I noticed on Japans web site:

http://www.honda.co.jp/INSPIRE/

Has been updated this month. Last month the Inspire shown was our very own 2002-2003 Acura TL. Now it shows the new inspire which is basically a nice Accord. Considering the fact that both the Accord and the Acura TL are built in the same plant in Columbus I am going to guess that the new TL is going to be Japans Inspire as shown in the above link. I've also heard the new TL will be priced from $33,000 on up. Which is a shame because the current pricing strategy was the selling point for me.

 

I seriously, SERIOUSLY doubt the new USDM TL will just be a "fancy accord" like the JDM Inspire. I'm expecting something a lot closer to the TL concept.

 

 

There is no way the Accord and the new TL will be that similar. Look at sales of the I30/5 for a point of reference.

Even the Camry and the ES300 are not as close as the Infiniti's.

 

We have already seen spy shots (around Torrence) and the new TL will be very close to the concept TL.

 

i think in japan the inspire has turnned into the accord since the accord has turnned into the tsx here. the tl will be a totally different thing.....

 

Acura has already shown the Concept and has pointed out that the 04 TL will be mostly like the Concept.. And The concept is no where near a USDM Accord, It is similar to TSX but not that much..

 

****!!! This is so exciting! I can hardly wait!!!!

 

I hope you guys are right b/c I am not a big fan of the new Accord. Let me ask this though. What will the US TL be in Japan then?? It still seems weird to me that the old Inspire in Japan is the current US TL, so wouldn't it only make sense for the new US TL to be like the new Inspire?? On the flip side one could say we had the new Accord before Japan had anything like it (New Inspire), so maybe you guys could be right and the new US TL will be a first for the US like the Accord. I am just confusing myself......

In any case its the anticipation that is so much fun. Did you guys check out those sweet new videos for the Inspire though?? Very Cool features:

http://www.honda.co.jp/INSPIRE/cm/index.html

 

the TL used to be the Vigor...so this isn't the first time that it would switch to a different JDM counterpart

 

i dont kno bout you guys but i am very disappointed in the new HONDA designs... i think they could have done much better

 

My likes:
TSX (also JDM Accord)
Concept TL
RSX
Civics

My Dislikes:
JDM Inspire
US Accord (both 4 door and coupe)
Element

 

i dislike the element also, that thing is gross......

 

i like the accord v6 coupe's design. on the other hand, i hate the design of the tsx. there's just something about being in between a tl and an rsx that doesn't work for me. i really don't see the niche that the tsx is supposed to fill.

on another note, i don't see why there isn't an acura version of the s2000. make the acura version a bit more luxurious and have a little bit more power. wouldn't that be a huge seller??? i know that i would buy it! how is acura/honda supposed to compete in the market today if they're just one step behind everyone else in terms of power and styling?

peter.

 

I can pretend to be an expert here, I am sure the US 04 TL won't be like the Inspire. It's Honda's strategies of maximizing their product line in different countires. First, it won't make sense that the disp. drops to 3.0 from 3.2 even though the power is @ 250 already with 3.0. Second, that is the US version of Accord. I am amazed though that Honda have packed quite a feature on the Inspire. The CMS, HiDS similar to MB and Lexus here and the cool instrument panel.

 

 

i think he meant "inspire"
peter.

 

04 TL will not be the JDM Inspire. The concept TL has been shown. 04 TL will be similiar to that. I'd be very surprised if the JDM inspire is the USDM TL.

 

i could have sworn someone posted on this site some japanese website that showed what japanese honda cars looked like, and the inspire was a 4 door accord... the inspire saber was the TL and they had a few more versions.....

 

I meant for the title to say Inspire not Insight. that was my typo, sorry for those that were confused.

 

I personally think the new TL is a more luxurious, sporty, faster version of the TSX. I love the TSX a lot of improvements on this car including simple things like new quiet wipers to engine balancing and reduces vibrations, bigger navi including trip computer and just about everything integrated on navi, from AC/radio/setup...etc.

 

I was thinking about it, just to make sense let's say:

New Honda inspire = US Acura TL
Concept seen = TSX type S

 

You guys gotta check out the video clip about the Inspire, it's awesome.