2012 Acura ZDX - Body

OVERVIEW

In its ongoing relationship with its clients, the Acura Division noticed that some of them own both a sports coupe and an SUV— the former for its performance and highly personal driving character, and the latter for its utility and practicality for hauling personal gear as well as for going places where the road conditions are difficult. This basic premise (combining a personalized "coupe" driving experience with versatile functionality) drove the body and chassis design of the Acura ZDX. As such, the ZDX has a distinctive design flair unmistakable with any competitor, and the all-season wherewithal to go almost anywhere in comfort, safety and style.

Early in the design process, Acura committed to several key elements for the ZDX that would define it—but would also to be its most challenging design aspects.
These include:

• "2+Freedom" package concept that puts the driver and passenger first, followed by the luxurious and generous rear storage capacity, followed by rear-seating capacity
• The "Keen Edge" body design, which required special dies for stamping the dramatic deep-draw rear quarter panels
• The Acura-first panoramic glass roof with unique twin sun screens
• Upscale interior including leather instrument panel with sweeping curves and use of concave surfaces
• An available Integrated Dynamics System (IDS) that interacts with the steering as well as the (ADS) Active Damper System suspension
• An available blind spot information system (BSI) that uses radar sensors to alert the driver of another vehicle that is detected in close proximity of the ZDX
• The first use of 19-inch diameter wheels and tires as standard equipment on an Acura, with 20-inch diameter wheels and tires available
• Supreme attention paid to reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in the passenger compartment with features such as acoustic front windshield glass, 5mm thick front door side glass, special design side pillar separators, specialized insulation (such as a multi-layer undercover) and even textile-covered inner fender wells

EXTERIOR DESIGN GOALS

The primary design goal for the ZDX exterior was to create a distinctive, modern personal "sports coupe" body while providing adequate ground clearance and favorable approach and departure angles that allow off-highway use. In simple terms, the overall goal for ZDX was to combine two parts sports coupe with one part all-surface capability to create a one-of-a-kind performance sports coupe with outstanding versatility. The result is a highly emotional design that inspires and encourages drivers to pursue a passionate getaway of their own.

Conceived and developed entirely at the new Acura Design Studio in Torrance, California, some of the most unique styling elements of the ZDX include deep-draw body panels that create a muscular stance, strong character lines including bold wheel arches, cleverly concealed rear door handles, and the expansive panoramic glass roof.

Body In Motion

The strong character lines along the bodyside add an element of suspense to the ZDX design. The body appears to be in motion even when the ZDX is standing still, and there is a distinct element of tension communicated by the interaction between the different body surfaces. From above, the ZDX panoramic roof has a distinct "pulled" look, similar to the look of a slingshot just before release. This generates a sporty and aerodynamic silhouette unlike any vehicle in the market.

Additional character elements include Acura's distinctive grille shape, sharply flared front fenders, dramatically rising character lines sloping rearward along the sides and an artfully sloping rear deck. All in all, the ZDX body lends the appearance of being pulled taut over a muscular skeleton. Acura designers refer to this directionality, pulled and tension as "suspenseful emotion." Numerous separate—and yet intertwined—design elements go into the ZDX's body design. The list includes "Keen Edge" side-panel character lines that attract the eye up and back across the bodyside, and a highly kinetic look that is simultaneously unique and refreshing.

Bright and Black Finishes

Adding emphasis and elegance to the ZDX body design is a continuous stainless-steel trim feature that completely encircles each side window, along with a rich gloss-black finish on the window pillars.

DEEP DRAW SIDE PANELS

Integrating the "sports coupe" body design onto a taller, wide-track chassis required total commitment from the manufacturing team as well as the design engineers. This is because rendering the rear bodysides, broad fenders and more vertical upper bodysides from a single steel panel required an extreme "deep draw" process that had never been mass-produced before. Adding to the challenge was the tight 8mm radius on the character line running along the bodyside— a much tighter radius than found on other Acuras.

Because maintaining the deep-draw panels was an essential part of the body design, the manufacturing team was tasked with finding a way to produce them. Although the goal was to use a single metal panel to avoid the unsightly seams that would result if multiple panels were welded together, engineers left no avenue unexplored— from hand fabrication to stretching the limits of existing stamping technology. Initially told by the stamping experts that the body panel was impossible to make, the designers turned to hydroforming, but there were no presses available in an appropriate size for such stamping technology. The manufacturing team agreed to try building a panel in two pieces, seaming it in the taillight area and under the rear door cutline, but eventually rejected that concept too.

Eventually the original stamping team found a way to make the part in one piece with the help of a low-friction phosphate coating between the die and the steel panel, which improves its formability. Although creating the one-piece deep-draw side panel took a year and a half of development work, the finished component dramatically adds to the ZDX's provocative appearance and enhances the precision of the metal craftwork.

COMPETITIVE COMPARISON

Befitting its "sports coupe" design, the 2012 ZDX is longer, lower and features a significantly wider track than its primary market competitors. As a result, in stature as well as design, the ZDX offers an especially dramatic appearance and driving character.