Linmk2

Here is a link to a Motor Trend magazine article. Perhaps these photos give a indication of what the production TLX will be like.


http://wot.motortrend.com/1401_2015_...oit_debut.html

JTS97Z28

iTrader: (4)

I was kind of afraid that the prototypes styling that was recently unveiled was too good to be true. I know these test mules arent always the final product either. but if by chance that is closer to the final production vehicle that is a damn shame. That rear end looks soooo boring compared to the prototype. I mean seriously? just muffler tips hanging down like my wifes old 04 Accord? LOL pleeeeeease say it aint so. Or those plain old mirrors....errrrrrrr Not sure what to think at this point.

Tonyware

Sometimes you buy a part that doesn't it the car and sometimes you buy a car that doesn't fit the part...

CaliAtenza

again, like i said in the other thread; look at the TLX GT race car; there is the production model . The race car rear bumper looks almost exactly like the test model. Even the mirrors are the same. I knew this was going to happen lol. Its happened on all previous Acura's

ostrich

I agree with the other posters that the rear end is really a concern. While the prototype is exciting to look at, this one is really bland. I am not sure why Acura always has to make the production model so much more bland than the prototype? Seriously, those chrome trims and lower bumper designs (front and back) are not that outrageous at all. Why not just use them in the actual production vehicle? OK, it may cost a bit more, but then the entire vehicle looks so much more premium as a result. The rear lower bumper trim also makes it look so much trimmer at the back.

Look at MB. They are now using their "AMG trim" all over the place for their regular vehicles. The results are stunning. These AMG trims are actually even much more showy and "bling" than what the TLX prototype has!!! So there is nothing wrong with using these shiny bits in the production vehicle.

The rear bumper in these Motortrend shots remind me of the 4G TL when it first came out - that vast expanse of flat surface made the rear end look much bigger than it was. That was a significant criticism then and they corrected it when the 2012 MY TL came out - the result was a much slimmer rear end design for the 2012+ TL. Looking at these Motortrend shots was like deja vu all over again - the TLX production car will have a BIG BUTT.

The other thing to note is that wheel design.... OK, I know that the TLX prototype wheels look like the Volvo R Design wheels now, but they seem to work so much better than these ones here.

Somehow, looking at these Motortrend shots now reminds me of Saab's latest generation 9-3 before it "died". That scared me a little bit....

Oh dear. Why does Acura always take us on this roller coaster thing? One day we are thrilled and the next day we feel completely let down? Live a little and be a bit more daring, OK, Acura?! You know that being vanilla already almost killed the RLX. What have you not learned?! Sigh....

Edward'TLS

Remember that not all styling and features on a PROTOTYPE vehicle will make it into the actual production vehicle.

fsttyms1

And remember by making it to bland like the RLX it doesnt sell well.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

^^^ Yep, I'm not sold on this body style yet. Anxious to see it in person first.

keith7120

that tester model looks exactly like a honda accord and I'm a 4g SH-AWD owner. I really hope it looks a little better than what I see here. The only thing nice about the production model IMHO is the front. The air dam, jewel headlights etc. I can care less about the cool mirrors although that would be a plus but I'm sure that skirt treatment you see in the prototype will be available as an add on but probably not as low as you see on the prototype. Those tail pipes can still be seen which I think is some BS when they say they are going for the green look. This car will be too expensive as well as the RLX to not finish the tail pipes. If they were totally hidden I could except it.

Tonyware

The mirrors of the concept can't make it to production because they don't seem to fold. The wheels, 1 lug wheels, must be crazy expensive to put to production. Acura is out to make money from the Accord platform. I'll take a second look at the RLX in a year or two and cut back on lunches and coffee to be able to afford one - lol.

(I'll wait until April to see the real TLX at the NY Auto Show)

JTS97Z28

iTrader: (4)

There are ways to design any mirror to fold. But I guess in Acuras case they will just revert to giving us the boring option with the same mirror used on every Acura model for the last 8 years. Acura can design the exact same wheel on the prototype to be a standard 5 lug if they wanted.

