blacktlsport

I'm a big fan of acura, but these latest designs have turned me off a bit and has me looking at other brands for when I get a new car.

I currently have the 06 RL with aspec underbody kit and am in love with it! Still find myself attracted to this car even after 2.5 years.

Anybody know if the 2010 RL will be a complete redesign? The M, the A6, GS, and 5 Series are all due for complete redesigns as well. Should be interesting.

Jaguar XF looks stunning to me...and I think it looks the best inside and outside out of all the cars in this class.

TampaRLX-SH

I agree the current styling camp at Acura was a wrong turn....and a slide off the road, into a ditch, filled with mud and surrounded by pigs...with flatulence. But that is just my personal opinion.

At least Acura has beefed up the advertising. I see way more Acura commercials than before, and I would say even more than Lexus and Infinity of late. But the shift is about brand and not models. The focus has been on resale value ( a sensitive issue in today's market) and fleet safety ratings (a very good point to focus upon).

When I was last in Japan, there was plan to end the 2010 RL / LEGEND production around end of this year. The Saitama plant was due to close for a full refurb and retooling. And a new plant was to come online very nearby with the speculation it would be producing the next RL / LEGEND and Honda V8 engines.

But a lot has changed since my last visit to Japan. And in a VERY short period of time. Add to that Honda is notoriously secretive and conservative with product introductions,,,,,well right now I would say it is a crap shoot.

I know I plan to keep my RL until at least second year production of a new model. And I continue my letter writing campaign that Dave Marek and the California Design Studio get off their crack laced -soy- non fat -1/4 inch foam at 147.3F lattes (with a cinnamon twist), grow up and design vehicles with the sophistication an adult can appreciate (and afford). And if Acura chooses to insist bad exterior design is some made up styling cue cliche like "Plenum -Edge-Centric-Tensive-Motion" they can watch my checkbook open up at another brand.

I may be a conservative, sensible old fud. And I do appreciate value and safety. But I will not plop my hard earned $$$ on a product I find ugly and poorly designed....just because they can.

Chas2

You got that address for the design studio. I am going to add to the letter writing campaign.

TampaRLX-SH

1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746

TSX69

w/ the major redesign of 2009 & the economy the way it is, I doubt that 2010 will see a brand new model. There was testing of the RWD model a while back but rumors were that that got put on hold until 2012 or so. When they finally do get around to building a new RL, it seems likely that it will not only get RWD but also a v8. Styling, on the other hand, will probably keep the Keen Edge Dynamics as sales are still doing OK giving them no incentive to switch gears.

Chas2

The traditional thinking is that with a 2009 MMC, the 2011 model year will be the earliest you will see a FMC for the RL. So that means little change to the 2010 model year from 2009. If you see a 2011 model year FMC, it should be available in the traditional November time frame.

That being said, this was NOT the scenario for the 1G RL which languished from 1996 to 2004....let's hope we do not get this future.

The economy remains as a big unknown. It would not surprise me if they delay thing beyond the 2011 MY...this is a conservative company in many respects, and still the only large Japanese automaker that did not post a loss in this recession...so who knows how they will play their cards...

db22

Was the RL designed in CA or in Japan?

And secondly, where was the new front designed. My guess is that the RL was Japan and the ugly bit at the front was from CA.

TampaRLX-SH

The RL styling modifications to the JDM LEGEND come from the Torrance....most specifically the 'power plenum'.

Whose decision to chop the hood to make the front end Pedestrian Impact Compliant is unbeknown to me. It was a bad idea and plugging it with the power plenum worse yet. I also do not know if Acura Design geniuses had impact on the resultant LEGEND version of the car (which I find less offensive).

Rhlieu

Is this really legit address? It is worth a try, maybe a couple letters will get the Acura design team to take their thumbs out of their ass and make something worth buying.

I truly hope the 09 MMY RL is not a sneak peak of the 3rd generation.

neuronbob

I agree with a letter-writing campaign. Perhaps they will listen to someone who jumped ship "in part over the disastrous design direction Acura has taken".

Actually, I'm sure they don't care. They've got their focus groups, though what focus groups actually thought a stuck-on Power Plenum grille was a good idea? I wish they'd make better use of us enthusiasts.....we're the ones who drive opinion on these cars.

As far as the 2010 RL, we are SOL. If this was the year for the redesign, we'd already know it. MY 2011 is more likely. I sure hope they don't F it up....

White Venom

My Acura Rep has said they are working on the V8 to hopefully be in the new redesigned 2011 year model RL. They are planning on putting the same engine in the MDX

037

I happen to disagree with all of you. I think Acura made a beautiful car that stands out. As soon as I debadged it I started getting more people asking questions about what it is.

All this negative talk about the "beak" pushes people to follow with the flow (of magazine reviewers who get one day in the car), but as soon as that RL badge comes off, people actually stare and like what they see.

I think you guys are totally blowing the nose of the car out of proportion and making a great car sound like crap. Crap it is not.

db22

[QUOTE=037;11027771]I happen to disagree with all of you. I think Acura made a beautiful car that stands out. As soon as I debadged it I started getting more people asking questions about what it is.

