NyAcUrATL08

agreed

smarty666

jazzpicker

I talked to someone from Acura management today and I was told that he heard today that there would be no major changes in appearance of the TL until 2012. I don't how accurate this is but the guy that told me is from Acura management, he's the real deal.

jexintex

I agree...because I am one of those people who think the grill is ugly. I stumbled upon this board looking for information on a style change for the grill of the TL - hoping they had done one and I hadn't heard about it yet. I'm a current TSX owner and they gave me a TL as a loaner and I fell in love! (With everything but the grill ) I just couldn't get past it. And my TSX is holding up quite well, so I have no need to upgrade when I dislike the exterior look so much. I can wait!

compewterbleu

From a designer's perspective mixed with the eye of a freelance artist... I see things a bit differently. Art is subjective and so many will have different views and opinions...no sweat. My bad if you felt if you got that I was calling folks close minded. Again the my view is to be open about art.

compewterbleu

From a designer's perspective mixed with the eye of a freelance artist... I see things a bit differently. Art is subjective and so many will have different views and opinions...no sweat.

I could also say it's closed minded to not want to pull "up" in a car with a brand symbol that "hasn't arrived". We could debate this as being a followers mentality versus thinking as taking risk to be a leader. But I rather view as there is no failure in trying, but the failure is not trying.

Thanks for the entertaining chatter.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

Subjective to be sure, but sometimes there are things that just don't look alike, and the Lacrosse vs Charger is one such comparison.

Maybe my english is bad but I have NO idea what that was supposed to mean.

compewterbleu

it was even mention by another person who viewed the pictures. We were speaking about the rear bulge/flare on the rear quarter of the car and other shots from other angles. It really took design from the Lexus GS

and you have a right to your opinion, but you just seem to have major issues when others have and express theirs. That's the reason for my replies. The line you didn't understand was one of your own post. Have a good day.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

Nope nothing alike. It even goes the length of the car, which the Charger's doesn't. To the average passerby they might call that similar, but any car enthusiast or "free lance artist" knows better.

And thanks for putting the two side by side so we can see Lacrosses and Chargers look NOTHING alike.

Now compared to the GS....

compewterbleu

Not the average passer buy here. 3 of my co-workers viewed it and see familiarities, but I guess you have a more car enthusiast trained eye then guys who collect classics like Camaros, Chargers, and 911's. And graphic design is my profession. LOL, one of the architects here thinks your replies are incredibly humorous, he says you must be the ultimate car enthusiast on designs styles, you probably have your own wind tunnel at home.

Shaispi

The grill is a not go for the new TL that's the major reason I'm considering getting the G37. Test drove it, it was fast but not as smooth as an Acura TL.

compewterbleu

Really....which version of the G37 did you test drive and which version of the TL are you considering?

SilverJ

I was talking to one of the managers at an Acura branch. He said that the plan is to offer some type of snap on piece that would change the appearance of the grill on the newer models. He also said that the front end and the tail are 3G customers main complaints when he talks about trying to get them to upgrade. Personally on silver I think the grill looks ok, not so much on the other colors.

graphicguy

Just an anecdote....came out of Radio Shack last night after pre-ordering an iPhone. Two guys, probably mid 20s in suits, were ogling my car. As I approached, one asked...."your car?".

"Yep"!

"That's 'badass'!

Other guy...."I love the new TLs".

Let them look inside after I opened it....

"Love it even more" the last guy said.

I thanked them and took off.

Said it before. I think most who have issues with the 4G TL must reside on these boards. I've yet to hear anything but unsolicited "thumbs up" regarding mine from the general public.

NJ SHAWD

But I think the difference is, no one is just going to walk up in person and say " God that's an ugly car".
The internet allows people to do and say things that they wouldn't normally do in person.

compewterbleu

There are words and phrases you said, but you know what it's all good. I'm reserving all my replies to actual 4G owners only. I'm enjoying my 4G experience and will deal with others who are or have valued opinions based on ownership.

