Whitesnake

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/carkeys/03.shtml

Motorweek Article

Whitesnake

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/carkeys/03.shtml

Motorweek Article

3.5-liter V6
286 horsepower
From $33,000
The TL sedan is often referred to as "the car that saved the Acura brand". While some at Honda's upscale marque might argue, the TL does count for half of Acura's sales. And, with a mid-cycle 2007 revamping, the TL's well balanced luxury and performance combination turns up the wick with the re-introduction of the high-zoot Type-S. After a three year absence, the new Type-S boast an upgraded version of the RL's 3.5-liter V6 engine pumping out 286 horsepower. That's a 28-horse boost over the standard TL.
In addition to exclusive power, the beefier Type-S is the only TL with a 6-speed manual transmission. It's also available with the standard TL's new 5-speed automatic with manual-mode paddle shifters.

Serious suspension upgrades include shocks with increased damping rates, stiffer mounts, a hollow front anti-roll bar, and an increase in rear spring rates; while the brakes are larger Brembo discs with lightweight 4-piston calipers.

Add in 17-inch dark silver alloy wheels, and the Type-S performance package falls somewhere between a typical sport sedan and AMG-style tuning. It's tight, and entertaining, and will appeal to buyers who desire a little rougher edge to their luxury.

But the Type-S treatment isn't all under the skin. There's a more aggressive front fascia, with black chrome trim between standard HID headlights. Between the 10-spoke rims, side sills are nicely pronounced. While the tail gets new smoked LED lamps, a trunk lid diffuser, and large diameter quad exhausts.

All 2007 TL's get sportier cockpit interiors, but the Type-S adds deeper sport seats, flashier LED instruments, and an Active Noise Cancellation system. Navigation is standard on the Type-S, complete with new backup camera.

The new TL hits showrooms early this fall with stickers ranging from $33,000 for the standard car, to about $39,000 for the Type-S. The 2007 Acura TL is the tale of a great car getting even better.

Andrew McCarthy

So if I want a 6-speed I'm forced to get the Type-S?

How is that an improvement?

KJW73

All I have to say is that I am AWFULLY jealous!
I'd love to have the Type-S, excluding the funky wheels...

ding069

soo much money for a tl, i'd buy an 07 g35 sedan, have the same features and better performance

invincible569

You can find the video here:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...page=104&pp=25

theslik1

Unfortunately you are correct, with the exception of having the same features. The G35 is RWD and that's a major differentiation in this segment, especially with standard horsepower ratings at 300+ this model year (which the TL-S fails to meet). The TL-S is nice...not competitive, just nice. That's not gonna cut it. I own a TL and wouldn't touch the Type-S unless it was least $3K-$4K cheaper, if then. The TL-S may end up being Acura's "SHO", for those of you who know what that means...

OvaDaTop

I agree......They have outpriced a lot of their audience and don't think they will cut into the 40k crowd. I love the car, but having to get the type-s with all options at 39k is too much money. I love my 06...loved my 03 type-s but for 39k would never pull the trigger. If the price was lower it would be a mega seller for them but I think they missed their price point here.

theslik1

For $39K Acura needed to step up in two very important ways: SH-AWD to compensate for FWD's shortcomings, and a rated 300+ hp at the crank. I know full well that the 3.5L @ 286 hp is plenty peppy, but when it comes down to comparisons (on paper) 286 isn't a nice round 300. That alone will steer customers elsewhere. To make matters worse, the TL-S is not going to win any comparos vs. BMW, Lexus, or the already well-received '07 G35 regardless of the suspension and power tweaking. It 'll be viewed strictly as a bridge model to tide Acura over until the next gen TL is released.

Yet another missed opportunity.

FiveLiterCheater

Yeah, $39k is a bit much for the TL

For that price, I want...

*SH-AWD
*Push-Start
*300+hp
*Nicer wheels
*Wider body style

SSM6MTNAVI

I think the TL-S 3.5L engine is a bit detuned for the sole reason that if it ws listed as having 300hp, it would severely bite into the sales of the RL - which already suck as fas as I know. So slap on an intake maybe exhaust and ur into the 300hp range easy. But I concur that for 39k at least 300hp should be the minimum.