All this negative talk about the "beak" pushes people to follow with the flow (of magazine reviewers who get one day in the car), but as soon as that RL badge comes off, people actually stare and like what they see.

I think you guys are totally blowing the nose of the car out of proportion and making a great car sound like crap. Crap it is not.

QUOTE]I agree it is a great car and I would love to trade up from my 05. I do not like the beak and I will not buy a car I cannot look at.

037

people change their grills all the time, I don't see it as a show stopper

cai06

Thats a face only a mother could love . and whats up with the single black tooth..
Seriously, I do like the current RL in white and silver since it tones down the beak a lot. The rear 3/4 is good too. I really don't like the red one, it looks too plain to me and reminds me of the 6th gen USDM Accord or a smiling clown. The black one is just wrong. Thats just my opinion.

037

The black "tooth" is the Collision Mitigating Braking System/Radar Cruise control sensor.

This car just happens to be a Stealth fighter.

Yesterday I had a chance to go up against an M3 and guess what...the guy red lined in 1st and 2nd gears because he underestimated how fast this car can jump.

Or the time an older guy in a Z4 couldn't comprehend how I can follow him into a 90 degree turn at full throttle...

It's a great car that has a great hater following.

I guess this makes it more exclusive...

blacktlsport

I had an 09 for a loaner when my 06 was in the shop, and I WAS IN LOVE with the extra Horsepower....it felt SOOO much faster to me even though they only added like 10 hp....that extra power in the low end defintely made the car more fun to drive.

The car is excellent, but imho, just doesn't look "fancy" enuff on the outside....just looks to conservative.

Now.....this baby....just looks plain sexy, and like a luxury vehicle should look like.

Rhlieu

The reason why I think we are so vocal about the dislike of Acura bold new styling (code name the beak) is because we all own a RL and have put this sedan up a very high pedestal. The 05-08 RL’s is a refinement in luxury, reliability, technology, comfort and styling (the MMY 09 RL has improve in all facets, but fall flat on its face with the bold styling) but for the 09’s & beyond this is the major flaw that most people can not look pass. In the 50k segment, there are so many sedans out there (competition is fierce) that asking a consumer to look pass the “beak” to see the overall assessment of the RL is not going to happen.

037

I'm not a big fan of the meshed grill, but main points for me not buying that car is the lack of smart awd and reliability.

neuronbob

True for us enthusiasts. For the great unwashed who want a $50k sedan, when putting down that much money they want a car with some flash. IMHO, they got everything about the look of the 2009 right except the proportion of the grille. That's it. Oh wait, and the continuing lack of a V8 option for those who want it, which will hopefully be corrected for the 3G RL. I guarantee that with a V8 option and a good, clean, coherent look, as well as appropriate marketing, the next RL will sell.

This isn't just a matter of speculation for me. I intend to be an Acura owner again at some point in the future, and the RL is my preferred chariot from Acura. I just want them to get it right for me.

I hope Dave Marek is reading this stuff. We want a better exterior design for the next RL! *starts waving pitchfork*

TampaRLX-SH

In all fairness to opposing opinions...to which we are entitled ...

There is a thread of '09 Owners Unite'. When anyone posted an opposing opinion, they were chastised NOT to post on that thread and get their own thread (in essence). Obviously it was intended for self affirmation.

Now we have a thread where the poster expresses frustration with Acura, and several members contribute. But nooooo...we must have affirmation on the 09 design? Does not the same 'logic' apply (I use that very loosely).

You just cannot have it both ways. If there is no opposing opinions 'allowed' in the self affirmation thread....try holding the same standard in a thread with intent to voice an opposing view.

I think Acura took a nose dive on the sophistication scale of styling. For those who like it...rejoice! But I will not be 'restricted' from voicing my views and how I relate to the direction Acura has taken.

Soooo...is it threads with content by OP approval only? Or is it healthy debate and a mature realization that when you post on a public forum (withing forum guidelines), you may not agree with all the dialog you generate?

dwboston

I'm with Tampa. I've been a vocal critic of the power plenum grill on the 09 since the moment it debuted. It's implementation on the RL looks stuck on after the fact....which it was. I even sent a pointed email to Dick Colliver at American Honda to that effect. I stayed out of the 09 RL owners thread - I was actually suprised there were enough of them to have a thread - but I certainly won't be shy about voicing my opinion here.

Like it or not, Acura has taken a wrong turn with this design style. I'm shocked Colliver and Marek have kept their jobs. They're probably getting the benefit of the doubt due to the slow economy, but the fact these clowns will have input into the 2011 RL, due to the lead times required, is sad. The best we can hope for at this point is that Honda gets more conservative, pushes the new RL out another year or so, and the gang in Torrance gets shown the door in the meantime.

037

sorry if my extremist 2009 owner comments deflect your "freedom of speech" thread.

