neuronbob

....and they show only the rear of the car, and in a flattering light.

It looks like Acura got our message. Maybe a change is in the offing? Dare I hope? Don't have time to post image now, will try later if someone else doesn't get to it first.

larrynimmo

I got the ad too...thinik about it guys....99 out of 100 adds feature the car nose first...I think we bloodied Dick Tollivers nose and he's too embarased to show it.

I got to laugh...you know someone who is involved in Acura design and research has to read this forum, if for no other reason just to know what the current owner's think. They have got to be fuming at this. On this same page there is an ad for the 2008 Audi S5...there not embarased to show their nose.

TSX69

lumpulus

Looks like the new Accord on steroids.

TampaRLX-SH

I got the email last night too. I save all my Acura emails in a folder.....except that one.


Again, I do not find the rear offensive as I do the front, possible it will grow on me. But in that color and light, there is too much going on. Just look at a vertical section a either tailight corner. The edge of the trunk, thetop of the rear fender, the top bumper edge, the vertical bumper face, the crease above the exhaust pipe, then the exhaust pipe itself. There are soo many varying angles, edges, surface directions. It looks like they took a picture of the current RL and 'digitized' it to get so many angles and surfaces. Kitchen sink styling.

Another reason why the RL looks best in darker colors....it hides all those seams, angles, edges and surface directions.

lland

I like it from the back. As for the front, I'd have to reserve judgment until I saw it in person. I didn't like the new MDX grille in pictures but I don't mind it at all in person. Still, I think they could do much, much better.

LL

lindros2

I'm not a fan of the partial clear "racer-boy" taillight treatment. Whose brilliant idea at Acura was this?

This is a $50k vehicle, not a Scion. And it's yet another thing I dislike about the refresh. I disliked the same thing on the 3G TL MMC- it looked like a stupid change for the sake of change.

neuronbob

I like the new rear. Our poll shows that the rear is more liked than hated (or is that more "tolerated" than "despised"?). When making a bold design, one is hoping for "like it" or "hate it" and the rear succeeds in evenly dividing those. The front....well, need we say more?

BTW, Thanks for the picture TSX69, I just didn't have time to post it this AM.

123456SPEED

4 year old design.

The Dougler

iTrader: (1)

Sorry guys, but I had too....Maybe if you paint the new car flat black you won't have any troubles with highway patrol.

TampaRLX-SH

LOL...so true! But at least the multi faceted angles and surface planes of the stealth bomber are purposeful! On the aircraft they are supposed to make it invisible (to radar anyway). On the RL is was supposed to attract attention (preferably in good taste).

What was the design concept on the RL? Gee, we can add this, and this, and this, and this, and this, and this,,,,,,,,,,

CAD gone MAD! Why not have a bi-plane spoiler too!

dwboston

Rumor has it that this was the inspiration for the 2009 RL....



Used to walk by this every day. Apparently there are lots of issues with leaks and sound problems due to all of the weird angles. Funny how that happens with an off-kilter design.

gavine

Why does Dick Tolliver get all of the slack for this? He's a sales guy, not a designer, right? He probably hates the grille too but his job is to sell it. Am I wrong?

Mike_TX

How many people think the rear end gets helped as much as anything by doing this to the tail lights?



It doesn't cure the "continental kit" bumpout on the rear bumper, but at least it takes away the droop of the tail lights.

.
.

SpicyMikey

I agree it looks a bit better.

But honestly, what's catastrophically wrong with this new RL design? We can nit pick it, but aside from the grill, I think it's OK. Actually I think it's better looking then my 07. Some of these photos make it look like crap, some look very good (like the black image floating around).

http://www.leftlanenews.com/wp-conte...05&idg=1&idi=6

I really think we have to see it in person to draw conclusions. Especially when you are judging proportions. In these photos the grill really seems overbearing (besides ugly) However, it may not be as pronounced in real life.

Dr. Decatherm

My question is: if it's good enough for the presidential election, why not for a car design....a focus group. After reading many of the initial reviews and impressions (especially pages that allow comments) this new front and rear design is almost universally panned. You would of thought that Acura would have gotten 50 people in a room and asked for honest opinions. It's hard to believe that this overwhelming condemnation could not of been predicted by the company. Moreover, imagine the sales tool it would have been had they asked for some feedback from this forum? They would of virtually guaranteed sales to newly puffed up followers (not to mention the attendant commercial touting that Acura trusts its customers like no other).

Mike_TX

To put this in better perspective, here's a side-by-side of my "fix" to the tail lights:



Sure does away with the droopy look of the '09 tails, and IMO makes it look classier!

.
.

SpicyMikey

Honestly, they both look OK to me. Actually, your modified one looks more like the accord lights. Everyone's always screaming the RL is so easily mistaken for an Accord. Maybe that's why they decided to add that slight change. Just guessing.

Logic717

No pun intended, but sending out this ad showing the rear of the car makes Acura look even more like an ass. I have NEVER seen any new car advertisement hype the rear of the car.

That being said, I hope they do plan on fixing the front grille, but they should have done that before sending out this ad. Chances are the people who got the email already saw the chicago pics. Sending it out later would not have been an issue. It would probably have been the best way to re-introduce the car.

I just hope the new 18's will fit my 06 when the time comes... if not, TireRack will be getting my funds.

Rexorg

Just got the e-mail a few hours ago. I think in person it might look better. I am warming up to all the revised things and maybe come next January when the prices are way down might take the plunge on a demo.

jwaters943

How are they "hyping" the rear of the car? They merely are showing a pic of the rear. It's not that they're hiding the front, they just chose a pic from the rear. It's really no different than current RL. If you go to www.acura.com and click on the RL tab you will see Acura is also using a shot of the rear of the current RL.

Mike_TX

Maybe a little like the Accord, but enough diferent to be distinguishable:



The Accord tails have the turn signals at the bottom of the assembly, v. the top for the RL. Also, the Accord's tails are slanted down towards the inside of the centerline of the trunk.

A matter of taste for sure, but of course, I like my version better than Acura's.

.
.

Logic717

I see your point, but my point is that, if you are going to send out a mass email with a picture of your newly designed vehicle, where the front end was your most significantly changed part of the car, why would you hide that?

The current RL pic on the website is showing the vehicle in action around a curve, the one in the ad is motionless. That's a big difference to me...

-Logic

Alperovich

i thought so too, so i went to see it. the grill blows. i can live with everything else, but this is a unneeded redesign IMHO, they should have done a all new vehicle. something worth being compared to a Legend, something new, something awesome, something we can call a flagship, The Acura.

TSX69

Interesting to note that the TSX email I got shows the rear as well:

neuronbob

mmmmm....TSX....I think it looks good.

(throws in another prayer that Acura fixes the MMC RL grille)

kowloonsniperhk

the front looks horrible, its the same as the new Acura grille style. One thing for sure is that they have to get better rims.