All I can say is that if they are seriously toning down the TLX that much Acura is gonna be in trouble I think. They absolutely needed to bring something that looked amazing. IMO the prototype looked amazing, the white vehicle that was pictured does NOT. If that is what were gonna see on dealership lots how in the hell is Acura going to sell that when there are cars like what Lexus offers....or any manufacturer for that matter. Well there is still hope because thats just a test mule. I will keep my fingers crossed!!!!

docboy

+1

If the TLX is "bland", I'm done with Acura sedans.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I think everyone you take a deep breath and give the car a chance.

The photos that MotorTrend posted are washed out and the bright white of the car hides a lot of detail. Plus, I suspect given the detailing on the various surfaces of this car, white will not be the ideal color for it and that a red, like the color of the prototype, or a blue like the KBP of the 07-08 TL-S will show off the lines much more.

I am nervous too that Acura will go too far in toning it down, but I suspect that a body kit, like what is offered for the ILX, TL, and TSX, will be offered for those who want that sportier look. Plus, since this car needs to cover a lot of potential buyers, there may be more sporty trims versus more pedestrian trims to suit the needs of the broad section of buyers expected to be interested in the car.

Let's all just calm down until we see the final production car at the NYIAS in April.

George Knighton

Yeah. Good luck with that. :-)

weather

^^^ ...and I am such an impatient butterfly! Its like asking a kid to wait until Boxing day to open their Christmas presents. (lol)

VQPower37

eh, im sure it will turn out well, its a test car, and there will obviously be TLX's that are toned down for people that arent looking for too much of a sporty look, but im sure the TLX with the SHAWD will look great

fsttyms1

If thats true, they better not delay the SH-AWD version a year like they did with the RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD or they are going to turn even more potential buyers away as many dont want to wait another year.

ostrich

OK, OK, guys, I will take a chill pill.... until NYIAS that is! LOLOL

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Hopefully they have learned a lesson from the RLX launch and will do it right this time. Plus, with production of the TLX in the US, it might be easier to set up for faster production of all drive train options.

JT4

Acura can't afford to delay the SH-AWD on the TL, if they do they shouldn't be surprised when more customers walk away.

012TL-GLM

I'm as anxious as anyone for the actual production model, but I'm not gonna be disappointed either way. Acura could make my next automotive choice easy by releasing a great looking, great driving car, but if they don't Audi will get my business next.

I think the Accord coupe is the sexiest skin Honda has come up with. All they have to do is make it RWD and they won't be able to keep them on dealer lots

George Knighton

I ran across a little gossip elsewhere about how the TLX's SH-AWD will be different. They've already said fairly openly that it'll be a lighter weight than it was in the 4G TL, and that it wouldn't vector torque as thoroughly as heretofore. (The 4G TL would put 70% power to the rear, and of that 70%, 100% to one wheel if the car perceived you were trying to turn that quickly.)

But the gossip was that the new system would actively manage torque on the inside wheel, leaving it to AHA at lower speeds, but acting at higher speeds to help turn the car and mitigate the theoretical issue related to an outside McPherson strut in a close hauled heel.

As the story develops this is looking better and better. :-)

weather

^^ What is AHA? And without being as technical as you, I am not sure how this new system will be better than the current SH-AWD? UNless you are being sarcastic when you say " ...As the story develops this is looking better and better".

Keep in mind....weather is my expertise....nothing overly mechanical

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

My guess is that the system will rely less on mechanically over-driving the outside wheel and use a combination of a less over-driven outside rear wheel with a reduction in speed of the inside rear wheel using the brakes to induce the rotation that is desired. That probably means smaller and less reinforced components overall and less power being sent to the rear than before, but also less weight.

Colin

I believe he's referring to Active Handling Assist with AHA. As CGTSX2004 noted below, it uses a braking algorithm to induce rotation.

I would comment on what George wrote above however, I had seen the press release regarding lighter weight, but hadn't seen any statement that torque vectoring had been backed off. Maybe I need to go back and read it a little more carefully.

NwTSXmt

Come on plain Jane bland style is what the people want...look at the 2009 TL..no really look at it...lol...Acura broke the design mold and most could and still cant handle the look of it...What does Acura do to "please the masses" weaken the design with a toned downed female version 2012 TL...rant off...

fsttyms1

It was apparent that part of the mold broke, but by no means did they break the mold design wise. The biggest turn off was their signature power plenum design. It was just too much for many. Its not because the car wasnt bland enough.

boe_d

You are close but not quite - the 2009 was made with a broken mold which explains its ghastly appearance and low sales.