CL6

A face made for radio.

psheu

I'm with Tampa on this one..... i had high hope for the 4th gen TL also..... and when Acura throw that piece of shit design out and call it TL.... I got so pissed and got myself RL instead for the SHAWD.... the only car that's close to presentable with this new buck tooth nose is the TSX.... everything else is just (otherwise, why would some dealer paint that nose)

regardless of how good the performance and inside is, bad packaging is just bad packaging.... it WILL negatively impact the marketing of the product anyway they want to look at it regardless of the economy....

TheBrave

As the owner of an 09 tech, (black/parchment) I tend to agree with all of the posts here. It's the same debate I had with myself as I studied all of my options. I could have traded my 05 for anything on the road, and all of the cars in this segment had something to offer. More refined exterior styling, a more pleasing grille, etc. I finally came to the conclusion that I would be pleased with any car in this class. I finally decided that I would miss the complete package of the RL and whatever styling cues I would gain by purchasing a different brand would not make up for what I would miss on the road and in the cabin.
The real issue that sparked my internal debate was not the grille itself, but the fact that the cars in this segment have grown stale. They all suffer from a lack of anything new to capture the attention of a car buying demographic that craves new features and the latest technology. In fact, with no ground beaking advances anywhere on the horizon, we've turned to debating and re-debating the lowest hanging fruit on the "tree of converation".
In my opinion, what we could all use is a double dose of reaffirmation from a car company we have grown to respect in many different ways. Please tell me you have something new and exciting up your sleeve, that you are making advances in technology that will put the "Legend Magic" back into your latest and greatest creations. Please tell me that you have something more than just another V8, that your next RL will make us all forget about this grille debate and make Lexus owners try to find loop holes to break their leases. And on behalf of the generation who thought that by now we'd all be flying cars that fold into briefcases, please tell us you are closer to that than you were last year and the year before.
In other words, make us believe that, despite what we hear about the economy or grilles or slow sales or crappy marketing, we have reasons to save our pennies and drool over the next big thing from Acura. In he meantime, we'll all drive in style with big smiles and heavy right feet.

TampaRLX-SH

You missed my party dw....

Tricky Dick Colliver is no longer at American Honda / Acura (or as he pronounced *ACK-er-UH*).

When I wrote my open letter (somewhere on the forum) to Acura last year when the 09 RL was introduced, I also addressed it to 8 VPs via email. Of those 8, 3 are no longer employed there. I am sure my comments were totally ignored...but it sure feels good anyway.

Now...Dave Marek must go and I am convinced the world's ugly factor will be reduced significantly. I am forming a posse with pitch forks, battering rams and torches. Who's in?

Ken1997TL

I'm in

+1 for the 09+ RL having a bad and unnecessary Michael Jacksonesque nose job.

TampaRLX-SH

Does that mean we can include ordinance? We might as well do it right.

Ken1997TL

I'm at 42 firearms, I'm sure that'll supply all the RL owners here

dwboston

Can't believe I missed that! Maybe there is some hope after all.

TampaRLX-SH

It was a wild party....

the muchkins were drunk,

the flying monkeys threw up all over the wizard,,,

Glenda the good witch got in on with the Tin Man...

and we all sang along.... "Ding Dong the Dick is Dead".

neuronbob

Hey, I mentioned pitchforks first! I also agree with the title of the thread. Acura needs to get its external design s**t together. The interiors are damn near perfect and I appreciate the "all-in-one" feature approach, so those are fine.

And I hear tell Bob Lutz is free after December 2009..... How about a consultant job for the guy? Throw a little money at him, eh?

TheBrave, good on you for sticking with Acura and thank you for your comments. The 2009 RL looks best in black.

TampaRLX-SH

Oh yeah....and I used that pitchfork threat a YEAR ago in my Open Letter to Acura!

But Ken is gettin' us ordinance now. So we can go postal instead of just 'pitchin' a fit.

And Bob Lutz was once quoted as NOT liking alpha-numeric car names. So I say Acura should hire him. The will be NO 2010 RL,,,or 2011, 2012... There just will be a new LEGEND.

BigKat103

I would be very surprised if Acura really changes anything about this car over the next 2 model years. That hasn't been Honds/Acura's MO on any model in the past. Engine upgrades I could see, but the body will likely remain the same. If they change the grill and it fit's the '09, I would definitely take a look. Not sure how many of you have seen it, but I love the grill on the '09 Legend. See below.



If this were on the current RL would you have a different opinion? I think both look sharp, but I am biased and a very happy '09 owner.

neuronbob

Yes. It looks much better.

woodek

My only problem with the grill.......


http://www.justmaserati.com/~donnest...155582-8sm.jpg



A transformer comes to mind too. I DO love the cars though.....Honestly.

ssim3

They also need to offer a rwd option, because the awd only costs them a lot of sales.

Rob144

I must be getting used to the Plenum. As much as I wish I had a chrome grille on my silver '06, the '09 Honda Legend grille is not attractive. It looks out more of proportion than the Plenum and too conventional.

woodek

Acuras should ALWAYS have the the big " V " shaped grille. Thats what defines them from hondas or other cars when you see them driving down the road.