justinjsw

It will happen after Jul 25th. The first MOVE allocation.

I thought I told you guys Im not going up to Torrance till after the Acura Tennis Classic next week. Have some patience...you guys are like druggies

RJC RSX

does anyone have that close up of the concept TL's headlight assembly ()?

iNteGraz92

bi-xenons are highly overrated. there is absolutely NO use for them. all you need HIDs for are the low beams.

RJC RSX

you're saying xenon hi-beams aren't useful when flashing the asshole that cuts you off? Those should get his attention Or even at night on country roads, you would get incredible illumination

RJC RSX

found it:



Is there anything we can gather from analyzing this?

edit: wow there is something sexy about that picture

need4spd_RENAMED

Yep, projector Xenon/HID low beam, neon parking lights (tubes, also Ford has used them for third brake lights, and Doge on the new Magnum prototype, rumor is the new 5 uses them in same location), Retangular lights, unknown exactly, most likely high beam, but Acura has put fogs in that location before (Integra, Legend, TL, etc.)

If fogs are inside of head lights, then projectors are Bi-Xenon, also, we will get highbeams from many oncoming drivers as they think you have your high beams on just bassed on proximity and convention, used to happen all the time on the old cars.

BUT - If you zoom in on the spy shot (1st ones) you can see it does not have the neon tubes (it is similar to TSX), and still can not tell what the rectangle lights are.

EmuMessenger

My only experience is in the current M3 and the FX35, but bi-xenon lights are GREAT!

Also, with the bi-xenon lights, there is a chance for true foglights (yellow) will be in the headlight cluster like the old TL's.

RJC RSX

need4spd, thanks, but you posted right after me, and as you can see i got it.

I'm not all that familiar with bi-xenons, can they be used with the projector style head light? If so, when looking at the picture, that space to the left could be used for fog lights? And the parking lights, what exactly are those called? Of course this is all the concept, but it would be great if it made production. My thinking is that the current TL has fog lights, so they better not make it a dealer installed option on the new one.

(justin, feel free to come in any time)

bdt980

it would be a nice touch to have them in the Head light cluster

need4spd_RENAMED

Bi-Xenon headlights use the same light bulb to create the low and high beam patterns (they are distinctly different, one has a low cutoff point so that it only illuminates the road directly in front, and the other has no cut off and illuminates to the sides, above and further down the road.

With the greater lumen (light) output of Xenon/HID bulbs, good head light makers are able to illuminate further distances with bi-xenon headlights on high beam vs. halogen high beams (even with xenon/hid head lights remaining on).

But its hell if you are the oncoming driver, you become like a deer and cannot see other obstacles / road in front of you (Disability Glare).

Kind of obnoxious in the hands of an unskilled driver, like the need for Air Horns, don't you think?? None of us would do this to oncoming traffic at night would we?

need4spd_RENAMED

Updated my other post after seeing that the photo was published, but I think some may miss this, so I am repeating this:

Yep, projector Xenon/HID low beam, neon parking lights (tubes, also Ford has used them for third brake lights, and Doge on the new Magnum prototype, rumor is the new 5 uses them in same location), Retangular lights, unknown exactly, most likely high beam, but Acura has put fogs in that location before (Integra, Legend, TL, etc.)

If fogs are inside of head lights, then projectors are Bi-Xenon (yest they typically are, I think always), also, we will get highbeams from many oncoming drivers as they think you have your high beams on just bassed on proximity and convention, used to happen all the time on the old cars.

BUT - If you zoom in on the spy shot (1st ones) you can see it does not have the neon tubes (it is similar to TSX), and still can not tell what the rectangle lights are.

need4spd_RENAMED

IMO - I hate them there, always got high beamed when using the fogs in conjunction with the headlights in a 89 Mazda MX-6 GT (junk, but fun turbo), the fogs were white and in the head light cluster, inside the low beams, and were not yellow like the original legend (that would take care of the problem).

Also, I like the looks better of the fogs down low (where they actually work and should be), give the car a lower and wider stance.

EmuMessenger

I have never seen bi-xenon lights that were not projectors.

As for the foglights, I am truly hoping they will be yellow and in the headlight cluster.

If they are a dealer installed accessory(probably the case), that will be lame! That being said, if there are no bi-xenon lights, my money is on the dealer installed accessory angle! :flamer:

need4spd_RENAMED

Justin, sorry, I am not up on the lingo, what does MOVE mean?

thanks for your reply, I feel a little better, yes, we all need a little help, but we are all car fanatics, at least ACURA is drumming up some loyal fans!

acura_driver

Found the following in an article in USA Today from June 13th.

http://cgi1.usatoday.com/mchat/20030606001/tscript.htm

North Little Rock, AR: What can you say about the upcoming 2004 Acura TL redesign? I've heard to is going up in price about 5k. Thanks!