KeithL

I think the 09 beak was the biggest issue, I had no problems with the other edgy styling, but that damn bucktooth and for me lack of a real silver color was what drove me out of my 09 AWD after 18 months, I was sick of looking at it. It was the only car I owned I didn't look at it every day and say, "damn what a nice car". I loved the drive, but hated looking at the outside.

Rocket_man

.....................Production Model...............................Prototype Model



The production model looks nice, but the prototype was exciting. The underlying car is still there but it is all in the finishing details. Not as exciting as the prototype.

George Knighton

I had a '10 6-6 SH-AWD.

The trick was to just stay in the driver seat. You can't tell what it looks like from there.

I've said this before, but it's funny that everybody hated the looks of the 2009-2011 4G, but when the Facelift happened the original 4G suddenly became more popular and now that it's going away people are talking about it like it's the thing to own.

I had no issues with mine...loved it to death.

Put 86,000 miles on it and my mistake was stopping by the dealer to "look" at an RLX and the incentives were so huge it was impossible to resist.

NwTSXmt

You are in Cali I'm sure you liked the refresh.."low sales" I like not passing myself on the road..If I wanted bland I could have got an audi, beamer, lexo or some other weak sauce ride to blend in..Beaks rule...lmmfao

holografique

this logic of "if they don't release it now buyers are gonna walk away" always bewilders me. there are buyers walking away every day because guess what, the damn product doesn't even exist yet! you make it sound like everyone in the world has the option to wait for something they don't even know exists. there are lots of buyers who don't need the options that you want or desire. Not everyone needs or wants or can even afford SH-AWD options.

Most buyers in general, have a need for a car, they go to a dealer and look to be inspired and excited by a car. More often than not, that's accomplished either by a really good sales person, or.....by a really good sales person.

you guys on this forum need to remember that "enthusiasts" like us generally represent the minority. Do you think the 60,000 unit sales of the 3rd Gen TL were from enthusiasts? No! It's because it was a damn good car for the money and the GENERAL PUBLIC was able to see that. And guess what, it didn't have SH-AWD!! lol

Relax and let Acura do their thing. They'll do just fine whether or not the enthusiasts believe so or not.

fsttyms1

we have let them do their own thing and it HASNT been working. Why do you think they are trying to re-image themselves. They consistently drop the ball.
Yes, the 3rd gen did sell great (comparing sales or saying it did so without the SH-AWD is a mute point as it wasnt available nor was i going to be an option). And yes, It was a damn good car. What they have come out with lately has only been 6/10ths of a damn good car. If you are going to tell the public of the drive train choices, DONT make them wait a year after the car comes out to get it. Offer it RIGHT AWAY to those that are looking now!

Edward'TLS

^^^^^

Agree.

We relaxed and let Acura run it's course, and look how poorly does Acura execute it's sedan lineup : the poorly selling ILX and the poorly selling RLX FLAGSHIP sedan !

holografique

That is my point! Regardless of the features listed and announced, the majority public don't look at or are even AWARE that these things exist when they want to go get a new car. How many TL owners do you think even know what VSA is?? Or even know what SH-AWD is?? Most consumers are lemmings. They look for 1) brand name, 2) reliability, and 3) best value for their money. The rest is up to the sales person to convince them that they are making the right choice. Drive-train choices, engine specifications and handling stats are all "car nerd" details that in most cases only make a difference for the enthusiasts like us that buy a car for more than just transportation.

Companies announce things early to build hype and excitement. Sometimes that works in their favor, other times it works against them. For every potential buyer that walks because the product was late for release, there is another potential buyer right behind them that just got on the car market looking for something new. You make it sound like every person buys/leases cars all at the same time creating some type of cataclysmic "oh shit! if they don't release the new product on X day, then no one is else going to be buying a new car for another 3-5 years!!" moment. Every single day there are new potential buyers hitting the market just as current potential buyers are making their decisions. So their's a pretty good likelyhood that on the final date of the product release, there's just as many new potential buyers as there that before when the product wasn't released.