JERU

Sounds like this idea was thought up by an intern. Kissing 40K and aimed at performance minded people? The key is "performance oriented". I love my TL, but would not touch it at 40K. I am dollars away from solid performance cars like a 330i w/ sport package, '07 G35 and IS350 with that software reconfigured for '07, all rear wheel without the torque steer Acura is hiding in its back pocket. And if what I hear is correct, that 6M will only be offered on the S, Acura just shot itself in the ass. So hopefully that is not correct or I see three car companies giving out early bonuses for the extra cars they are going to sell

drjoe

huh? am i missing something here about my regular TL with 6 speed MT?

subinf

I think it might just be poor sentence structure/wording

ubnpast

$33k if just for a regular tl, for the tl-s is over 40k. there has been many threads about this

DEG

We really have to see some performance data. Who knows, maybe they understated the new HP rating. Been done before!

typeR

to all the G lovers i assure you of one thing peak HP doesn not a performer make...the TL will make torque much longer and will (in a straight line) pull on the G35... but i have little experience with 3.5 liter acuras so dont take my word for it

theslik1

Straight line speed does not a performer make, either. Having said that, I'll be mightily surprised if Acura's 3.5 has more area under the torque curve than the new VQ variant, and there's virtually no way it'll best the 335i in that department (have you seen that torque curve)? And since when have Honda engines not been considered peaky?

By the way, this "G lover" drives a TL. I just know a good redesign when I see one, and the new G hits many of the right notes. The TL-S is going to fall a little flat, I'm afraid. There are simply more compelling choices in that price range.

realfresh

the newest Motor Trend had an 07 6spd G35 Sedan doing 0-60 in about 5.4 (not bad at all seeing as how it only had like 300 miles on it) and doing the figure 8 slalom in the same time as an 06 6spd 330i while gripping .02g stronger

simont53

Hate to say it,I love my Tl but there is a G35s in my future, the type S seems to be a desperate "do over" in my eyes, especially when you factor in the price.

richpearl

The 2007 TL will be available only with the 5AT. If you want a 2007 with 6MT, you have to spring for the Type-S, on which the 6MT is optional.

I have a 2006 6MT. It has the Brembo front brakes and other features that will now be exclusive to the Type-S.

My own take is that I'd prefer waiting for SH-AWD before getting a TL with more power than I now have. Even without Summer Tires, my TL slips like mad on a wet road if I get on the throttle in the first two gears. This puzzles me because the '06 is supposed to have a chip that reduces torque in the first two gears in low traction situations. Doesn't seem to work. My wife's 2004 5AT TL doesn't slip in the same kind of situations, due to the AT more reliablly reducing torque in low traction situations.

All that said, I really enjoy the 6MT. But I'll have to get Winter tires for sure. There are likely to be too many low traction days in a DC-area Winter to drive on the all season tires safely.

--Rich

cM3go

I'm sorry but that's asking too much, given the options the TL has standard, if you take an IS350 and built it accordingly (i.e. with Navi and Xenons, etc etc) AND its only RWD not AWD, the vehicle's MSRP is $45K

theslik1

See, that's the irony. If Acura had included SH-AWD and a 300 hp rating, then they very well could have asked $40K or better (still a big discount compared to the IS) and *possibly* had a limited hit on their hands.

As it is, the TL-S is a "meh". Again, the Type-S is extremely capable and not a bad car by any stretch of the imagination. It's simply that the competition in this sector is fierce and Acura didn't step up as aggressively as it should have. Same story as the RL.

F23A4

I am a professed Nissan guy (own 3) and love the 2G G35 but some of you seem to selling the TL-S too short.

In the last Car & Driver comparison (LINK), the 3.2L TL performed remarkably well against its RWD/AWD counterparts. If the new TL expands further on the base TL's current performance attributes then, I believe the TL-S is a VERY worthy (dare I say 'equal'?) alternative to the new G35 and IS350.....FWD notwithstanding.

Andrew McCarthy

I'm really glad I got the '06!

winstrolvtec

The TOV forum says Acura claims they saved 1 second 0-60 and 1/4 mile on the type s.

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

Noone should pay MSRP either, that is, if you've ever bought a new car before.

If you're willing to come to an affluent area where the Acura dealers base the importance of sale on volume, you will easily score a deal... i.e Northern Virginia. You'll have to shop around... or you may have to special order it, but most dealer will deal for you.