And I noticed you are a DeadSuX fan...lifelong Yankees fan here. So I see how you can't grasp what I'm getting at(I'm just kidding)

compewterbleu

I feel you man. The hate is from these non 4G owners infiltrating the site. Hate mongers. It's all good, the kids in the neighborhood keep saying I have the flyest car in the hood. My UPS and FEDEX guys give it praise, so does the mailman, the sanitation folks like it and the lead engineers where I work keep asking me to pop the hood, let them look inside or give them a ride.

compewterbleu

I now some brutally honest folks, a friend of mine who owns a new Camaro doesn't like the grill and that's all good. He doesn't like his cars grill nor the fake air intakes. I think it's all about tact, not everyone has it.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

"But I think the difference is, no one is just going to walk up in person and say " God that's an ugly car".
The internet allows people to do and say things that they wouldn't normally do in person."

He's right, and anyone who likes the 4G that doesn't believe that lots of people HATE the new 4G look (including TL owners, Acura owners, Honda owners, and loyalists to those brands) is absolutely KIDDING themself. I don't even "hate" the look myself, but I'm not lying to myself either. Clearly it's even affected sales.

black label

The 4th Gen TL is an intersting case. The majority of 3rd gen TL owners hate it, some like it. Funny thing about it though is as polarizing as the design has been, it has brought many new customers to Acura who had not owned an Acura before. In the end it's probably a wash between the conquest customers they get vs the 3rd gen owners they lose.

This really isn't anything new, many 1st gen RL owners hated the 2nd gen when it came out. Lots of Integra owners weren't thrilled about the RSX (especially 4 door integra owners). Lot's of 1st gen MDX owners hated the 2nd gen MDX styling. There were 2nd Gen TL owners that had issues with the 3rd gen when it arrived although those issues were more about ride quality than exterior styling. The big difference this time is it seems more widespread than in the past but the 4th gen TL is really one of the more radically styled Acuras that has been offered to us so that doesn't really surprise me.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

It may shock many, but I'm one of the few that simply "doesn't mind" the 4G styling. Don't like it, don't hate it. The detailing is nice but much of it is over wraught, the overhangs are LOLtastic, and then there is the beak.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

This is what I mean. The 3-Series used to be the only entry luxury four door that outsold the TL. Nowadays....

3 series-9,659
ES-5,115
C class-5,089
A4+A5=4,946
G37 both-4,777
CTS-3,489
IS-3,247
A4-3,189
G37-3,372
TL-2,925
MKZ-2,040

smarty666

Both graphic and you can't seem to take different opinions or critism well! Take a chill pill, its just opinion.

None of us who said we did not like the styling on the 4G TL never said that there are not people who like the new design. People such as yourself, and others have commented that they like the design and that's absolutely fine. With any car, there are going to be people who like it and others who don't, that is just the way it is. If not, everyone on the planet would be driving around in the exact same vehicle.

But the guy before is right, no one is ever going to come up to you in any public place and tell you to your face that they dislike your car and think it is ugly! No matter what car people have, no one is ever going to do that, unless they have some sort of mental or psychological disorder.

Take my new 2010 Maxima for instance. Like you and graphic, I have had many people stare and actually come up to me at the supermarket, at home, at the gas station, etc complementing me on the style and power of the car and how much it looks like an Infiniti and if I like it because they are interested in getting one. No one has ever come up to me and said that they hate my car and think the new body style is ugly but I know from reading online and others places that not everyone likes the new body style and think it looks odd in places and I can accept that, though I disagree with that opinion. The new Maxima is not everyone's cup of tea, but I absolutely love it and its body style.

This same situation with the new Maxima can be applied to the new 4G TL. Not everyone likes the new styling and you just have to accept that. That doesn't mean its an absolutely terrible car and that no one likes it, because you all are examples of people who like it and that fine. But if you can't accept there are many people who do not like the new styling then your just deluding yourselves.

black label

My reference to the those how dislike the 4th gen is really dislike of the beak, I didn't mention that in my other post. I don't hear any complaints from the general public about the overhangs, that's more of an enthusiast only complaint. My personal opinion on the "signature grill" is that it isn't bad in general but I feel that the application on the TL was poor. I like it on the TSX, the big difference between the 2 is the TL beak continues on to the hood where the TSX (and the rest of the line up) confine the grill to below the hood. Little details, big difference.

George Knighton

That would be the typical schedule. You'd see the changes in 2012, but for the 2013 model year.