And if you think that the late release of the RLX SH-AWD was the cause of all the negative impact on the initial reaction to the car, then I too completely disagree. The problem with the initial release of the RLX was a simple matter of everyone BUT Acura trying to set an expectation on the car being something it was never designed to be. Acura didn't design the RLX to be their aggressive sports-sedan, that's what the TLX is for. Yet every reviewer, and practically every enthusiast on this forum expected it to be that. Rather than seeing the car for what it was designed to be: their top-line LUXURY sedan designed for those looking for a more sophisticated and executive car that still retains the modern and sleek edge of the Acura brand. Designed for those buyers typically looking at a 5/7 series BMW, GS/LS Lexus, or A6 or higher.

Now is Acura to blame for what was an incorrect reception and mis-perception by the public on the RLX? I believe they are partly responsible for not having done enough to set the right messaging upfront. Add to that the some of the commercial marketing blunders, that certainly didn't help. But even then, when I was on the market and looking at either a GS, 5 Series or A5/A6, all the information and marketing material that I received on the RLX was very clear to me that this was a true LUXURY sedan, it was not a SPORTS sedan. It was NOT the replacement to my 2006 6-speed TL. It was a flat out STEP UP to a completely different class and line of vehicle designed for what I was looking for, something with more sophistication and elegance, and less on the aggressive sports side of things. And the RLX delivers on that aspect in every way possible and then some.

The release of the TLX prototype further solidifies and clarifies their strategy in the tiers they are trying to create. It also further clarifies what the RLX was designed to be. Acura wants to cater to varying degrees of buyers and I think they are setting themselves up quite nicely to do so. The ILX, TLX, RLX strategy is coming together. That new commercial shows the new vision is making sense and creating the foundation for a strong brand recognition that they have needed for some time now. Yes it needs more fine-tuning, for example I agree with all the changes needed to the ILX (it's basically a modern day RSX with a nicer body style). But that's what happens when you are making changes within a company to define a new strategy. Nothing comes out perfect day-one. It takes time to refine and further fine-tune until you get it right. The challenge then becomes sustaining that and sticking with it versus the radical changes that Acura tries to do every so often which is what I believe has bit them in the past (e.g. 2009-2011 4G TL).

I have every bit of faith in Acura's new direction and chose to focus on the positive aspects of it and moving forward seeing that they are showing that they have learned from their mistakes.

Tonyware

Acura is testing the TLX in China?

http://www.carnewschina.com/2014/02/...ting-in-china/

Well, at least the camo looks better

(could be fake?)

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Hard to say if it is fake or not, but the cues are all there. It looks like the fogs will not be LED units, but the large front bumper openings are going to be there, possibly with some chrome trim and the door mirrors will be similar to the units on the RLX. Perhaps that will mean they are power retractable too like on the RLX.

fsttyms1

It doesnt matter if some of the public or a great deal of the public knows what some of the features are when they walk in. That is the job of the sales man to inform them of the features. Most buy on content and value. Having those features/models available only furthers the amount/possibility they will sell. Especially when the other manufacturers have released new models before them with options like awd/hybrid of sorts which many may be looking for, or it may further aid in pushing the consumer more their direction. And while you seem to point out that the majority dont know, there is still a good percentage of people who DO know and are looking for that option now. Many dont want to wait or can wait another full year for it.

And NO, i dont think that is the issue with the RLX. Price and Design ALONG with piss poor marketing are the major cause of that debacle.


Im glad you have faith in their new direction. I dont. I still love the brand, but dont feel the same as you with the way they are moving forward, and dont see that they have learned from their mistakes quite as much as they should.

Tonyware

^Acura is differentiating on technology but as you say marketing has fallen behind. Just like Subaru doesn't hire designers (thus the butt ugly cars they make), I guess Honda/Acura is stuck in the past. But, somehow their numbers are up. Actually way up. Investments in technology and getting out of using other people's intellectual property has produced some good financial results.

Now, if Acura is a luxury car or not, well, that is debatable. It is debatable because in my mind what I saw in Cadillac, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lexus, Infinity... and God forbid Jaguar, in this segment at a recent car show was disappointing. All I had to do is open each and every trunk and look at the welding at the edges of the lid. These welding robots must have been on dope or something. Then walking back to my car at the garage I took a second look at the welding at the edges of the trunk lid and it was perfect.

So, yeah, it is debatable who has quality and where the luxury quality is. Just my thought.

PS. Speaking of Jag... the XJ interior looks nice in the pics and then you get in the car and notice those big pieces of Tupperware everywhere! eeek!