Mizouse

if it had all the best techno gadget and the best in class HP handling etc. id maybe, maybe consider it.

its just too damn

pttl

Why? Did they know with the 12's coming, the 11's would just sit?

Shift_Acura

https://acurazine.com/forums/4g-tl-2009-2014-123/chinese-tl-has-different-front-bumper-794424/

That shows the Chinese version of the TL. The front bumper has a crease and it has a different front lip.

I wouldn't be surprised if Acura pulled a switcheroo and just used the Chinese version as the MMC TL for the US and vice versa for the Chinese market. (They did something similar for the Accord)

dom

Nah, the spy pics clearly show a much different front bumper with a horizontal line running from end to end.

dom

Correct me if I'm wrong. A sheet metal change would be required to get the top of the grille to line up with the headlights?

vybzkartel

Not necessarily. It(sheet metal) would be required for the hood, as a whole, to be extended. But just like how the pieces(of plastic) are added above the headlight, they can add a piece above the grille. Or better yet, extend the 2 pieces above the headlights and make it one continuous piece.

Hope that made sense, lol.

Legend2TL

Because the factory has to stay busy waiting for the new design and components.

A good read on auto manufacturing plant NPI (New Product Introduction) is the story behind the never seen 1983 Corvette (only a few dozen prototypes were made) before 1984's were produced. The 83 and 84 were virtually identical but by the time they got the bugs worked out it was half-way through 83 so the C4 is officially a 84 model and the only remaining 83 is still owned by GM (none were ever sold to public).

Legend2TL

I agree, I expect the hood sheet metal to be slightly extended.

Plastic tooling is far less expensive than metal tooling so manufacturers typically do not change the sheet metal. But the hood is considering "light metal" so it could be changed not as much as "heavy metal" being the uni-body. Heavy metal tooling is the most expensive.

charliemike

I think Honda needs to look at the layout of their engines or whatever the reason it is for having such an abundance of sheetmetal in front of the front wheels.

TSX69

Let me preface this by saying that this is what a salesman told me so not sure how true: but the hood stays the same, they will just paint the top part of the grill to match the hood so that it visually(color) lines up w/ the lights.

I am really hoping that they enlarge the head & tail lights - specifically the pointy parts (amber in the front, red in the back) to look more like the rest of the lineup.

black label

They knew long ago that the 2011 run was going to be very short so it didn't make any sense to try to produce enough to last you 365 days when they would only be the current model year car for 120 days. Add that to the fact that most 2010 TL's were sold well below factory invoice due to the incentives that were made available. Acura doesn't want to make a habit of using 2000-3000 incentive to move the metal off the lot (no manufacturer does) but that has been the habit for the 4th gen TL. They are basically controlling on the ground inventory very cautiously to make sure dealers don't get stuck with outgoing models that are visually different from the new one making them less desirable because they don't even look like the new one.

Colin

That would be the best case scenario. Since the hood is aluminum, I suppose it's easier to do than the HD tooling for the steel fenders. However, I have my doubts on this.

For some reason, I think we'll see an insert between the grill and current hood. Hopefully, vybzkartel is right and they'll make the insert one long piece and it's what I've been thinking for a while now. The worst case would be three pieces to fill the space and I shudder to think how that would look. (though it's probably still better than the current design)

I think the grill will be much like the TSX grill with a chrome surround and an inset shield. Obviously, the lower area of the grill with have horizontal 'slats' like the TSX. I think that we'll also see some bumper plastic between the edges of the grill and the headlights.

Edward'TLS

Honda was planning to fit a future V8 in the huge engine bay right from the start.

Edward'TLS

If it has to be done, it has to be done.

A major sheet metal change for MMC update is not a first for Honda.

Quite a while back, Honda stubbornly refused to offer V6 engine choice for it's bread-and-butter Honda Accord family even though the auto market desperately called for one.

Honda eventually had to bow down to it's stubbornness and paid a huge price to rush-job the 2.7L-V6 (from the Legend) into the MMC 5G Accord. It was a major undertaking for a MMC update with redesigned engine layout, different hood, and taller front fenders.

Also, in an effort to rescue sales from the unwelcomed rear-end styling, the MMC 7G Accord was given a complete sheetmetal change for the rear-end.

Given the situation for the current TL, everybody will cheer for a major sheetmetal change for the complete TL front end.

vybzkartel

I'm gonna guess and say that most of acurazine will agree with me when I say; It don't really matter how it's done, lol, as long as the top of the grille lines up with the top of the headlights! Like the TSX, and MDX!

fsttyms1

They also did a big sheet metal change on the 2g tl the 99-01 has much different hood grille, headlights and bumpers from the 02-03. I think something like that could be done easily and should be done to the 4g mmc.

vybzkartel

^ You're right. Didn't remember that one!

vybzkartel

You know, I just compared an '01 to an '02, and the hood on the '01 was actually one continuous piece incorporating the grille. Whereas the '02's hood stopped at the grille. So, essentially, the grille part of the '01's hood was cut off.

Easier to chop off than to add?

phile

^ which doesn't make sense to me, cause you'd still need a new die whether you cut or add to the sheetmetal.

