Autoweek article on CL-S
01-30-2002 | 02:20 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Cost Drivers!!!!
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 19,392
Likes: 1
From: burbs of philly
Autoweek article on CL-S
It's pretty good. They have customer and press reviews of the car at the bottom.
http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?p..._code=07308851
Acura 3.2CL Type-S: On Its Own
Acura CL is the Honda of luxury/performance coupes
When Acura claimed at the launch of its 3.2CL Type S that the new luxury/performance coupe could go head-to-head with the BMW 3 Series, we dug up the notes from our last 328i AutoFile. Let's take a look.
The Type S looks good on paper. Its rev-happy 3.2-liter turns out 260 hp. That's 67 more horses than BMW's 2.8-liter inline-six. And the 232 lb-ft of torque easily covers the 328's 206 lb-ft.
Given those numbers, the Type S should whomp the 328i, at least in the straights. Take into consideration the Acura's heavier weight (by about 300 pounds), its front-wheel drive and automatic, and that advantage gets murkier-as does Acura's reasoning for making the comparison in the first place. Still, the car turned in a 6.7-second 0-to-60-mph run compared to 6.86 seconds for the 328i.
Class-leading powertrain numbers are one thing. Now let's toss in a few twisties. On the skidpad, it's a tossup, but that's where the comparison ends. The 328i leaves the CL in the dust through the slalom, with a speed of 46.4 mph compared to 42.6 mph. An almost 4-mph difference is huge. Therein lies the difference between a car designed for performance from the start and a nice all-around car with performance added on.
Now, forget the BMW. Judged on its own as a performance/luxury coupe in the Honda idiom, the picture is brighter for the Acura.
Acura uses a double-wishbone front and multilink rear setup, with stiffer springs and shocks all around and a larger rear antiroll bar than the 3.2CL on which it's based. The suspension gives the car a confident ride, even if it feels slightly harsh over broken pavement.
The Type S's strongest suit lies in its brilliant VTEC engine. While the 3.2CL makes 225 hp, the Type S adds a dual-stage intake manifold, larger throttle body and freer-flowing exhaust, boosting specific output to a whopping 81.25 horsepower per liter. Add to that Acura's signature VTEC variable valve timing system, and the 3.2-liter gives the S a thrilling low- to mid-range punch. Torque peaks from 3500 to 5500 rpm.
Performance is only half of the equation. Giving its owners a luxury experience-and value-is just as important to Acura. The standard Type S is a fully featured vehicle. For $32,330, our test car came standard with the equivalent of about $7,000 in option charges for a BMW 328Ci.
Features and price were most often cited by owners as deciding factors in their Acura purchases. They also liked the car's power and excellent fit-and-finish. And while many liked the styling, some said it too closely resembled the Accord. Most owners wanted the option of a manual.
If you're looking for a BMW, look for a BMW. But if what you're really after is a great balance of performance, luxury and quality at a good price, then the 3.2CL Type S is hard to top. Sounds like a formula for a successful Honda, no?
Views and Reviews:
OWNERS
EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, STYLE AND PERformance best describe this redesigned Acura. This is my sixth Acura and by far the best. I commute 110 miles each day and I average 26 mpg-that's important with fuel prices bouncing around, although premium fuel is required. The fit-and-finish is flawless.
GORDON BAKER, West Palm Beach, Fla.
IF I HAD TO SUMMARIZE MY impressions about the car in one phrase, it would be "rock-solid build quality coupled with effortlessly strong performance." I've driven both versions and the Type S is the only way to go. The combination of a torquey six and five-speed automatic is enough to easily and very quietly propel the car to well over 80 mph before you even realize you're in big-ticket territory.
JOHN MORRIS, Fairfax Station, Va.
WOW, WHAT A GREAT CAR. It's full of amenities: A power sunroof, trip computer, wood trim, chrome accents, and tons of other bells and whistles are standard. A six-CD changer in the dash with audio controls on the steering wheel is part of the wonderful sound system. Its heated, power, two-position memory leather seats hold you snug.
DAVE NAST, Cherry Hill, N.J.
I CONSIDERED A WIDE RANGE of cars, from a Nissan Maxima to a Lexus GS 300. I kept coming back to the Acura 3.2CL Type S because it was a lot of car for the money. I wanted something with zip. It has pretty much all imaginable options. The only difficulty I had was getting the dealer to come down off the sticker price.
