I talked to a salesman at Woodfield Acura Friday night regarding the 2004 TL. Another salesman on their staff was down in Miami and saw the 2004 TL. He breifed the others and told them that the 2004 would be 280 hp., but did not know if it was all-wheel drive.

If true, I find this disappointing. I like what I've seen in the photo's from a style stand point. But if I'm going to spend $35k+ on my next vehicle, I really want AWD and 300 hp. My wifes car is an Audi TT Quattro and I love the way it handles. It could be that Acura will introduce a Type S in 2005 with these features.

My question to you is this-If the 2004 TL is 280 hp. and has a few new added features such as Brembo brakes, is this enough to get you to run out to your Acura dealership and get one? Or will you test drive other similiar vehicles such as the G35 and go with the best deal?

 

If you want 300 HP out of the current version of the CL-S, get headers, exhausts and the Icebox.

 

AWD isn't a big factor in the way the car handles nless you are really tossing it around. The effects of weight distribution due to haveing a center and rear differential help add weight to the rear of the car and balance the distribution out. The TT handles well becuse it's suspension is set up well from the factory. The TT AWD system is a haldex (sweedish, like used in volvos with AWD). SO it' sreally a FWD which gives the rear wheels power when the front wheels slip. THere are haldex controllers out there that let the car run 50% power front and rear all the time. Too bad you can't have a porsche type bias where the rear get's more full time power and the fronts get more power when the rear slip. The TT is a great car....I'm jealous of your wife.

Unfortunately, AWD systems robs power, and a TLS (assuming auto and no 6 speed manual is introduced) will feel like a dog unless acura adds some displacement (i.e. TORQUE) to the package. It will be nice to see what surprises Acura has in store for us...I think the new design is pretty cool Hopefully there will be more go to go with the show.

 

I'm not surprised by this at all! I have all along predicted 280HP(because common logic dictates, that from a marketting stand point/laymans point of view, you don't want your super car to have a less "powerful" engine, than any other car you offer!). It will also, probably be FWD, with 70/30 weight distribution, and lots of LS430esque luxury features! now, all this coupled with the fact that I find the styling rather mundane, It should come as no surprise that I wouldn't buy it because its just not trying to be competitive at 35K!

 

I'm guessing close to 300, then Comptech can take over !!

 

I wouldn't be surprised if 280hp is stock, and then in 2005 they add an AWD model to the lineup that features 300hp+ with crossdrilled rotors, etc ...

Don't forget the RL is being re-designed in 2005, and will supposedly have AWD with 240hp to the front and 160hp to the rear via an electric motor. (400hp!).

Maybe the NSX will be re-designed in 2005 as well? Who knows. But I wouldn't be surprised if Acura is planning on diving head first into the hp wars.

 

they'll probably just try and be competitive with infinitis hp, i don't think honda is all that great at playing the hp game. like with the accord, they went 240hp instead of trying to out do nissan. awd is up in the air since acura said they'll use it on cars with over 270hp, but the typeS may not have more than 270hp.

 

Well I think like the TSX the TL will have an Amazing interior that blows u away.

 

Ya I agree, this is just the standard TL. Not the type-s. I would expect to see a built up version in a year.

 

is there any pics of the new tl? i thought the cl and tl were beind discontinued after 03

 

only CL being discountinued. TL is a good seller. No way are they dumping it.

 

I was thinking that Acura would be doing as it has done in the past-introduce the new TL, as it did in 1999, then bring out the Type S a year or two later. I can be patient, since I'm still loving my CL-S. The CFO/wife is pushing me towards the Murano. Nice vehicle, but Nissan is owned by the yellow-bellied,double dealing frogs. If I go SUV, it'll be an MDX.

 

The TL loaded now can't get to 35k. Why would it make a huge jump? And, again, everyone is caught up in this peak Horespower CRAP but what about torque? Gearing? It will WEIGH MORE.

Look at the new Maxima. Just as fast as the last gen and barely faster than 2 gens ago. It weighed 3000lbs 2 gens ago and damn near 3500 lbs now.

 

If the 2004 TL has a tits interior and if they tone down the production model a bit from the concept we saw last week I would be willing to drop off my 99 TL tommorow. 280 HP would be enough form me because I'm so used to my 99 TL and it's outdated 225 HP.
Sooooo,
They need to tone down the production model a bit- concept model looks too "edgy"
Bump up the base TL HP to at least what the TYPE S model currently is.

Don't count on AWD.

 

Is the 280hp limit still in effect in Japan?? That could be a reason why the stock 300 seems so hard to do for honda. If the limit thing is true then it would mean engines would probably be manufactured outside of Japan.

 

If I was paying that money I'd rather have something a little more upscale then an Acura, I'd also prefer a V8.

 

280 is just a number, its for advertising and swaying customers and sounding cool, and competing with other brands. its virtually impossibe to actually "feel" te difference between 20 CRANK HP so in the end, its really not that big of a deal at all, its all about bragging rights. 280 HP is PLENTY for an AWD system, the older S4's didnt even have 280 HP. one thing that Honda needs to learn is HOW TO MAKE TORQUE!!! 232 ft. lbs. is not enough. i know they dont use pushrod motors, but hell, they should really try to make some more torque. increase the displacement to a 3.8 or something. look at the GTP, 260 hp and 280 ft lbs!!! THATS what the TL needs!!!

 

As long as the damn thing has a 6 speed manual, more HP/torque and looks close to the pic i saw.. Im in (in 2005). :bubbarubb