YetiTL

Here's my list of "wished improvements":
-Improved front and rear ends;
-Introduction of 6AT, hopefully with similar results than the RL, -0.5 sec in the 0-60 and +1/+2 MPG is great imho;
-Better details: metal door handles, Non-rusting rotor hubs and calipers
- 19 inches wheels standard for TL SH-AWD
- Advance package (not sure what it'll include but if it doesn't have an adjustable suspension, I'll pass)
- A small bump in HP and a torque. In fact, I would rather take a redistribution of torque, a little more overall but more down low, that where we need it in North America. You don't see many roaring down on the highway at 6500 RPM in 2nd gear do you? As a side note, I modded my car to get just that and it drives much better. Honda/Acura could rework the exhaust a little bit and get a good 10hp/10-15tq increase without much work imho. Look at XLR8 and ATLP and ask them how they did it...

My
-YetiTL

vybzkartel

I always thought that, as long as it's not painted, parts made of cast iron will always show signs of rust when contacted with moisture(water)

smarty666

Also what makes a big difference with that is if its garage kept. All my vehicles are and there is not on ounce of rust on the rotors what so ever. I could understand though if its kept outside all the time and exposed to the elements all year long. I would think that would do a lot of rusting!

pttl

Sounds like you're describing a 5G TL not a MMC. It would be nice though.

Legend2TL

So you read Wikki also

One of my wife's friends had a 5G Accord V6, it was a poor compromise since the J was about to come out and the C was a a heavy 90oV6. It under-steered more than the 4 cylinder.

It was a stop-gap approach to the V6 Accord problem, the follow-up was more successful with the J series.

FWIW, the engine layout for Honda has always had the V6 motors on the right and the gearbox on the left. The 4 cylinders have had the engine on both sides, although mostly the older 4 cylinders had the engine on the left, the more recent 4 cylinder have been on the right.

YetiTL

Well, I think it's quite easy to do: 6AT is a given since the MDX, ZDX and RL have it. Door handles is easy to replace and the 19 inch wheels are also available. As for the advance package, the gauges are already ready for implementation I think but frankly I don't care for the advance package enough to lose sleep over it.

dom

Advance package has already been confirmed. What it includes is up for debate.

I believe this is Colin's site.

http://www.satoauto.com/acura-cars/2...w-details.html

You can see at the bottom of the color chart is mentions 'Advance Package Only'.

Crazy Bimmer

Well ill be there on the 10th so i will take some pictures. Im sure it will be posted before i even go though.

If it breaks my camera then ill get pissy.

dom

I wouldn't bring any expensive glass...just in case.

black label

I've heard no to MRF suspension CMBS and ACC, yes to 19" wheels, ventilated seats, and blind spot indicators for the Advance package. That was from an Acura DSM who saw the 2012 MMC car although it may have been a roller, he did not see or hear it run.

They lost me at no MRF.

dom

All right, I give up. What does MRF stand for?

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

IIRC its the magnetadmfgaoifdngaugnav suspension. The one where the fluid is magnetically charged so it firms up. The Vette has it, so does the MDX.

fsttyms1

It was much more than that. The fenders were actually about 1.5" taller to raise the hood (which is a different hood) to accommodate the Type-S motor, the front bumper bar was relocated some as well.

Costco

It's magnetorheological fluid

Also found on the R8 and IIRC the 599 GTB, very cool stuff. To sum it up in layman's terms, there are a crapload of tiny metallic particles suspended in the shock absorber fluid, and differing levels of electric current are applied to the fluid which alters the viscosity. Effectively, it is a variable damper that rapidly and smoothly controls suspension travel, thanks in part to a computer that monitors suspension movement ~100 times a second and reacts instantaneously to continuously changing road conditions. The dampers can also be programmed for performance, ride comfort or anything in between.

Didn't know that it was on the MDX, nice! I'm unsure if it would show up on a MMC anyways, but I wouldn't be surprised if it showed up in the next FMC as part of a sport package or something. The 5G A-Spec? It would very likely address the complaints I've seen of ride harshness, especially in the SH-AWD.

Colin

FWIW, ZDX advance package also

Costco

I think SH-AWD along with MR dampers, a 6MT and the impending powertrain updates to come in the next few years will be an impressive combo. The SH-AWD, 6MT and 3.7 is already competitive considering its size.

Moog-Type-S

CTS-V has mag too.

VTEC Racer

That is actually a very reasonable (rare to find on here) list. That's pretty much in line with what I am expecting for the MMC and we will probably see most things from that list.

Type34

Based on the spy photo, this is my quick render of what the 2012 may look like. The lower front fascia is hard to tell, but it appears the egg crate look is gone and replaced with more streamline lines. The 5-star wheels also appear very much like the 2007-2008 MDX Sport wheels, so I went with that look.

Anyway, here's my take...not much time to get clean, but you get the idea...

Costco

Hmm.... it's an improvement. I'm still not a fan of the revised grille as seen on the MMC 2G TSX but on the TL, being lined up and all it's definitely better than before.

dom

My second biggest gripe with the styling on the TL (Grille being 1st) are those humps on top of the front wheel wells. IMO, they just don't belong. Nothing else on the car is rounded.