Rexorg

The '10 RL, or whatever it will be called, will be a totally new car and more upscale and much bigger, and of course, more expensive. However, given the negative remarks about the '09 RL they could scrap the '10 and start over. Who know's? Time will tell.

lindros2

Check out this Acura grille:



As poorly as this vehicle sold (thanks to the Consumer Reports article on the Isuzu Trooper), at least the hood and grille had some "flow."

mondo540

Been reading a lot about this car all over the net and there seems to be universal disdain except for a couple brave souls. I'm not an Acura owner but have owned many different cars (lux and perf) and thought I would share my take on this car:

1) All the updates to interior, technology, suspension, wheel/tire, engine, safety etc. are amazing...interior looks great and I really like it. Ventilated seats are a must for me. This is one of the more comprehensive MMC's I've ever seen in any car of recent memory. Would have liked more power and maybe a 6 speed but this can work. Example of a questionable MMC go look at Infiniti M...

2) The styling. I'm not going to be too harsh until I see it. Still a little too close to Honda Accord look in my estimation but again, need to see it live and in person....That red car seems to be a bad color and that one has most of the pics as it has the wood accents. Darker seems to work better. That cars.com site has some nice pics of the dark gray one and it looks much better to me. As an ex. of a redesign I hated when first seeing in pics - the new Audi nose...laughed at it at first but like it a lot now.

3) If I can get one of these with tech package w/ a decent discount that has been pervasive for this model I might own one soon....def. going to check them out when avail. 50+K, no...lower to mid 40's, definite possibility of a yes.


So, my take as a somewhat disinterested 3rd party is hey, this car is top 3 on my list and seems to offer great value considering all the features. The true new 2011 model (or whenever) will be interesting and hopefully a true lux. car with V8, etc.

krio

As far as the nose... it's growing on me. (Or maybe it's just growing?!) Cars.com's Ian Merritt is one of the best auto journalist photographers out there, and his photos from the show floor are worth viewing:

Well, apart the grill derived from an Opel Vectra (Saturn), I think I begin more liking this car. In the category of the RL I don't like nor the GS, nor the E Merc, nor the BMW5 (the better one) nor the A6... Than the RL has good company.
Acura streched the design of the car, that looks bigger and stronger... more flagship sedan than before (but the front was better before) and more refined...

SlimTL

I wonder how the new A-spec package would look on the 09 RL?

static808

Hey Brown Chaos, those were some nice pictures of the 09 RL. It showed some nice angles and detailed what the interns at the Acura Design studio were looking to do. I still am with the majority by stating the grille is a total fiasco.

Eoanou

Time to sell your stock in Honda, because they are going to fail, and fail badly might I add.

If this is any glimpse of what the new generation TL might look like I will not be purchasing one, that's for sure. I thought the old RL looked great, all it needed to sell better was a better engine and perhaps some more minor tweaks. Now they made a car that couldn't sell before even harder to sell now.

TWONZ

hey everyone...
I'm from the Chicago land area so I had the pleasure of going to the Chicago Auto Show tonight. I've been following all the gossip about the new Acura's: RL, TL, and TSX.

As a TSX owner, I was really curious on how the new RL would look, just to get an idea on what the next TSX might look like.

When official photos of the new RL were released I was so disappointed with the design. The grill was ugly, the back end was OK.. and the whole car just didn't seem any better from the current RL.

Let me say this... Photos do NOT do the RL any justice. The car has great curves in all the right places. The grill looks 10 times better in person and actually flows with the rest of the car pretty nice. The car on display was locked so I was unable to sit inside but the interior did look plush.

We are all (including myself) quick to judge when something isn’t what we expect. But the RL truly is a nice car.

Just thought I'd share my thoughts....

