so i was doing some landscape work in an upscale neighborhood, when the owner of the home pulled up. i looked at her ride and it was incredible..but wait...what the hell is it? at fist i thought 2011 tl, but as i walked beside it i found it to be a 2011 acura rl SH. so i come home to look it up....and from what i see it wont be released till mid 2011? is this right? anyone have the specs on the v8 model. this was probably the sickest luxury car ive ever seen period.....and im not just saing that because im a honda lover

 

How much different does it look from the current body? Minor details or anything to actually set it apart?

I've seen some spy shots & they seem to have made sure to hide the front & rear with black.

 

it actually resembles it pretty well, the headlights should have given it away since they break away from the usual slant that acura has been using. its almost like the previous model...but improved in every nook and cranny. its like a 2010 rl on steroids. the grill was larger as well, but a sexy large...like a way improved version of the new tl grill.it looks longer as well. i was talking to the lady about the car...i wish i had known it wasnt even out yet so i could have got some more info. the wheels were oh so sexy as well, wideeeeee 18's i believe.

 

just looked at the spy shots....looks nothing like them. im getting pretty pissed here. i cant find one freaking picture of the car that i was standing next to!

 

Well, the car's not unveiled yet, that's probably why.

But, if you remember where it is, can't you go & grab a picture? Not saying to go "stalker" on the house, but a picture of this would probably make it on Jalopnik or Autoblog with credit to you.

 

ill give it a shot. ive got a crew at the house next to it every wednesday but she pulled it into the garage last time.

 

Well someone wouldn't already have a 2012 RL would they?

I'm as confused as you.

 

If they have family who works for Honda/Acura North America- it could be possible. I remember seeing pics on here of the 4G TL months before it's release parked in some parking lot at a golf outing. The badges were taped up and that was all.

My grandfather (who died before I was born) used to hold a position high up in GM back in the day and he'd sometimes get to drive cars home a year before being released to the public. Or so my dad says.

Similar situation maybe.

 

Are you sure you aren't thinking of the refreshed 2nd gen RL?

 

^^
+1.

 

Maybe she had a modded 2G?

 

ehh acura is discontinuing it anyway

 

It's probably the current RL.

 

No it's not. Turns out that story was based on bad info.

 

Your story is full of holes.

 

Hmmmm.....




Maybe.....It looked like this Legend?

 

God I wish..

I might someday get a 09+ RL and do the entire JDM exterior swap, it looks so much better!

 

Isn't the grille the only real difference?

 

Sometimes that's all it takes!

 

As far as I know, yes but there may be more such as a bumper swap, different shaped foglights etc.

 

I have all of the details on the 2011 V8 RL. It is a very interesting design for a V8 engine as it was designed with 2 less pistons and cylinders than the traditional V8 would have. Leave it to Acura to revolutionized the engine building industry again by designing a V8 that only uses 6 cylinders.

 

 

But seriously, I have a 1996 3.5RL brochure and Acura claimed they tuned the V-6 to perform and feel like a V-8. No really, they did.

Looking back, I laughed and laughed. Then I laughed some more.

 

I'll say this as a 1G RL owner, it has a lot more low-end torque immediately available. Below 2500 rpms it is noticeable compared to other cars of its era.

The Legend and 1st gen 3.2 TL for example were tuned for midrange power, 3000 to 5000 rpms.

Was it a V8? No, but it felt like a V6 with more than enough low end. It would have REALLY benefited from having VTEC.

 

Alright, now lets look back at a domestic V8 from 1995. Here are the stats on Chevrolets 4.3 V8 from the 1995 Caprice
To me it doesn't seem like it's laugh worthy. It is what they said it was. Is it as powerful as a well tuned 440 wedge? but compared to the average V8 engines from the mid 90's it's a different story.

 

Oh sure. I'm not saying it was ball-less. My parents had a 2000 3.5RL and around town it sincerely feels ballsier than my 3G TL.