GARY P. MATHIS, Cibolo, Texas
THIS CAR IS MORE FUN TO DRIVE than my 1962 Porsche. It has a fantastic punch from 3300 to more than 6000 rpm. It has superb cornering and continually amazes me for its stability at high speeds. I had it up to 130 mph at a racetrack and it wanted to climb higher, but I chickened out. Before I purchased it I drove the BMW coupe and the Mercedes coupe, but neither could match its luxuries or capabilities unless I wanted to spend another $12,000.
ROGER LEVIT, Santa Rosa, Calif.
U.S. MEDIA
THE TYPE S HUSTLES to 60 mph in about seven seconds, perhaps even less, emitting a purposeful, high-tech growl in the process.
Both versions of this U.S.-made (at Honda's Ohio foundry) engine are linked to a five-speed Sequential SportShift automatic, one of the so-called manumatics that allow the driver a degree of manual operation.
Detroit Free Press
FOREIGN MEDIA
THE CL COMES extremely well-equip- ped, with virtually no options and a full complement of active and passive safety features. If you want a performance-oriented luxury coupe that's high on reliability, value and features, look no further.
The Toronto Sun (Canada)
Road Test Data:
STANDING-START ACCELERATION
0-30 mph:2.68 sec
0-40 mph:3.69 sec
0-50 mph:5.04 sec
0-60 mph:6.70 sec
0-100 km/h (62.1 mph):7.09 sec
0-80 mph:11.00 sec
0-quarter-mile:93.8 mph,15.14 sec
ROLLING ACCELERATION
20-40 mph
(first gear):2.2 sec
40-60 mph
(second gear):3.3 sec
60-80 mph
(second and third gears):5.4 sec
BRAKING
80 mph-0:234 ft
60 mph-0:132 ft
30 mph-0:33 ft
FUEL MILEAGE
EPA combined:23.5 mpg
AW overall:21.92 mpg
HANDLING
490-foot slalom:42.6 mph
Lateral acceleration
(200-foot skidpad):0.83 g
INTERIOR NOISE (dBA)
Idle:40
Full throttle:76
Steady 60 mph:65
http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?p..._code=07308851
Acura 3.2CL Type-S: On Its Own
Acura CL is the Honda of luxury/performance coupes
When Acura claimed at the launch of its 3.2CL Type S that the new luxury/performance coupe could go head-to-head with the BMW 3 Series, we dug up the notes from our last 328i AutoFile. Let's take a look.
The Type S looks good on paper. Its rev-happy 3.2-liter turns out 260 hp. That's 67 more horses than BMW's 2.8-liter inline-six. And the 232 lb-ft of torque easily covers the 328's 206 lb-ft.
Given those numbers, the Type S should whomp the 328i, at least in the straights. Take into consideration the Acura's heavier weight (by about 300 pounds), its front-wheel drive and automatic, and that advantage gets murkier-as does Acura's reasoning for making the comparison in the first place. Still, the car turned in a 6.7-second 0-to-60-mph run compared to 6.86 seconds for the 328i.
Class-leading powertrain numbers are one thing. Now let's toss in a few twisties. On the skidpad, it's a tossup, but that's where the comparison ends. The 328i leaves the CL in the dust through the slalom, with a speed of 46.4 mph compared to 42.6 mph. An almost 4-mph difference is huge. Therein lies the difference between a car designed for performance from the start and a nice all-around car with performance added on.
Now, forget the BMW. Judged on its own as a performance/luxury coupe in the Honda idiom, the picture is brighter for the Acura.
Acura uses a double-wishbone front and multilink rear setup, with stiffer springs and shocks all around and a larger rear antiroll bar than the 3.2CL on which it's based. The suspension gives the car a confident ride, even if it feels slightly harsh over broken pavement.
The Type S's strongest suit lies in its brilliant VTEC engine. While the 3.2CL makes 225 hp, the Type S adds a dual-stage intake manifold, larger throttle body and freer-flowing exhaust, boosting specific output to a whopping 81.25 horsepower per liter. Add to that Acura's signature VTEC variable valve timing system, and the 3.2-liter gives the S a thrilling low- to mid-range punch. Torque peaks from 3500 to 5500 rpm.