SpicyMikey

Thanks TWONZ. I agree things look different in person. I don't think I like the new grill but I'm waiting to see it in person to pass final judgement. Except for the non-continuing hood line next to the head lights, I don't see all these major problems with curves that many others see.

jcha2

I don't know about you guys, but in 2004, I was not impressed with the picks of the 2005 RL. It looked like a nice Mazda in pictures. For some unknown reason this car is not photogenic. After seeing the car in person at the dealership, my first impression quikly changed and I became a proud owner of the 05.

I for one am going to save my picture impressions until I see this 09 RL in person. I hope the same thing will happen from 2004 because the upgrades appear to be significant for a MMC.

ostrich

Thanks, Twonz! I appreciate your input.... I guess it probably does look better in real life, but surely that thing is NOT photogenic at all! That is still very sad.... but thanks for the reassurance! I still won't buy another Acura if the new grille is like that though....

dwboston

That's good to hear but unfortunate. Most people get their first impression of a car from TV, print, or internet ads these days, and first impressions count for a lot. Acura is in trouble if people are going to have to make an effort to see one in person to get the right impression of the design.

Maybe its a case of the camera adding 10 pounds? They must have had 4 or 5 cameras on that grille then.

jwaters943

Let's hope so.

Ibn Rushd

Maybe, but i'd probably only look at it when my car goes in for servicing or something...otherwise i truly cant see myself actually going to the dealer to really check it out like the last one.

Rob144

The RL has always been a car that looks better in real-life than in pictures.

To get a feel for how the nose of the 2009 will look in person, pop hood release on your '05-'08 RL and stare at the front end for a while with the hood open. Then sit behind the wheel to get the view through the windshield.


Rob144

SpicyMikey

Putting the grill aside, I still think this new RL is a step forward, not backwards. The rear end was frumpy looking. Many of us added the deck lid spoiler to give it more character. I know I did. The front end and grill was OK but nothing to write home about. It faded away to much in the front and made the car look smaller then it really was. Also, the grill was very pedestrian. I had to add the front spoiler to make it feel more interesting. On the inside they have given us bunches of new items (all things we've been asking for) including cooled seats, more torque, more rwd bias, a bit more leg room, etc.

This has been a tough crowd. I think maybe too tough.

It's just that grill which is the misstep. Granted, it's a bit misstep, but, in balance this is a much better product then the current RL. If I hadn't just bought my RL 12 months ago, I would buy one.

neuronbob

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm sure the car looks better in person than in pictures and I'll certainly give it a close look when it comes to Cleveland in three weeks. All the same, that ugly grille is hard to get over.

lumpulus

Misstep!?!? More like a fall off a 1000 ft cliff.(which could be an improvment.)

A misstep would be if they added a color choice like that diarrhea brown the CL had a few years ago. At least then you just don't have to choose it.

That hideous excuse for a rhinoplasty we are stuck with.

If I see the new RL in person and like it, I will pay full sticker and give my current 06 away.

Mike_TX

Does Rex get some kind of prize for starting the longest thread in recent AZ history?

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black label

Sorry to steal your joke. It's like they say, comedy is all about timing

jwaters943

I agree with you. Besides, most of us haven't even seen it in person yet.

This whole knee-jerk reaction reminds me of when the new Subaru WRX debuted. Everyone was saying how disappointed they were by the new model, and that it looked like a poorly executed mix of a Corolla and BMW. Message boards across the net were quick to predict its failure, yet, here we are roughly 6 months later and it seems to be selling well, and most people seem to have warmed up to the styling.

If there is one word I could use to describe the design of the new RL, it's "technical". It's not particularly elegant, but neither is the RDX or MDX, which is where the brand is headed design-wise. It's also not as invisible and understanded as the current moded w/ it's sloping nose and soft flowing arches on the trunk that always looked a little too much like the Azera to me. It needed to be bolder in order to get noticed, so they made it bolder. I do agree that the grille could have been better (e.g. 10% smaller w/ the top of the grille lined up with the headlights), but I haven't seen it in person.....maybe the design makes more sense in the flesh.

lumpulus

Yeah, and mine was better....it just got overlooked.

