harddrivin1le

300 HP (from 3.5 liter V6) and AWD....

http://autos.msn.com/advice/articles...g2005&src=news

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/fu...x?familyid=298

GaleForce

Old man car. Thx. :p

Features sound cool though. Would love 300hp and AWD in my TL.

harddrivin1le

What makes that new RL an "old man's car?" It should run circles around the TL. It sure doesn't look like any "old man's car" I've ever seen:

http://www.motortrend.com/autoshows/...arl/index.html

I doubt Acura will install AWD in the Accord based TL, since doing so would diminish the new RL's sales.

The TL was an "old lady's car" until the TYPE S made its debut in the last generation. Does that mean it's STILL an "old lady's car?"

GaleForce

The RL is an "old man's car" for the same reason the ES330 is.

It definitely has all the specs, but both the interior and exterior design are way too "old" looking.

mhudson78660

:smackhead

harddrivin1le

Are you looking at the photos of the NEW RL?

http://www.motortrend.com/autoshows/...arl/index.html

creamy-nuts

owhhh man i thought you left :smackhead

harddrivin1le

See...Acura really DOES know how to build a REAL performance car - be it the RL (performance sedan) or NSX. But like most other companies, they want the BIG $$$ for that level of performance.

The TL doesn't deliver and it never will. The RL is the "TL" that TL owners on here have been dreaming about.

caball88

yeah the new RL is nice. has alot of new features which would probably rejuvenate the sales of the RL. i wonder what are the torque numbers for that engine. if its anything like the VQ35 then it would be pretty competitive. i dun want to call it an old man car but its not as sport oriented like the TL. it probably won't have a 6MT option on it. i bought the TL because it had the 6 speed as an option or else it would have been and audi or bmw. hopefully acura will start to introduce the sh-awd into their other lines of cars. it would sure put alot of those car mags to bed being that their biggest complaint is fwd.

caball88

ok dude now your just being rude. i never said anything bad about you but now i can see why so many people don't like you. if you don't like the TL that's ok but why you have to make comments like that?

abqhudson

I'm an old guy. I want one.

Jim

PetesTL

Hey for $35K........270hp, sporty handling, awesome exterior/interior, DVD-Audio, Blue-tooth phone, and one of the best Nav's around..........the TL delivers and then some.

harddrivin1le

Those of us who understand the meaning of the term "handling" disagree.

It's a nice car with some sporting overtones, but it's not a REAL performance/luxury car.

The new RL looks like it might be. And for ~ $50K, it SHOULD be.

harddrivin1le

The RL's engine makes 300 HP. Who really cares whether or not "the torque numbers" are competitive to those of the VQ35 engine?

jrock65

The RL uses the same platform as the TL, which uses the same platform as the Accord.

harddrivin1le

It does?

The existing RL uses an longitudinally mounted engine....

And AWD will address the TL's and the Accord's handling deficiencies.

harddrivin1le

Compare the current RL to the current Accord and TL and explain to me how that can be:

http://www.acura.com

The existing RL even uses a longitudinally mounted engine...and it weighs 3,900 pounds. It still uses a 4 speed auto and a 3.5 liter engine that makes just 225 HP.

And AWD will address the TL's and the Accord's handling deficiencies.

PetesTL

.....what "handling deficiencies?"......my TL handles just fine.....no, make that great! Unless you want to pretend to be Michael Schumacher in city streets, the TL fulfills the need of 99.9% of its buyers for everyday driving. For $35K, tell me how you can best the TL in terms of power, handling, comfort, luxury, amenities, reliability, and value. The TL and RL shouldn't even be compared because they're in totally different markets.

harddrivin1le

The car suffers from severe oversteer (front drive and front weight bias) and is seriously under-damped.

It has other attributes, as you pointed out. But it's a FAR CRY from a BMW 3 series (particularly when fitted with the optional sport handling package).

You would know this if you've ever driven actual performance cars at anything close to their limits of adhesion.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=6

Their test car was a 6 speed, which has larger anti-roll bars and better front brakes than the automatic. And still:

"...But then we went marauding in the mountains north of Los Angeles and discovered some other TL traits. The combination of big power, front-wheel drive, and a limited-slip differential produces quite a bit of tugging at the steering wheel as the front wheels encounter varying surfaces. This is exacerbated by the TL's peculiar suspension tuning. The car is simultaneously firm yet springy, and the front suspension felt as if it were topping out over certain road crests, whereupon it would produce a big weave as it touched back down.

