JRock

I haven't read this thread but I saw a mention of Pohanka. If you're in the DC area, give your pre-order to me up at Rosenthal. I won't lose it. :P

At least our dealership knows about the six variants (base, navi, and HPT, each with manual or auto) of the car like you do here (apparently unlike Pohanka) and I can honestly tell you we haven't made our allocations yet for the color choices etc of the first batch, although that will happen soon.

Plus I keep my fellow salesmen educated with the latest spyshots, etc.


Right now we're just taking deposits to be put on the list, that way when we get the full list of colors and options, etc, we can call each person starting at the top of the list and ask them what they want.

RJC RSX

Apparantly it's just the guy he's dealing with, Ghani. Pohanka is every educated, has all the spy shots, knows the variants, etc. However, like you apparantly, they haven't received the full list of colors. Is it not on the iN as Justin says? Aren't the Oct. orders supposed to be put in this weekend?

Stevens24

The Hpt package will have 18s and Brembos and dry weather tires. You will be required to sign a disclaimer that you are knowingly purchasing a car lacking all season rubber. as far as AWD all I got was a " I can't say" from my zone manager, and justin and I share zone managers. ther are as many as 4 interior choices for each exterior so a lot of mixing and matching.

need4spd_RENAMED

We can only hope, remember, this is the car that Jackspat saw over a month ago, so maybe it is not final, again, one can only hope, and time will tell.

Good thing the deposit is refundable as we bought sight unseen.

need4spd_RENAMED

I guess I am going HPT after all, sorry to the wife, I'll be sticking with the manual, only this time its hello to mr.6spd.

We now have two confirmations, stevens24 and stash, just hope the new guy is not pulling our chains?

Even nissan/infinity went brembo, so I would think that Acura would too, don't you think?

RJC RSX

yeah it makes sense, and I believe the new guy. The disclaimer thing is so typical honda

JRock

I don't know all the details, my man. I'm just a salesman, not a manager. I can take deposits and let you know everything I find out, but honestly the dealerships are not any more educated on the product yet than we here are at this site. One or two guys here seem to know more since they are either higher up in their dealerships than I am or have contacts in Torrence or wherever.

I just do my best to get you the best price/experience with your Acura. =)

Stevens24

I'm not really new, Provench will vouch for me Ijust stay under the radar. I broke the msrp of the TSX two weeks ealy.

VtecMW

So what are the key differentiators between a 6MT and a 6MT with HPT? Do both come with Brembo brakes? Do both feature a tuned suspension? Is the only difference all-season versus Summer tire packaging?

Will HPT only be available in certain regions, where the climate isn't known to get too extreme? e.g. heavy rain, snow, ice, etc?

Raheel

Soon to be 17 so FIVE

ProZach

but i look young, so maybe 4.5. damn babyface!!! i'm told by my elders that iwill love it when i get old and saggy. hehe :P

Raheel

According to what people said, it seems HPT is standard 6MT, meaning all 6 Speeds have HPT

Raheel

ITS ALL A CONSPIRACY I TELL YOU!!

Stevens24

There is a 6speed manual AND a 6speed with HPT these are 2 SEPERATE MODELS. I don't know in regards to regions but I would gather that if a disclaimer is involved that you will be able to purchase one in any region.

larchmont

If I understand right, this is in line with my having been saying that HPT is more likely to be a "trim level" than an "option." Very different things in terms of the consumer's expectation.

If this is really so, I'll (still) be shocked if Acura decides to have the "T" stand for "Tire(s)" in a trim level (or "separate model").
If they indeed do so, it will be a horrible business decision.

PokeyD16Z

Wouldn't it just be easier to use the + and - next to D5 instead of going back and forth through the gate? Only thing I would use the 2 is if I wanted to start in that gear and hold it (i.e. snow). I don't think D3 starts in 3rd and aside from 2, every other gear is accessible from the + and -.

