Airdog

I read on another forum that Acura may make the 06 TL with an AWD system similar to what is coming out on the new RL. Has anyone else heard this or is it BS?

cvajs

even if it comes out in 2006, i'm not too sure i would opt to buy yet another model 1st feature....

captain

I was just getting over the frustration of having to constantly read about "I heard the '05 is going to have"... can't we wait until after the '05's are out to be posting this BS? I doubt the TL will have AWD, if it did who would pony up an extra $15K for 30 hp? Any moderator out there, please, do us all a favor and block these '06 posts until at least March!

cvajs

AWD possibly will take away a few HP. i thought someone had pics posted of a awd TL in testing?? this does not mean it will be in production in 2006.

i would prefer a RWD option before a AWD option or AWD as standard. my TL is a spring-to-fall car so i would prefer a RWD over AWD.

i would like to see a 2006 "A-Spec-Sport" and "sport" options. "a-spec-sport" to be a a-spec package with MT and RWD, and "sport" just a MT and RWD, all others would be FWD.

sometimes i think car manufacturers miss their market opportunities or fail to pull along what once was good (like the tl-s)

zexi

Not going to happen for a couple of years, think about it , if the they came out with it this year all the
Luster of the 05 RL would be lost, not to mention sales!.

vtechbrain

Alright time to put this silly question to rest. The TL WILL NOT be AWD at least till this model expires (4-5 years). The car is based on a FWD platform that cannot be modified for AWD unless the whole thing is reengineered again. If you're looking for AWD buy an RL or consider another brand.

HondaOnly

Does it make sense that Acura would offer AWD in 2006? The new RL just came out in 2005. If an AWD TL came out in 2006, then a lot of potential RL buyers will just get the TL instead. Acura needs to hit a home run with RL just as they did with the TL so I'm sure they will want the RL to spend a few years being the only AWD Acura. There's no question the TL will eventually have AWD, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's not there until the next model. The bottom line is you can wait for a certain feature, but how long can you wait? I would love AWD, but I don't want to wait 2 years when there's no guarantee AWD will be available by then. That's why I decided to just get my TL now. I'm not putting my dreams of owning a TL on hold for 2 years.

cM3go

vtec has it right, the car would have to be reengineered, and this will not happen in the middle of a model year, it will only happen once the car is redesigned so not until 2008 at the earliest

6mtV6

The Honda Inspire which is the US Accord was tested with the SH-AWD. It is fwd. The 3rd gen TL can be fitted with the SH-AWD but Honda wouldn't do that now since the RL is coming out. But if Honda is smart than they will give the TL AWD so it can compete with G35x, 330Xi, etc. The RL's competition is the M35 AWD.
When the G35 first came out it was rwd than after a year the AWD model came out.
I think the 06 TL might get the SH-AWD.

1SICKLEX

I doubt it. Acura is one car, one model, all options, only choice NAV and A-spec. Acura is not going to have multiple car models like everyone else. Acura=simple to buy.
If they did AWD, all TLs would have AWD. THe TL already weighs 3500lbs. AWD will add close to 300lbs.

rets

Someone told me, if Acura 06 TL has no options of coupe and SH-AWD, we would be able to reset his "more than 6 thousand" post-count to Zero...

I cannot wait...





I guess soopa will get 06 TL coupe or whatever its name will be... the refined 06CL...

cvajs

yeah, but those other brands have non-awd options, how does Acura compete with that ??

te3point5

they compete by offering a better price. Adding an AWD Option will increase prices accross the board. They will lose the ability to use the same parts for all TL's. This will force Acura to raise the price.

6mtV6

Acura can offer non-awd also and have awd as a option.

Acura is comfortable with what they have now. They are selling cars easily. But sooner or later they have to realize that in order to compete they have offer what their competition is offering.
A few years ago Infiniti was doing poorly. QX4 was just a Pathfinder, I30/I35 was just a Maxima, G20 basically a Sentra. But than they started coming out with RWD vehicles only and not just Nissan's badged as Infiniti's, their sales went up. Infiniti is doing pretty well now.

HondaOnly

You just showed why Acura will wait. They're comfortable. They've got a car that's a hot seller even though it doesn't have AWD. So why go to all that trouble to offer AWD. To become a big seller? They're already a big seller. Offering AWD makes sense if you're someone like Infiniti who was struggling to make a comeback. Acura is known for value. They offer a ton of features for a cheap price. They make everything standard so you can just go in and pick out the color. You said that Acura could offer FWD and AWD versions of the TL. But why aren't they doing that on the RL? This is part of the Acura philosophy. Present as few options as you can to make things easier on the consumer. So if Acura ever wanted to make an AWD TL, I think that's all you could choose from. There wouldn't be an FWD version. That's why I think it's a safe assumption that the TL will not be AWD until the next TL comes out.

drkangel348

I believe the TL could easily fit SH-AWD since its a like a FWD setup (note how the engine is aligned in the RL horizontally).

Teh Jatt

yes SH-AWD will be an option for TL in '06 and yes there will be a coupe coming out in between 06-08

6mtV6

Infiniti is no longer struggling to make a come back. The AWD was introduced after it. They wanted to compete with BMW's 3 series and they are doing a great job at it. Yes, I showed why Acura will wait "now" but in a year or 2 they will be playing catch up. This is why I said the 06 TL will have the SH-AWD. It's inevitable.
Why doesn't the RL have both a AWD and a FWD? How can a FWD RL compete with Infiniti's M35/45, or what BMW or Lexus has? Why do think that there is so much hype about the 05 RL? It's definitely not because it's getting a V8 which it's not. It's because it has SH-AWD. A AWD system that can compete with one of the best AWD system in the world, Nissan's ATTESSA. Now, do you think anyone will buy the 05 RL if it didn't have the SH-AWD? Yes, but not many. I would not even consider the 05 RL if it didn't have the AWD. Acura is attracting a lot of new buyers with the 05 RL SH-AWD. The sales manager at my dealer told me that they have a lot of deposits already from BMW, MB, Infiniti, Lexus owners that would not had even considered the RL if not for the AWD. Why build a RL without the AWD if it's not going to sell well?
FWD on the TL is different. The TL sells itself. But if Acura wants to attract more buyers than they have to build a AWD TL. I know a few people that bought the G35x instead of the TL because they wanted AWD for safety reasons. AWD is very handy in the NE.
Before I got my TL I was set on buying the G35c or the G35x. I got the TL because I loved the interior, exterior and the gadgets it has. People think differently. Some will think that the G35 looks nicer in and out.

GaleForce

Just finished your super exclusive Acura factory tour huh? You seem to know more than the car mags. Until Acura says anything its all speculation.

Teh Jatt

yeah and i have pics to prove it


but it will happen, in 06 for TL

captain

If you are so sure, why don't you offer a wager?

Teh Jatt

thats why i'm putting 25k miles per year so by the time sh-awd is introduced to TL, then i can get that

I had a bet with RETS (the mod) last night regarding this.... lol i hope he didnt take my bet seriously

EmuMessenger

The 09 TL will have SDH-AWD (Super, Duper Handling) and 450 HP on the base and 575 HP on the re-introduced Type-S.

I have all of this on good authority!

HondaOnly

If you really had pics. you'd show them. Every message board has someone who claims to have inside information. I have hard time believing a 20 year old would have information about Acura products that none of the major industry magazines have.