James Healey: I've seen it but not yet driven it. It looks very cool -- sculpted, crisp, sporty. It's supposed to be bigger inside, more powerful -- and that should dictate higher prices. But the auto market's so competitive right now that it's really tough for an automaker to boost prices and actually expect to get the higher price, what with all the rivals discounting heavily. But we'll have to wait an see what Acura's strategy will be.

-----

Bill from Fairfax, VA: Mr. Healy, I love my 2002 Acura TL Type S, but the concept Honda is showing for the next generation TL seems much smaller than the current TL. How do you make sense of this - it won't be very distinguishable from the TSX if it isn't larger than the TSX.

James Healey: Ah, illusions. It has shorter overhands (the amount the body portrudes fore and aft past the wheels) which makes it appear smaller. Acura tells me it's actually larger -- at least inside. It was styled to look stubbier because consumers complained that the longish appearance of the current model -- like yours -- had too much luxury appearance and not enough sport appearance. There'll be significant size difference between the next-gen TL and TSX.

-----

-r

RJC RSX

ah good to hear it will be getting larger inside

justinjsw

Color combos for the 04TL...

Desert Mist Metallic-Ebony or Parchment
Nighthawk Black Pearl-Quartz or Ebony or Camel or Parchment
Abyss Blue Pearl-Quartz or Camel
Anthracite Metallic-Ebony or camel or Quartz
Deep Green Pearl-Camel or Parchment
Redondo Red Pearl-Ebony or Camel or Parchment

I can't find any combos for white or silver. It doesn't even show those color options as available.

I hope they just having updated all the color combos yet. Because that list only shows 16 different combos...4 are missing.

Gebbeth

Not to change the subject, but does anybody think Honda/Acura's strategy of keeping details of their production cars secret until the absolute last minute is actually a piss poor way to market the car? The only buzz that's generated when you market something this way is with the already converted, and even then, you might just be setting us up for a fall if the car isn't quite up to all this conjecture. At this point, I'm thinking the new TL better be a honking nice car (with all the horsepower numbers, and tranny specs and IMA or not conversations...I mean what if it is just a marginal improvement with new sheet metal surroundings???? How many of you guys will be disappointed?). They should have released details awhile ago so that they can do their marketing tests and tweak the car before it's actually released. Some advance information may also interest non-Honda/Acura buyers who don't regularly visit Acura boards.

Same goes for the RL. That car line trully needs some buzz.

jwaters943

Thanks once again for the hookup Justin!

(Please god let there be Pearl White w/ Ebony as one of the color choices)

RJC RSX

This confirms what someone on TOV told me last week, and it is camel, not carmel. Thanks justin!

acura_driver

Don't forget that they still have '03 TL's and TL-S's to sell. The majority of the people that will buy an '04 TL are probably not even aware that there is a new version of the TL coming.

I think that their strategy makes sense. Of course since I'd like to determine if the '04 TL is going to be my next car, I'd rather have information sooner rather than later!

-r

jwaters943

I totally agree. VW and Infiniti/Nissan are good examples. 5 years ago both of these companies were on the verge of going under (at least in the states) and a big part of their turnaround has been releasing appealing cars, but also creating a buzz by leaking specs and pics on the cars long before they arrived at dealerships.

Colin

Move= Market Oriented Vehicle Environment. This system tracks dealer inventories and allocates units based on a formula of cars in stock vs. rate of sales. It attempts to insure that dealers that sell their cars quickly, can get more cars than someone who has a dozen in stock. It doesn't always work, especially for us in Hawaii where cars show up in our inventory 23 days before they arrive in the store for us to sell.

Colin

When Acura has nothing to lose, they will release details early to keep people from buying something else while they wait. This was the case with the MDX. Many details were available earlier than usual since killing sales of the SLX was not an issue.

FWIW, I'm not worried about the current TL models here at our store, as a matter of fact, we need to get more cars. You have to realize that since the '04s won't be available in quantity till late October-November, we need '03s to sell and we don't have them.

justinjsw

Update on color combos

White Diamond Pearl-Quartz or Parchment
Satin Silver Metallic-Quartz or Ebony

justinjsw

Sorry no white with ebony combo.