Raheel

You guys dont know me much, but I got some reliable info, Its your choice to trust me or not.. I am known as quite a Post Whore at Acura-TL.com so I am well known, Heres the info

Stuff that will be on the 2004 TL

1. Brembo brakes is a Yes

2. Special windshield jets with a formula 1 type windshield that has a special coating. Thats all I will say My sourcec told me not to tell anyone so I am trying to keep it in the DL, so I wont say much more

I have some interesting info on upcoming plans for 2005 as well

Raheel

You guys dont know me much, but I got some reliable info, Its your choice to trust me or not.. I am known as quite a Post Whore at Acura-TL.com so I am well known, Heres the info

Stuff that will be on the 2004 TL

1. Brembo brakes is a Yes

2. Special windshield jets with a formula 1 type windshield that has a special coating. Thats all I will say My sourcec told me not to tell anyone so I am trying to keep it in the DL, so I wont say much more

I have some interesting info on upcoming plans for 2005 as well

KavexTrax

Pretty much summed it up right there, a compact TL makes no sense. And those hideous aero lines that trace the front sidemarker to the rear, yuck. Not to mention the friggin front bumper having the acura engraving just like the integra of old and the tiny 16's. What was this a contingency design for the TSX? Gimme a break. What a waste of a beautiful and promising interior.

[tangent ahead]
Ahh forget it, why even bother trying to make sense. Sedans are overplayed. G35c market is way too lucrative for Nissan right now. I want to see a G35 killer from Honda/Toyota!
[/end tangent]

Booyah

Ummmm, very nice I may add! YES sign me up for a 2004TL. Im so happy Im in the market for a brand new car and this one will do just fine. Of course a test drive will be in order first.

Does anyone have any more shots of differant colors? Still no concrete specs on engine size and power Later

EmuMessenger

1 - Woo hoo, if it is true!

2 - Why would all of the cars caught in the spy shots have wipers?

EmuMessenger

I really hope the car will have the Brembo's (four caliper, not two like the 350z rear) and the 18's.

Have we been able to confirm the presence of a tire pressure monitor?

As for the disclaimer, I do not know, but I believe Mistubishi is doing the same thing for the EVO.

Keep the FACTS coming.

RJC RSX

+/- (Sport Shift) lets you start in 2nd and everytime you stop it drops to 2nd, not 1st

RJC RSX

Yes, logic indicates one will be available. The federal government requires all new cars to have one by 2004, but this would just be a dashboard indicator light that tells you when a tire is low on air. On this kind of car, we would expect psi read outs. This may be what the multi-line display is in the dash

RJC RSX

The insiders on TOV are suggesting a 3.4L engine marketed as 270-275hp but actual hp (dyno) being closer to 280+. Presumably more torque is in order as well.

need4spd_RENAMED

I have attached a photo of the 2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP whose nose looks very similar to the 2004 Acura TL (just add the dealer installed fog lights, and it will be even closer).



I mentioned this in a previous post and promised a photo (this is the first time attaching a photo, so lets see what happens). This car was first shown at the 2002 SEMA and NY Auto Shows (vs 2003 for Acura), so it has been out there and Acura had time to correct simmalarities

Looking closely at the nose, it has very similar styling lines:

1. the bottom inlets at the sides with no center bottom inlet (pontiac molded into front at that spot)
2. the bumper lines that start low at the center, and rise at the corners,
3. The wrap around head light cluster with amber lens parking lights that wrap around the corner.
4. Smooth, high wrap around bumper to front fenders.
5. double kidnney gril that has overall 5 star look like Acura.
6. character lines that follow the outline of the gril up the hood
7. 18" 5 spoke wheels with brembos (235/50-18 appropriately sized in diameter btw)

Ok, after that the styling cues end (and it is a GM), but in the rear view mirror of the car ahead, or when passing by, the two will get confused.

Way to go ACURA, create your own brand identy and copy a PONTIAC front end (complete with the cheesey molded in ACURA in the bumper).