If you examine the nose of the TL, you'll see that any kind of re-tooling to change the appearance of the car is going to be very expensive and anybody who undertakes such a re-design is going to be in an unenviable position.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

Well I was talking about my opinion on the TL's styling in that post so naturally it wasn't the general public's opinion of the overhangs.

SeeVuPlay

So I was at a McDonalds Drive through waiting in line....a dude walks up in front of me and approaches my driver side window and just raves about my car while talking on the cell phone to his buddy! I proceed to tell him about the car a little bit (grigio 2010)...

Im living proof that the general public loves this car's styling. JK.

Im also one of those who didnt like the look initially and really love it now. It's a very bold departure from the nice body style of the 3G and I think that is why I was so disappointed...but then once I got over that and really absorbed their design of the 4g, I was hooked. I also went from loving the grigio, to second guessing the color once I saw more and more nice pics of the palladium, white, metallic, and black....to really really loving it again.

Ive read some reviews about steering, and some experts have described it as "vague steering"...anyone know what that means? is it floaty or something?

Xpditor

Vague steering refers to a slight rubbery feeling when small inputs to the steering wheel do not result in immediate changes at the front wheels. Perhaps the car wanders and requires constant correction. Loose rather than tight. Mushy.

The other exteme would be a twitchy or nervous steering when small movements of the steering wheel result in immediate and sometimes exaggerated movement of the front wheels.

BMW has figured out what the perfect balance between the two is.

compewterbleu

Something along the lines of dull and unsure...I haven't felt it. So much of driving is about perspective...

I'm feeling the Grigio paint job...looks different in the sun, shade, cloudy days, and at night.

The look of the TL, if you like it and write about be prepared for the onslaught from the non-TL owners, you just can't have a positive opinion of your own car, IMO.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

On the contrary if you don't like the TL on here the 4G owners come out in full force calling us "closed minded" and "old school", or my favorite one, a "hater".

It really goes both ways, but someone cannot call people closed minded and then say they themselves aren't allowed to have a positive opinion.

compewterbleu

They say a hit dog will holler...

compewterbleu

Re-read some of you and your cohorts post...practice what you preach. I already went ask what I said I wasn't going to do, reply to "non-4G TL" owners. I'm done with the issue.

boe_d

beauty and art are subjective but most people would say anything by Michael Angelo is art and some canvas with splashed with buckets of paint by a modern "artist" is not art. If you asked 1,000,000 people or even 100 people which is more attractive Selma Hayek or Roseanne Barr I would be stunned if it wasn't at least 99% Selma. When I went car shopping my friends asked me what models I looked at and when I mentioned the Acrua TL not a single one didn't say something about the front grill and many of them independently used the term "FUGLY" or "they were pretty good looking up until a couple of years ago". While it is a good thing to try new looks for a car - it should have never left the concept stage with such a large percentage of people thinking it is fugly. Failure is knowing you are wrong and continuing in that endeavor.

Xpditor

I am optimistic that the tone of these postings will self-correct without moderator intervention.

Keep on topic and debate the message, not the messengers. IOW: don't get personal.

But you already know that. You're Acura people.

compewterbleu

I'm done with the issue and will not engage in this debate again.

Type34

I agree with many on the board that say "the beak" itself is not the problem; it's the fact that it protrudes onto the hood of the TL. IMO, the TSX and MDX look great with "the beak" because their grilles are below the hoodline.

That being said, I'd like to see Acura keep the beak for 2011 but remove the top "frame" portion of the beak that protrudes onto the hood.

I know it sounds trivial to current 4G owners, but I would be much more interested in the TL if it looked like below (a couple PS jobs I made a while back)...




PLEASE Acura PLEASE

SeeVuPlay

the shortened beak looks pretty good, but it drops the car back into the "normal" look. (no problem with that either)

compewterbleu

You know you're on to something man.

anoldpunk

I tend to agree with this guesstimate for the most part. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if Acura rolled out the 6 spd AT across its entire line in time for 2011 (and accomplished the MMC early for the TL at the same time). Acura is just losing too many sales if they don't get the 6 spd AT out across the board ASAP.

JM2010 SH-AWD

Do you really think that many people make a decision on what car to buy based on the number of speeds their A/T has? With the exception of people on this board (and others like it), 90-95% of people wouldn't know a transmission from a dipstick.