VtecMW

Justin, when should those of us who placed depositons on '04s expect to be contacted by dealers to make our selections? I'm still not quite clear on how this all works even after placing a deposit.

Thanks.

nh-603p

I just recieved news from our zone manager about the acura east picture shoot and why there are two different debuts for the TL ( Niagara on the Lake-Canada and San Fran-California )aparently the dynamic and the hpt package are completely different. The hpt will be the 18's and all that but the dynamic package will have a 5 inch lift with 33" mudders and the vtm-4 to combat all that vast desert like terrain up here in canada.

justinjsw

I do not know if the first allocation of TLs for early October the dealers can actually pick and choose the colors/trims they want or if the factory will just pick for us. I will know by the weekend.

nh-603p

ie this frozen tundra

RJC RSX

You mean you didn't have your color selection written down on the deposit sheet? I would call them tomorrow and have that done. Mine is as follows:

Year: 2004
Make: Acura
Doors: 4
Color: Abyss Blue/Qz
Type: 04 TL with Navi
Model #: Auto

also, on the top of my paper it says "FOR OCTOBER 2003 ALLOCATION" with my salesman's signature and the date and time we put down the deposit. It is my understanding that the October allocation (fixed number specified to each dealer for the first two months) will be determined by the deposits.

Last I heard, Pohanka still hasn't received the color choices via the iN dealership network. I wonder why not?

VtecMW

I have the same information you have on my deposit sheet, with the exception of the transmission designation. I specified later on that I would like a 6MT. Mine says nothing about October 2003 allocation though.

Guess I'll give the dealer a call and find out what's up. I put mine down at Pohanka as well.

Gebbeth

Well I still think waiting, waiting and waiting for information, not the actual car, but information on the car is not a good thing. People who ended up buying TSXs or even '03 TLs and TL-S may have been willing to wait to buy the '04 TL if they only knew what the new car was going to be like.

Although I understand the argument that news of the '04 TL may bite into sales of the '03 TL, well yeah, that's what happens when a new model comes out, but I don't think that losing '03 sales is as much of a risk than having bad '04 sales right out of the gate. That sets the tone for the success of the '04 line going forward.

I don't know the numbers, but how many '03 TL buyers and 'O4 TSX buyers may have been willing to wait alittle if they had some clue as to what the '04 TL was going to be like. Now expand that number to include potential BMW/Audi/Saab/Volvo/Lexus/Cadillac...etc. etc. buyers? At least a few don't you think? Lets face it, the '03 TL is dated and sales are strong, but the car is done. The TSX was only suppossed to have a production run of 15,000 cars, so it wasn't suppossed to be a car for the masses, so why risk '04 TL sales for the TSX and '03 TL?

If the '04 TL does not sell, Acura/Honda is in a world of hurt as the old TL essentially saved Acura and the '04 TL is expected to do no less than continue this success. That's alot to ride on for one car manufacturer....and yet there is virtually no news or buzz about this car. At least throw in some Ghostbusters like ads (you know no words but plastered all over the place), people will be drawn in when the car finally comes out. Right now, virtually nil.

VtecMW

I just checked with Ghani at Pohanka. Everything is fine. The only thing that had to be updated was my request for a 6MT. They don't know what their initial allocation is going to be yet. We will get a call when they know, so that we can make our color selections. He said he expects this to happen in the first or second week of September. I'll probably place another call in mid-August just to make sure things check out.

Let me know if you learn anything new RJC.

RJC RSX

As I know, wasn't I the one that recommended you there in the first place? :P BTW, they are now officially the largest Acura dealer in the world. Please be sure to post back with any updates.

92vigor

Does anyone know of a list of bluetooth enabled phones? I have looked around and there don't appear to be very many and none for Sprint. What good is this feature if there are no phones to use it with? The technology has been around for several years so we can't expect a bunch of new bluetooth phones to be on the market anytime soon . . .

RJC RSX

WTF? I've heard from two VERY credible salesmen at Pohanka, one whom is the head source of information for that dealership, that they have already received their allocation numbers (which I've already posted): 15 for October (3 as demos) and 80 for November. When they order them, they specify the trims/colors per their customer's deposits, and they arrive in that manner.

jwaters943

Oh well, at least there is Quartz. My main issue is the fake wood I'm sure will be present on Camel and Parchment. I much prefer the sporty look of the silver trim (as evident from the spy shots with the ebony interior).

jwaters943

Cingular Wireless sells a Siemens phone w/ Bluetooth and I think AT & T has some phones with Bluetooth as well.

RJC RSX

if you have sprint, you should get rid of it anyway