Other similarites are minor, ie HP on the GXP is 275 estimated (data per pontiac web site as of news release 7/1/03), torque 300ft-lbs, V-8 (4.4L variant of the 4.6 Northstar) 202.2" lenght (much longer).

Anyway, you get the drift, the FRONT NOSE on the ACURA TL, while good looking and agressive, looks too close to the Bonneville GXP (other Bonnevilles will be similar to this nose, but slightly differnt in the lower air intakes).

Sorry to break the news, but someone had to speak up on this!

Larger image available at: http://www.supercars.net/servlets/PW...tage/9car0.jpg

Peter7777

Will the Nav screen have functions other than navigation? It would be very cool to be able to say, "Computer, activate doppler weather radar!" and have live doppler radar appear on that huge navigation screen. That way you could drive around thunderstorms rather than through them. Apparently you can do that in Japan where Honda has a service called "Internavi" that allows internet access on the car's display screen:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/tech/...nda001009.html

Buried within all the electronic controls that we see on the TL dashboard there is a control for XM radio. According to this article it is standard equipment on the TL.

http://www.audioworld.com/stat/pr/03...da.acura.shtml

which is very good since you don't have to mess with add-on installation.

EmuMessenger

Understood, but the mandate was for all cars with the model year designation of 2004 and neither the RL or TSX have one, as far as I know.

need4spd_RENAMED

Also, did anyone else notice the ugly mirrors on the TL, the housings are soo large at the base of the door, I know they may be auto folding, but the Audi A4 has auto folding mirrors and they are not that large!

RJC RSX

How sure are you of that? I'm fairly certain it was year 2004, a model year wouldn't make sense

jwaters943

I see plenty of differences. The most obvious being the grill, followed by the fact that the Bonneville nose looks droopy and downward slanted. You're right on about the Acura stamping looking like Pontiac, but I'm not really concerned because my state strictly enforces front license plates.

Oh well, look on the bright side, if you really feel Acura copied Pontiac at least they chose the most attractive Pontiac and not a Sunbird or Aztek. :P

In all seriousness I think Acura just wanted to change the front end a bit from the concept to keep it from looking exactly like the TSX and there are only so many ways to do that. They chose to close the middle section and have air intakes underneath both headlights instead of running the entire length of the front bumper ala TSX.

Chief F1 Fan

Now to find out if AWD and 280 HP are on the way!

larchmont

He said "Nav" -- he said "NAV!!!"

larchmont

This dude's gonna be fun.

I like it better than KT does, but I kind of agree. This TL looks like it and the TSX could've come out of the same little design studio.

Count Blah

I liked the concept, but I'm not a fan of these latest pictures at all. These were my initial reactions, plus some comments on this thread I agree with:

The front bumper looks Pontiac.
The rear looks Cadillac.
The steering wheel looks Star Trek.
The front quarter shot reminds me of my friend's Jetta.
The interior looks too busy with nothing to really tie it all together.

Overall, the TSX seems to draw it's styling cues and overall look from the Germans, while the TL looks more and more domestic. Is Acura really going for the Caddy crowd with the TL instead of the Audi/BMW crowd?

BTW, I like the huge navi screen, but I think the interior may look better without it. (I feel the same way about the TSX.) The metal knobs on the stereo look kinda cool, the dual exhaust looks mean in a good way, and the blue gauges are pretty nice.


But in the end.. I'm not looking for a TL anyway. Hopefully those of you who are still like it, and it sounds like you do.

Iceman

OK, I agree there is a resembance in the wheels. Otherwise, you are wrong, wrong, wrong. Does the new TL look like a TSX? Yes. Does the TSX look anything like the Pontiac? Hell no.

RJC RSX

we have way to many critics here, they don't know a good thing when they see it

larchmont

You can't have too many critics!

L2C

They should have the Meteor Silver color like the TSX it's a great color very unique. I think

RJC RSX

yes you can!