDX at Acura of Tempe
The 2012 ZDX release date has not been announced yet, but you can expect the 2012 ZDX to arrive at Acura of Tempe in late 2011. In the meantime, you can check out the current 2011 ZDX model at Acura of Tempe – Arizona’s premiere Acura dealer.
Acura of Tempe
7800 S. Autoplex Loop
Tempe, AZ 85284
