gavriil

Pretty good photo on the cover. The lights look like from the RSX. The bad news is that they will continue with a 6 cylinder. Specifically it said 3.4 liters and 340 HP with 250 lb-ft of torque.

The good news is that they said it will be less expensive than the current car but did not say how mcuh.

Now I am getting confused. I just cannot see Acura making a V8 JUST for the RL. Otherwise I have to assume that the RL and the MDX will be sharing that V8. It does not make sense to make a V8 just for the RL, it would be super expensive to do that. Unless if Acura or Honda is getting in the truck market and they will borrow the V8 from there.

So if RL and MDX are getting the V8, even as an option, the borrowing of the current MDX engine massaged to the TL/Cl makes sense again. And then the new Accord can get our base engine massaged for 245HP. Hmmm... decisions, decisions.



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Gabriel
CL Type S

Nashua_Night_Hawk

IMHO, there is no incentive to upgrade to CLS 2003 if it has anything less 330 HP and a 6-sp SMG-like gbox.

Why?, cause with just bolt you could be there.. will cost you $2,000 in mods.

Now if it would be RWD it could be a fifferent story!


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Black, Ebony, 3.2 CL Type-S, NAV.
- 3M clear bra, by Stonguard (full front bumper, and side mirrors, and partial hood)
- Acura Spoiler, Moonroof visor
- Splash guards, Winter mats, Trunk liner
- Valentine V1 Radar Locator
- HELMS Service Manual
- PIAA 19169 road lamps
- 03/19/01: Injen Polished CAI
- 04/13/01: 235/40/18 NITTO 555 on 18x7.5, +45 offset, Koing Imagine in Silver with wheels locks

JRock

gavriil:

How many magazines with the word "auto" in their name do you subscribe to?


-J

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2001 CL-S Aegean Blue/black interior spoiler, wheel locks, no-navi
Stock for now.

droideka

From TOV, referencing AUTOWEEK...

"Following the arrival of Acura's new V8-powered replacement for the RL, the MDX will benefit by getting its own version of the V-8 as an option. At that point, Honda will get their downmarket version of the MDX, but to differentiate it from Acura's MDX, the V-8 will not be available in the Honda-badged SUV. The pick-up, however, will likely get the V8 as an option."

Honda's been talking trucks for quite a while now. I remember when they were talking about using the GM engine.

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'01 CL-S|Sundance Gold|Spoiler|35% Tint|Bridgestone Potenza RE730 225/45/17
a study in pimp daddy gold

soopa

Ya know... you guys do realize that the TL... yes the TL... is scheduled for a FULL redesign for the '03 model year.

This was at one point considered CONFIRMED.

And it was rumored the CL might follow close by.

The '02 facelift wasnt expensive for Acura.. theres no reason for them not to proceed if they can come up with a blockbuster like the MDX.

So expect to see a new TL by '04. Lord only knows what Acura has up their sleeeves... especially with the "horsepower war" that they have declared on Nissan.

Those were some big words Elliot spoke.

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2001 Acura 3.2 CL Type-S
San Marino Red (Navigation)
PIAA 19173 Ion Yellow Fog Lights
Aftermarket Black Wood Trim Kit
Valentine 1

gavriil

Right now, one mag. From Europe. The rest I research on-line.



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Gabriel
CL Type S

gavriil

YEAH! I knew it. Hahaha!

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Gabriel
CL Type S

gavriil

Soopa, that is all correct. I know what you mean buddy.


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Gabriel
CL Type S

Harvey Jr

It's more likely to be a MY '04 TL introduced in the latter part of '03. Especially considering Honda's latest trend of 5 year cycles for its models.

Civic, 96,97,98,99,00.

Prelude, 92,93,94,95,96 then 97,98,99,00,01, then bye-bye I guess.


Due up, CR-V 97,98,99,00,01. New for 02?

RL, 96,97,98,99,00,01, in it's sixth year, isn't following the trend along with the Integra.

Integra 94,95,96,97,98,99,00,01 as Honda is too scared to mess with a good formula, until now.

NSX 91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,00,01, who know's wtf. Too expensive for frequent R&D?

I'm talking major redesigns and engine upgrades too, not just re-skins, such as 01 to 02 TL, or 00 to 01 Accord.


Paul

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2001 White/Parchment CL Type S noNAV
#21985

DtEW

There's a simple explanation why the upcoming RL-replacement's V8 will not be in the upcoming NSX.

