!!! COOL!!!! Duellys!!! Since it's a FWD I'm certain that they will put them on the front, right? Since these things are lighter than the M5's, that would give the traction needed to outrun the BMW (soon to be announced) M5, right? You guys crack me up!!!

 

Manual versions SHOULD be quicker than their automatic counterparts. If your car isn't faster than an automatic model, then it may just be your driving style. Also, a manual version can be claimed more "powerful", because more HP actually makes it down to the wheels. There is less drivetrain loss in a manual transmission, as I believe it's the torque converter on the automatic transmission that eats up more HP.

 

To put this to bed there will be no Type S model in the near future if Ever. My uncle works for Honda R&D America's in the Transportation Research Center located near Liberty Ohio. If an S was in the works they would know about it. Many of the US Car and cycle products are researched and co-designed at that location. He works in the department that coordinates with suppliers to make sure components that are developed in new models can be supported and can be mass produced on production model cars. He is not involved in actually engineering the prototype models but he would be involved in the process as the part suppliers would have a role in any new development. He never really tells me much about what they work on because they aren't supposed to but I am always willing to try to pry info from him. This past Thanksgiving he was very interested in talking to me about my 04 TSX as it was 100% made in Japan. We spent a lot of time looking at interior and body parts because he wanted to see the difference in materials used from suppliers in Japan vs the US. He did agree that the US suppliers had parts that didn't seem to be as high quality as compared to the stuff from Japan. He hinted at American Honda being "cheaper" then the division in Asia.
From what he told me I wouldn't expect to see anything new in the TL line for a while besides the A-Spec stuff. Which he said is done by the Performance Accessory division and not them. He did say that I should look for future models in the SUV line from Honda and Acura as they want to get into that high profit market. When I gave him the 50 questions about what to expect he just said he had no clue what it would be but he has been working with suppliers on SUV components for two new upcoming projects. Sorry to kill your hopes but I wouldn't hold my breath for more power from the TL until it gets redone 4 years or so from now.

D.

 

Im not saying that its not faster that a auto because i know my car is faster as my friend has a auto 02 accord and I leave him all the time but it not going to be likes so much faster.

 

not sure if any of you have access to honda parts catalog like i do, but there are a few different models of the 04 TL

here is a screen shot for you guys

 

If a type S is in the future, I'll bet it's AWD.

 

I'd guess (Acronyms may not be right; I'm going from memory):

TL = 5AT Non-Navi
TLN = 5AT Navi
TLS = 6MT Non-Navi
TLSN = 6MT Navi
TLSS = 6MT Non-Navi Summer Tires
TSSNS = 6MT Navi Summer Tires

Mike

 

that sounds right, wasn't sure what the S meant

 

Ofcourse that extra S may stand for A-spec until we get an actual Type S model in the future. My guess is it won't happen until the AWD RL comes out, and then the Type S may roll out as an AWD option on the TL.

 

I doubt it. All the permutations I listed are factory options, which makes sense to me for an internal Honda electronic parts catalog. A-spec is purely dealer installed, probably starting from a 6MT Summer Tire base.

It also makes no sense to me that they'd have an option for a 'Type S' when none is currently planned.

Why does anyone think the TL will ever have AWD? It doesn't seem to me that the base platform and drivetrain (shared with the US Accord) is set up to ever be anything except FWD. That coupled with Honda's nonexistent past lineup of AWD cars says it's highly unlikely.

Mike