But a V-8 it was not.

 

Compare to the Northstar with which the 3.5RL competed with.

One of its competitors one could say was the Seville. 275-300 horsepower from 4.6 liters and regular fuel with high 20s on the highway.

 

Ohh really? Well disregard my comment then. Still not a fan of the RL though. Or any of acura's current lineup.

 

To each his own, but the RL does have its strong points over the AWD TL.

It rides much nicer (or so the pre-MMC did, I assume that's unchanged), is quieter, has a much more elegant interior that is much more unique, and it has some additional features.

From an on paper standpoint it doesn't make sense, but some cars don't.

I respect your opinion though, especially as it is in the majority.

 

Go back and get us some pictures!

 

Ohh I would agree that the RL has its strong points against the TL. But from other cars in its class it kinda doesn't. Well it still has some, but none that would make me buy the car over something else in its class.

Btw which class is it in, I've always been confused as to where to put the acura's now a days. Comparing it to say BMW and mb, the RL, price wise would stay with the 5 series and E class. But with size it would be with the 7 and S class. (Maybe not anymore though, I know the new 5 is quite a bit bigger) Same goes with the TL, its about the price of a 3 series and C class but the size of the 5 and E.

 

I understand that.

The RL's size makes it a dead ringer for the 5-Series and A6. Some cars in this class are larger, some smaller, but they're all pretty much midsize (unless you count the MKS boat).

And obviously it can't compete with the V-8 trims, so it competes with:

Audi A6 3.0
BMW 535i
Cadillac STS V-6
Infiniti M37
Jaguar XF 4.2 (the one V-8 it competes with sort of)
Lexus GS350
Mercedes E350
Volvo S80 T6

 

Hmm I thought the RL was past mid-size, and that the TL was mid-size. Because isn't the TL basically the same size as those cars listed. And it also has as much grunt as the RL. I guess just not as luxurious.

 

In inches::

RL dimensions

LxWxH: 195.8x72.7x57.3

TL dimensions

LxWxH: 195.5x74x57.2

M37 dimensions (just for comparison's sake)

LxWxH: 194.7x72.6x59.1

 

Yes, at least according to the magazines, the TL automatic is much quicker than the RL.

 

The TL has always been quicker than the RL from 1996 onwards.

Take my word for it

 

I still would pick the RL over the TL just because the RL is made in Japan and not Ohio.

Big difference from my experience.

 

^^^


RL>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>T L

And OP, you probably saw the refreshed/MMC 2G RL. They improved the rear but gave it that gawdawful nose for 2009. Nothing to get excited about.

With the J37 engine, the low-end torque is better than my 2006 RL and it feels gutsier. Definitely a solid car.

 

did it look anything like this? i just googled 2011 Acura RL an this is what i got





they say these are spy shots of the 2011 RL with a tacked on TSX headlights an rear but under is the 2011 RL but i just cant see it look like a TSX spy shot





also heres some 2011 Acura NSX shots looks like 2010 TL taillights

 

OK. We've discussed these images in RL for three years.

a. The drawing above is what we HOPE the 3G RL looks like. That image has been circulating the web since it was printed in BestAuto (Japan) in 2008.
b. The 2011 RL is exactly the same as the 2009 and 2010. A FMC (new model) is not currently expected before the 2012 MY, and it may be longer than that.
c. The TSX-like thing in the picture is the RWD mule. Honda was known to be working on a V8/RWD RL until the Great Recession. That, along with the NSX (the last spy pix you mention), were officially cancelled. While enthusiasts like me are greatly upset by this, the business sense in me knows it's the right thing to do. Honda plans to concentrate on bread and butter cars until its finances allow it to do stuff for enthusiasts.

There are multiple threads on the issue in the RL forum, this forum, and in the Automotive News subforum, if you would like to search for specific links and news items.

Bottom line: All those pics you listed do not reflect the current Acura reality or direction.

HTH!