You'll easily pay dealer invoice for a TL-S if you play your cards right. Given my 2006 TL was MSRP 35.5K and I paid $31.6, I'd expect a good negotiator to be able to aquire a new TL-S for around $35K + TTL, maybe even a little less if you want 6MT.

Needless to say the same will be true for buying a new Infiniti G35... so to be accurate, we're really comparing $35K cars together, not $40K cars.

Hugh9269

The G35 is estimated to be at $36,000 loaded. I sure think they missed the boat on the Type-S for a $39,000 sticker!. They should have just provided it as a A-Spec type dress package like option. Acura should have just upgraded the engine accross the std TL board and boosted the price $500. That would have allowed a benefit compared to all of the other 300HP competition, since 0-60 times and 1/4 mile should be similar. Allot of people will run out and buy a Type -S to be the first kid on the block, the rest of us will wait for some std Acura type discount. A true shame that the 6MT is not available on the std TL as well!

cM3go

As many as you hate it and don't think this car matches up, Acura will sell these like hotcakes. The TL is Acura's #1 seller and will continue to be so. I would bet that they will continue to break their sales records.

Acura could build a more robust car, but do they have to? No, and till their sales don't suffer major, they will continue this practice.

subinf

I dont know if thats necessarily the case everywhere. I went to four different dealerships in early 2004 to find a 6spd TL. I only got one dealership to come down on the price. The other three wouldnt entertain anything but MSRP. They had a hard enough time keeping them on the lots. They were willing to cut me a sweet deal with the auto but I didnt want that.

Nykor

I must really be missing something with push start. I see it mentioned on here all the time, and I can't for the life of me reason why. How is it better to push a button than to turn a key? How can something like that be put in as a bullet next to something like AWD?

ndx2

What's with all the negative comments? The Type-S package is a far better deal than the poorly marketed A-Spec. Do you guys recall what the A-Spec TL's stickered for? Do you also remember all the positive reviews?

I think the Type-S delivers what most "everyday" cars fail to do, especially entry-lux and up, which is exclusivity and recognition, even in stock form.

dug-mac

While part of me agrees with the general consensus here that 39K is a lot for the Type S (though I suspect eventually they will be able to be had for significantly less), I'm not so sure I agree with the thinking that says the Type S pales in comparison to the new G35. I'm certainly no car expert, but the beauty to me of the TL has always been how well it balances total performance - handling, performance, interior space, fuel economy, reliability, etc. I'm always a bit confused when performance magazines like C&D and R&T take a sedan and choose between them based largely on a couple of tenths of seconds here, slightly better ultimate grip there, etc. That may be okay for a true performance car, but with a sedan there are many more criteria that come into play (I believe). I also don't believe that FWD is the curse that many make it out to be. Yes, perhaps at extreme limits it would not be the first choice in design, but living in New England I can certainly see choosing the TL over the RWD G35 for it's better performance in inclement weather and especially for it's better fuel economy...

avs007

You guys keep forgetting that the G35 comes in AWD. And I think people are also ripping on Acura for still not offering features on the TL that competition has now, like MP3, Intelligent Key, Nav Traffic, etc.

avs007

I don't think the point was that you push a button. The point people were complaining about was the part where you don't need to insert the key. Infiniti offered that on the G35 since the 05' model year. Weren't people complaining that the Accord had a better key fob than the TL?

dug-mac

AWD is undoubtedly a nice feature and one I hadn't forgotten about. Still, the penalty in fuel mileage is even greater with that model for those few times when AWD is really NECESSARY. My point is that I think you can argue the case either way, and this means that the TL-S remains competitive. Also, the TL-S has some features that the G35 doesn't. Noise cancellation and back-up camera come to mind...

dug-mac

Sorry, rear-view camera is optional on 2007 G35...

Fructus

By the way AWD is not available with MT on G35, only with auto.

gauravp123

me too!!!!!!!

theslik1

You know, maybe I'm being a little too pessimistic about the new TL-S. I really liked the previous generation's version, so I'll officially open my mind to the possibility that this one could be a hit. I'd still like to get it cheaper than $39K, though.

Also, my somewhat serious intention of buying an '07 335i went *poof* when one of them experienced an engine failure. ...so that little adventure is on hold until the problem is ironed out and the model gets some time under its belt.

I guess it's time to test drive a G35 Sport and a TL-S.