I drove the new RL yesterday. I must say that it is a very nice car and handles bad ass around corners but it doesn't feel like 300hp. It's a little sluggish off the line and i think with all my mods on my TL-S, that my car is faster. The car weigh's a total of 4990lbs so i know that plays a big factor. But the car in general is bad ass. It has a 7" navi screen all the option you can think of and you can get it in A-Spec for an extra $10,000.

 

The AWD system probably sucks some HP too.

 

They are more about luxury than performance obviously, but I'm gonna go try one out today just to see what you're talking about performance wise. 4990!! DAMN I didn't know they were that heavy.

 

Its not 4900 pounds, its around 3900.

A lot of effort went into saving weight in that car.

Also, due to the REFINEMENT of its accleration, you're probably fooled into thinking its slower than it really is.

 

ok...but 10000 for the a-spec package!!! what would it include? chrome wheels, body kit and maybe a couple of sidemarkers and a spoiler.....for 10 grand? IMO if there isn't alot more than what I have mentioned it wouldn't be worth it at all.

Please someone help me out here, what else would come in the a-spec package?

And the fourwheel drive system adds alot of extra weight.. obviously

 

yea id rather spend my money on some better aftermarket wheels sna stuff for it than 10large on a factory pakage

 

Sorry, i meant 3990lbs And as for the power. I really do feel that it is slower. Have you driven one?

 

exactly what I was thinking!!!



good point...


I think you could surely put together a pretty nice package with 10 grand.. Rims, tires, full suspension,body kit, and probably a few engine mods could be around 10 grand depending on how expensive the rims are....

 

I would assume a factory tuned suspension kit as well.. for the A-Spec...

 

Yeah so after financing and the A-Spec kit your looking at an easy $60,000 and a payment of close to $1,000 a month

 

The Acura FWD tranny has robbed 20-25% of power from our engine. Imagine how many ponnies the AWD would steal from the 300hp engine ? 30% ? Does it come with 6-speed ?

Just my $0.02.

 

No they are all 5AT

 

how long untill they offer the RL in a 6mt with a 350+ V8?

I know I'm being optomistic, but all of the test drives I've seen on the RL, they have said it is still the only one in it's class that doesn't offfer a V8.. hopefully to be corrected by acura in the coming years..

I figure a couple of years for the SH-AWD to get into the TL. The new TL test drive said it would have been top in it's class if it had rear wheel drive...SH-AWD would only trump that comment...


I'm really looking foward to the next few years of Acura..... Imagine the TSX getting the SH-AWD too.....look out subaru!!

 

SH-AWD still doesn't solve the inherent problems of FWD.

Look at Audi, who has (arguably) the best AWD system in the world in quattro. They're still limited by a naturally front-biased platform. This is why the next generation A4 will be RWD.

The TL is 61/39 front/rear weight distribution. The RL (with SH-AWD) is 58/42. All wheel drive or not, Acuras are penalized by front-heavy bias.

In comparison, the Infiniti G35 is nearly 50/50 (52/48) and BMW's are similar.

-josh

 

Is it me or does the new RL look like a dressed up last generation Accord? From a distance, the car is just too bland and has a very Honda Accord silhouette. I'm not saying it's ugly but in terms of styling, not as edgy as the 3rd gen TL. I feel like our 2nd gen TL has a great classic beauty to it's style and the current design is a very good looking "new millenium" design theme. The new RL just doesn't do it for me. And the rear design IMO is very "Bangle-Butt." I'm just not sure if the market will take to this design even with all the techno and mechanical goodies.

 

Super-handling AWD-lols...... stupid, I like the new TL's instead, and I have to agree with the accord dress alike,

 

Its catering to a far more older crowd that wishes for less flair and more subtlety.

 

It reminds me of an Accord too, and the last generation CL.

 

You like the TL's FWD? ok.....


If you've watched any of the reviews you will notice that this "stupid" SH-AWD is blowing away test drivers.....the car will not loose control and basically eliminates understeer entirely..... It is supposed to be better than subaru's all-wheel drive system and Audi's quattro as well..

I'm no expert, but the experts are giving this all-wheel drive system crazy reviews.... "it's not just another fourwheel drive system", from one quote I've heard.

 

Nothing at all stupid about it except the grandiose name. And no awd system on the market robs "30%" of engine power. Even with the very worst it's only a couple percent. There is the extra handicap of the 110-130# weight of the systems to carry around, but if that's a problem, just leave your wife at home.

 

1fasttl, did you get a chance to sample Acura's version of i-drive, AKA, big silver knob in center console? And if so, what was your opinion of it? Also, Acura specs the nav screen as 8 inches.

 

10grand it better like an AMG package where everything is upgraded.

 

I am not sure that you know what you are talking about. Drive that car first, and then talk. I drove new RL yesterday as well. Right after I drove 2003 BMW330. RL blows bimmer with easy. This car is awesome. Really fast, handles corners like on rails. This car power is very deceiving. Because the car is big, quiet and does not lean too heavy, you don't really feel the speed. I drove MB E340 a couple days ago, BMW 330, and then the RL. Even without money consideration, just going by driving experience, I would pick the RL in no time. The only thing that I did not care so much in RL is the leather quality. Feel a bit too cheap for the car of this class. But I don't care for leather anyway. By the way, RL has tons of cleaver gadgets.

 

Yeah i did play around with navi unit with the big silver knob. It has a lot of option's from finding traffic, restraunts, you name it. There is just so much you can do in the car. It's so nice also you can voice activate it from pushing a button on the steering wheel and talking. If i wouldn't bought my wife a 05 mdx i would have bought the RL with the A-Spec kit. But then again i'am the type to wait for next year only cause it's a new car and body and they still have to work out all the bugs.

 

Most people think the Acura Legend was just that, a legend. If you don't think it looked more like the Accord of it's time than the current RL does, you're crazy. One way or another, someone is not going to be happy. If that someone is you, don't buy it. :idunno:

 

Totally agree!
By the way, when I look at new BMW 5XX or 7XX, I just hate the way they look. Granted, they don't look like anything else, but they are ugly. Now BMW will screw classy looking 3XX. Acura-Honda was always blamed for conservative design. Oh well, it is better than the ultra screwed up design that BMW offers (in my eyes anyways).

 

 

I like the looks of the new BMW 745s, more than the old style especially.