The RL-replacement is going to be RWD to compete with the Q45 and LS430, so the engine is going to be longitudinal w/a transmission (longitudinal gearbox, for those who may fail to make the distinction).

The NSX has been and always will be MR w/a transverse engine and a transaxle (transverse gearbox, again, for those who may fail to make the distinction). For this reason alone the RL-replacement longitudinal V8 is not going to work. It's not that they have something against putting a V8 in the NSX (well, that's actually a little debateable, knowing what they've said in the past about that particular issue), but that it's definitely not going to be this V8.

The above reasoning is made given that Honda will not design a MR chassis to accept a longitudinal engine. If you search through your automotive history, no Japanese automaker has ever built a longitudinal-engine MR car, and I can tell you Honda will be the last of all Japanese makes to break this tradition.

Can any you Honda fans tell me/share with everyone why this is so?

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051/LP/SR/LD/HH

mrdeeno

i'm confused...some people are syaing the next rl is going rwd and v8...and the mdx is going to also use the v8 as an option...which confuses me considering the mdx is based on a fwd platform and is basically a fwd minivan that has it's rear wheels spinning too.

can anyone explain?

gavriil

I'd love to help but I dont understand your confusion. SO what if it is a FWD minivan having the rear wheels being active now too? You can have a V8 and FWD.



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Gabriel
CL Type S

gavriil

OK you got me. Why is that? Nothing to do with Honda engines turning the opposite side as other engines right (although I thought that was only true for their 4 cyl engines not sure about the rest).

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Gabriel
CL Type S

DtEW

Look back to 1965, when Japanese automobiles were not at all considered performance cars, much less a force in the epitome of racing, Formula One. In accord with Sochiro's belief that Honda's key to success was the development of its own technologies, he fielded the unique RA272, a formula car with a transverse 1.5 liter V12 and transaxle (!) in a field of longitudinal-engined Lotuses, Ferraris, Brabhams, BRMs, etc.

The first ever Grand Prix win for any Japanese automaker (and coincidentally, for Goodyear) occured on 10/24/65 in the Mexican Grand Prix with a RA272 driven by American Richie Ginther. This was a watershed moment for the Japanese automakers, basically confirming to themselves that "yeah, we can compete on any world-class level." It was a really big deal.

The Japanese saw the transverse engine MR as their innovation for the automotive world. (There are also some packaging, cost, and performance advantages too.) That's why all Japanese MR cars are invariably transverse-engined, Hondas especially. (In contrast, the majority of European MR's and RR's are still longitudinal-engined.)

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051/LP/SR/LD/HH

mrdeeno

my confusion isn't a v8 turning the front wheels, my confusion is the same v8 turning the rear wheels of another car (rl). i didn't think it was possible for an engine for a rwd car to be inserted into a fwd car (platform-wise).

i know you can't do this with a tranny, but can you with an engine?


[This message has been edited by mrdeeno (edited 05-04-2001).]

gavriil

I see your point now. You are right. It is surprising that they can do that. In my opinion, this shows how well they are doing as far as design and operations. There is a lot of commonalities between platforms and that is the secret today for these companies to succeed. Flexibility to swap engines, trannies and other parts. Good for Honda.

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Gabriel
CL Type S

gavriil

DT,

I am sure that is all correct but I cannot believe that because of the above, which happened decades ago and had to do with racing, is the reason why Japanese companies will not go the other way today in this commercial market reality. If it makes sense economically, for a platform or a set of platforms, to be designed longditutonaly, I am sure they will go ahead and do that dont you think?

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Gabriel
CL Type S

DtEW

Remember that Honda is one of Japan's most quixotic (in a good way, generally) automakers. It would have made business sense for them to go FI in the NSX/Supra/Skyline rivalry, but they didn't because they they felt FI was the easy way out.

And converting a FR V8/tranny to MR use is considerably less straightforward than converting a FF/transaxle to MR use. With a transverse engine/transaxle, you can pretty much move and drop with a minimum of alteration. (See Corolla/Celica & MR2/MR2 Spyder) For a longitudinal engine/tranny, you need to completely redesign the gearbox so that it incorporates the differential without making the whole engine/tranny assembly so long that it would necessitate a completely unrealistic wheelbase. In other words, the whole exercise might be so complicated that any possible economic advantages from platforming is just about completely nullified. I can't recall a single instance where a FR engine was adapted to MR/RR use.

(Maybe a die-hard Corvair fan could correct me; I'm not too familiar with the layout/history of that car.)

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051/LP/SR/LD/HH