We also experienced some twitchy head-tossing motions on bumpy surfaces from the TL's spring and anti-roll-bar interactions. Acura engineers obviously sought a compromise between ride comfort and body-motion control, and the side effect is some spooky rough-road responses."

GaleForce

Oversteer? No it doesn't. Do you even have a TL to make that claim?

svtmike

That's understeer, oh Mr. Incredible Car Expert.

Mike

PetesTL

....do you actually own a new TL or are you just quoting from car mags like the other trolls around here?! Besides, a loaded 330i Sport costs more than $40K......in the end, we TL owners don't give a shit......if we wanted an all-out performance car, there are better choices like a WRX STi, etc......but there's NOTHING out there that gives the best combination of luxury and sport and VALUE like the TL.

GaleForce

Also remember all these reviewers drive the cars like we'll never... they're ex-race car drivers.

svtmike

hd owns an Accord and a Camaro, and is the undisputed king of quoting (and requoting and requoting and scanning and posting and reposting and reposting) car magazines.

frainc

So GaleForce, how old are you? I like the new RL and I don't think its an Old Man's Car. What is an OLD MAN's CAR anyway. I'm 57 and driving a TL-S now and going to get either the TL or RL when lease is over.

With 300 HP and all-wheel drive plus great looking int. and ext. I think Acura has a winner here!

Ken7

As long as Acura plays copycat and puts that damn "I Drive" system in the RL, they'll never get my money. I agree completely with Consumer Reports that describes that system as dangerous. To put all the controls for AC, radio and whatever else on one jog shuttle dial, is pure insanity. Must be a joy to be cruising down the highway and trying to rotate that thing as you figure out if your raising the volume, the temperature or your damn seat. No thanks.

svtmike

They're doing that for one reason: cost.

The cost to replicate the software to read a single control is essentially nil. The cost (both in materials and warranty) of all the switches, dials, knobs, etc. that make a well-designed cockpit like the TL's so wonderful to be in is considerable.

For me the deal-breakers on the RL are the joystick and the Bangle-style trunk lid.

Mike

caball88

he doesn't own a TL, he just trolls. always likes to add to his very "objective" view of the TL. he's never says anything good about it. he has like a million magazine articles that he quotes from. most of the pages are yellow because they are biodegrading.

ndabunka

The new RL looks quite nice IMHO. The TL handles fine (until about 80MHP on curvey roads). Unless your young and stupid, your not trying to "out perform" anything on a curvey road in the TL. It's a nice car and handling is enhanced with the "true" A-spec kit but ... It is what is is. A TRUE Value @ $35K. If the new RL looks like the pics, has the 300HP and AWD, then it too will be a great value (AT IT'S PRICE POINT). Make no mistake though, these are NOT performance cars.

1SICKLEX

I think the next RL has the goods, SH-AWD, 300hp, great looking interior, top notch technology but I get more excited watching ice melt in my glass than look at the boring RL styling. Shoot they should have just made it a bigger looking TL (the TL is a good looking car).
I think it will play nice in Acura's in-between strategy.

Jcxny

This car is OFF THE HOOK.. too bad it doesn't come in 6MT. Does anyone know the price range for this car.. ?????

creamy-nuts

yea thats why I was sad when he showed up again.

harddrivin1le

Yes...it is...my mistake....severe UNDERsteer (plowing)...and severe TORQUE steer.

harddrivin1le

~ $50K

harddrivin1le

The RL promises to be a "performance-luxury" sedan. It will probably be more successful than the TL in that regard because it's not based on a front wheel drive Accord.

dcarlinf1

Oh hell, here we go again.

harddrivin1le

I have a 1LE Z28....and an '04 Accord EX V6...I've driven two '04 TLs (1 automatic and 1 manual).

When pushed, the TL is far more reminiscent of my Accord than my Z28. The TL is NOT "handler." It plows (UNDERstters), it's under-damped and exhibits serious torque steer (particularly in 6 speed guise).

Which Car and Driver staff members were "ex race car drivers?"

harddrivin1le

You're taking my quote out of context. The guy claimed that the RL is based on the same platform as the Accord and the TL.

It doesn't.

dcarlinf1

No flame intended. It's just that now I expect 4 to 10 pages of "explanations".

BTW - I tend to agree with what you have said. The RL will most likely out handle the TL. Simply because it's AWD. The TL does understeer. Put the same AWD on the TL and then we'll have a real winner.

harddrivin1le

I doubt Acura will put AWD into the TL. The TL/Accord platform was never designed to accommodate AWD. Additionally, an AWD TL would detract from RL sales.