Performance is only half of the equation. Giving its owners a luxury experience-and value-is just as important to Acura. The standard Type S is a fully featured vehicle. For $32,330, our test car came standard with the equivalent of about $7,000 in option charges for a BMW 328Ci.
Features and price were most often cited by owners as deciding factors in their Acura purchases. They also liked the car's power and excellent fit-and-finish. And while many liked the styling, some said it too closely resembled the Accord. Most owners wanted the option of a manual.
If you're looking for a BMW, look for a BMW. But if what you're really after is a great balance of performance, luxury and quality at a good price, then the 3.2CL Type S is hard to top. Sounds like a formula for a successful Honda, no?
Views and Reviews:
OWNERS
EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, STYLE AND PERformance best describe this redesigned Acura. This is my sixth Acura and by far the best. I commute 110 miles each day and I average 26 mpg-that's important with fuel prices bouncing around, although premium fuel is required. The fit-and-finish is flawless.
GORDON BAKER, West Palm Beach, Fla.
IF I HAD TO SUMMARIZE MY impressions about the car in one phrase, it would be "rock-solid build quality coupled with effortlessly strong performance." I've driven both versions and the Type S is the only way to go. The combination of a torquey six and five-speed automatic is enough to easily and very quietly propel the car to well over 80 mph before you even realize you're in big-ticket territory.
JOHN MORRIS, Fairfax Station, Va.
WOW, WHAT A GREAT CAR. It's full of amenities: A power sunroof, trip computer, wood trim, chrome accents, and tons of other bells and whistles are standard. A six-CD changer in the dash with audio controls on the steering wheel is part of the wonderful sound system. Its heated, power, two-position memory leather seats hold you snug.
DAVE NAST, Cherry Hill, N.J.
I CONSIDERED A WIDE RANGE of cars, from a Nissan Maxima to a Lexus GS 300. I kept coming back to the Acura 3.2CL Type S because it was a lot of car for the money. I wanted something with zip. It has pretty much all imaginable options. The only difficulty I had was getting the dealer to come down off the sticker price.
GARY P. MATHIS, Cibolo, Texas
THIS CAR IS MORE FUN TO DRIVE than my 1962 Porsche. It has a fantastic punch from 3300 to more than 6000 rpm. It has superb cornering and continually amazes me for its stability at high speeds. I had it up to 130 mph at a racetrack and it wanted to climb higher, but I chickened out. Before I purchased it I drove the BMW coupe and the Mercedes coupe, but neither could match its luxuries or capabilities unless I wanted to spend another $12,000.
ROGER LEVIT, Santa Rosa, Calif.
U.S. MEDIA
THE TYPE S HUSTLES to 60 mph in about seven seconds, perhaps even less, emitting a purposeful, high-tech growl in the process.
Both versions of this U.S.-made (at Honda's Ohio foundry) engine are linked to a five-speed Sequential SportShift automatic, one of the so-called manumatics that allow the driver a degree of manual operation.
Detroit Free Press
FOREIGN MEDIA
THE CL COMES extremely well-equip- ped, with virtually no options and a full complement of active and passive safety features. If you want a performance-oriented luxury coupe that's high on reliability, value and features, look no further.
The Toronto Sun (Canada)
Road Test Data:
STANDING-START ACCELERATION
0-30 mph:2.68 sec
0-40 mph:3.69 sec
0-50 mph:5.04 sec
0-60 mph:6.70 sec
0-100 km/h (62.1 mph):7.09 sec
0-80 mph:11.00 sec
0-quarter-mile:93.8 mph,15.14 sec
ROLLING ACCELERATION
20-40 mph
(first gear):2.2 sec
40-60 mph
(second gear):3.3 sec
60-80 mph
(second and third gears):5.4 sec
BRAKING
80 mph-0:234 ft
60 mph-0:132 ft
30 mph-0:33 ft
FUEL MILEAGE
EPA combined:23.5 mpg
AW overall:21.92 mpg
HANDLING
490-foot slalom:42.6 mph
Lateral acceleration
(200-foot skidpad):0.83 g
INTERIOR NOISE (dBA)
Idle:40
Full throttle:76
Steady 60 mph:65
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
detailersdomain
Wash & Wax
3
10-09-2015 10:13 PM
RSpyder
Car Parts for Sale
5
09-30-2015 12:46 AM