krio

some more "cold" considerations.
One of the Acura bosses during the presentation of the RL in Cjicago told us we'll recognise till the end of the year every model of this brand as Acura from the first look..
It means simply that Acura choosed the way of the Audi, with an unique front grill image-brand, for all the line, sedans, coupes, SUV and sport cars... It was a success for Audi, and why not for Acura than?
But the square grill of the Audi is suitable and flexible for almost every model of this brand. It looks good on the R8, as on the A5 or on the A3...
The front grill that Acura choosed for the future line up, like the brand image, is almost derived (obviously) from the best looking, best selling sedan of their range: the 3Gn TL.
The grill of the TL is a direct derivation too from the 2003 TSX one, and suffered little changes in 2006 through the Advanced Sport Sedan and the restyled TL. Showed itself for the first time in the most WRONG car for such a grill... the RL.
The RL had it's own grill, not bad at all, and the angular-sharp new one loooks not fitted for it.
But the car looks really good, and I don't mind when people compare it to the Accord (the techology features, and amenities of the RL are far, far beyond the Accord)...
The TL and TSX will look great, thank to THIS front grill more than ever. else in the car, because of their sporty design and sharp lines.
Acura is on the RIGHT way, but it was a mistake showing now this late remake of the RL 2005...
In 2008 we'll get the TSX and the TL (this car I believe will be a HIT).
In 2009 we'll get a new coupe (the CL?) and some good Type-S..,
In 2010 the new NSX and a new crossover.
In 2011 the new RL.
Enjoy the show...

SpicyMikey

Maybe "misstep" was an understatement

Gotta tell you though, I was driving around today looking at grills. A new focal point for me now when I see a car . Anyway, there aren't many good looking faces out there. Some are anonymous looking (like the current RL grill), some are offensive to me (like the Audi face), but I don't really see something that looks good. Even the ones that look OK (like the BMW double kidney)are really ugly when you just stare at it like we are staring at the new RL grill. Maybe it just looks good because we are used to it and it's come to represent something positive. Point is; maybe the point of making a "good" grill is more about it being unique and identifiable, rather then it being visually attractive.

If that's the case, man does Acura have a winner

neuronbob

Um, that "diarrhea brown" was "Pimp Daddy Gold" (OK, we dubbed it that here at AZ) and it certainly stuck out! Rare beasts those CLs were, too.

I wouldn't go that far as to pay full sticker, but I get your meaning.

Are we being too tough, SpicyMikey? That's the problem with stark styling. It's either "love it" or "hate it", and so far our particular enthusiast audience "hates it" to the front and is "meh" (50/50) to the rear. Another example of this was the Chrysler 300 series in its current form. It was definitely "love it" or "hate it" in styling, but enough people felt the opposite from the RL that it became a runaway hit, and was that way on forums from the start. Count me as liking that style....too bad the handling was boatish on the low-end models. My main objection is to that fugly grille. It should be changed, but I doubt it will be.

LOL! AZ should give him a new 2009 RL!

SpicyMikey

Funny Krio and I referenced Audi in our two entries that we cross posted. Really, go out there and find a truly good looking grill. When you find one, its probably unrecognizable

Rexorg

How about a million dollars?

06TL929

How does Acura continue to F this whole "full sized luxury car" thing up year after year? Personally, I like the current RL because it splits the difference between a sporty sedan and a big lux boat in looks, size and performance. However, it doesn't compare to its supposed targets like the Lexus LS, let alone an S Class Benz or a 7 series. Its more of a competitor for a 5 series, GS or E class.

neuronbob

That's because its competitors ARE the 5-series, GS, E class, and M35. The RL has always compared favorably with these cars, and its main faults are a) no V8 option and b) no cachet compared to the BMW, Lex, and Merc. It has no cachet because Acura hasn't marketed the car in that way. In fact, it really hasn't marketed the car at all.

lumpulus

I disagree with you.....You can have a unique and aesthetically pleasing grill, and personally I like the direction Audi took.(And VW as well.)

Acutally, till now I think Acura has historically done a goos job improving their designs..take the Integra\RSX for example....

The first generation was nice with it's hidden headlights, and was a great car.....then they improved it with the 2G(my favorite, though I never had one)

Then the 3G, IMHO, hit a home run, and Acura fixed just about everything that needed to be before they discontinued it. If only they kept it and gave it SH-AWD....

Designs that have symmetry do it for me. The new RL front end is disgusting to me.

123456SPEED

I was at the dealer snooping around the few 2008 RLs and saw a nice silver one, opened the driver door and was greeted by the moniker 'LEGEND' on the door sill!
It was sweet surprise to see this factory mistake, brought back nostalgia for the Legend. How cruel to take away that name and give us RL.
Wouldn't it be sweet to have Acura offer the RL with a 'Legend special edition' trim and offer some special goodies. Advance back to the Legend.

SpicyMikey

Well, don't get me wrong, I personally don't like the grill either. I'm just not ready to declare my certainty that I'm right about it being a design mistake. I (we) could be wrong. After all, I liked the current RL and most people think it looks like shit. That tells me I (we) don't represent the average car buyer I guess.

Bottom line: Do I think it looks like shit? Absolutely. Is it a design mistake that will kill Acura? I don't know. Time will tell. If I had to bet money I'd say it won't matter much to people (like NeuronBob's wife). The obnoxious eye catching style might actually do them more good then harm in the end by making it a "signature" look.

Work with me here. I'm trying to be open minded

TampaRLX-SH

Giving us what we want is not Acura's objective anymore. They seem to know what is best for us and dammit, we will like it.

I smell an arrogance in Acura corporate. I am waiting for the reality check to hit them hard and fast now.

123456SPEED

That thought reminds me of GM and Ford in the 70s. they figured buyers will buy whatever we build, wrongly.

In the over $45K market image becomes very important and it's clear Acura is not ready for prime time yet. They teased us with all this tier1 talk but that is a few years off with the new NSX and RL, not this refresh of a car designed in the early part of the decade and on the street 3.5 years ago.

neuronbob

Oh great, now Autospies is into it...

Is the new Acura RL a Stud or a Dud? The users there are 100% for "dud".

Is Acura too far gone to make a comeback? Personally, I don't think so. The TL and MDX are still big sellers. However, if the new TL (Acura's best-selling sedan) gets a reception like the RL.....Acura is in deep doodoo.

dwboston

Half of the comments across both stories demand RWD and a V-8. As if either is the issue. RWD and V-8 are an issue to car mags and a tiny % of buyers, but I'm beating a dead horse. The photoshopped grill + the redesigned rear would have been a home run for the MMC.

And Acura isn't too far gone - the company will sell tons of MDX's, TL's, and TSX's. The grill looked much more organic on the TSX and likely will on the TL as well. Wait until the fanboys get their hands on a SH-AWD TL...

SpicyMikey

You can't really use AutoSpies as a benchmark. If it doesn't' speak German then most of those guys will rip it apart. I go there more to see the links to articles rather then read the comments

SPUDMTN

Apparently Edmunds broke the embargo and has leaked some photos of the new TSX. I stole--err, copied--these photos from the TSX thread in Automotive News.

Discuss.

SPUDMTN

This works--very well, IMO. It's got bold, angular lines that fit very well with the "power plenum" grille. I'm hoping the G3 RL will be a play on this styling theme, as this is really handsome.

Acura--THIS IS HOW THE RL SHOULD HAVE LOOKED! CLEAN, SHARP, BOLD! Just give us a plus size TSX (think: two sizes bigger)!!

cai06

It looks better also because the grill seems to be thinner and all-chromed; and the hood line is in line with the headlights. It definitely fits well with the angular body. The tailights as seen in the spy pics in Japan are very similar to the RDX.

I think once people start seeing more and more 09' TSX's on the streets, they will get used to it and the RL's grill wont look that hideous..