boe_d

I kind of have to wonder if the design engineers at Acura are like George Lucas. "They don't want Jar Jar - tough +!++ies, they are going to get Jar Jar. I'm thinking the Acura design team is saying the same thing about the beak. They could have dumped it years ago after bad press after bad press after bad user review and review year after year about the ugly front grill. Sure it has changed slightly but it is still as unsightly as ever.

George Knighton

The suspension of an Accord is completely different from an RLX.

Trust me...I've been under both of them.

The RLX is not just rather definitely something completely different, it's very expensive in comparison.

"A" arms are made of two different materials, one part being aluminum and the other part high strength steel. I'm not sure about the top, but the bottom definitely has two ball joints.

Weird, weird thing. Excellent...unflappable...but weird.

BEAR-AvHistory

Yes I know the suspension parts are different, but the platform is still the Honda large body platform.

Look under a 335 & an M3. Totally different suspension bits & engines, but the same 3 series platform. The 1 series coupe/convert also used the same 3 series platform with about 18" cut out.

Near the bottom of this article.

http://wardsauto.com/vehicle-test-dr...everything-rlx

""Honda builds the RLX in Saitama, Japan, on the same R-Large sedan platform that supports other FWD sedans, namely the Honda Accord and Acura TL and TSX. Pricing starts at $48,450 and caps out at $60,450.""

BTW The RLX is sold in other markets like Australia as the Honda Legend.

BEAR-AvHistory

Hit send to fast

http://legend.honda.com.au/

George Knighton

You've given me some information I never knew! Thanks very much.

Rocket_man

The Acura press release already stated the TLX will be built in the same plant as the Accord. I swear I've also seen an Acura official say it will be based on the same platform as the Accord but I can't find it right now.

Earlier it was stated that RLX production would be moved to NA, I'd assume this would be the same plant (Marysville). This was when they were bleeding money on the yen-dollar exchange rate. Now that the exchange rate is better, and they are only selling 500-600 RLX/month, maybe they reconsider that. But it would not surprise me if they did move production to Ohio to protect for the future.

Heck, even the NSX will be built in NA.

George Knighton

Yup. An American car for Americans. But I still don't know how they're going to get all that stuff to work right on the Accord suspension.

Both for reasons of space in the rear, and because of a design philosophy issue regarding keeping camber on the front wheels when vectoring torque at the rear.

I can't find a picture to illustrate what I mean. There's a picture of my old track car (a K20A[*] Integra hybrid) next to a Civic HPD race car in Turn 5 at Summit Point. Both cars hard at it, you can see that I have good camber on my weight bearing wheel, whereas the Civic is at an obvious disadvantage in that position.

It's very hard to design a McPherson suspension that keeps camber on the weight bearing wheels in 10/10ths situations.

George Knighton

I don't want to pretend that they're supposed to design the TLX to be a track car.

But at the same time I don't see why we'd give it the 310 HP J35 and SH-AWD when it's going to be at an obvious philosophical disadvantage.

It's Honda, though. Maybe there's something up their sleeves. Unfortunately, what is up their sleeves might very well be limiting how much power can get to the rear wheels, and giving the TLX a lower HP J35.

:-(

BEAR-AvHistory

Its always good to check the Australian market to see what might be on the horizon for the US. Its pretty much a mirror image of the US. Wide open spaces, fast cars & all the majors are represented there.

My son in laws sister was an expat with Ford & had good insights into the market. She was aware of the GM Holden – GTO project way before it was being talked about here.

jshaw

Honestly, Honda and Acura have stepped all over their flagship sedan, before. The first and sedan gen RL had to fend off their lessor TL brethren, whom's base engines were daringly close to the RL in power, and the upgrade TL engines always superseded the RL in power (there was never an upgrade engine for the RL).

Rocket_man

Perhaps this is why P-AWS only steers the rear wheel 1.5 deg vice the old mechanical prelude system that went close to 5 deg.

I've read that GM and Ford and maybe other will end production of all cars in AU due to economic reasons. This includes Holden.

http://www.firstpost.com/business/gm...t-1281785.html

http://wardsauto.com/asia-pacific/gm...tion-australia

http://www.news.com.au/finance/busin...-1226649868436

BEAR-AvHistory

That's correct. Jimmy's sister now works for a major bank down there.

fsttyms1

Rolling windows down or turning the AC on wont do anything for a hot steering wheel or sweaty hands from holding on to it.

Oswald Vater

From Autoweek's article on the upcoming Detroit Show FWIW:

"Over on the Acura side of the house, we expect to see a TLX sedan prototype. What's the TLX? It will be the new name for Acura's midsize sedan, replacing the outgoing TL and TSX. Acura says the TLX will have “more emotional styling with tidier, sports sedan proportions” and two new powertrains. The production version will launch in the second half of the year, when TSX sales end.

Acura didn't give powertrain specifics, only saying two new direct-injected engines and a new transmission will be offered, and that the car will be available with front- and all-wheel-drive".


Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2014...#ixzz2pkGPd1aN

23109VC

I'm assuming it will be a bit smaller than the current TL, more like the older TL or current TSX in size...

it will have a V6 option and a more expensive, sportier version that will incorporate electric motors like the RLX

I think they drop the manual and go to a regular auto or the newer 7 speed DCT transmission on the hybrid model.

if they can get HP levels close to the RLX level - 377 - and it weighs closer to a TSX - 3500 lbs.. it would be awesome.

the current TL is a great car, but it's on the heavy side.. i don't know how they would get under 4000 lbs if they have an AWD system and electric motors..that stuff all adds weight..

the new hybrid RLX is about 4300 lbs!!

my guess is the new TLX weighs in closer to the existing TL SH-AWD.. 3900-4000... so weight will be similar to the current 4G..but power in the top end model will be up due to the hybrid electric motors.

the "base" model will use the 310hp motor out of the new RLX...

all just guesses of mine based on how they upgraded from th 3G to the 4G

Rocketsfan

Sadly, that's pretty much exactly what Honda's already told us in the earlier press release. Doesn't matter anymore ... one week for me to see what I've been waiting years for. lol.

ressling

LOL if you click thru the URL and go to the specifics, I love the line "...nobody knows, but it's probably going to have a beak..."

Acura_Dude

Illuminati

I'm just really surprised nothing has leaked out. If they make it through the end of this week without anything leaking i'd be even more surprised. They must have only let a handful of people know about it.

shurik74

countdown... 7 days...

Superunknown

All in on disappointment

Rocket_man

It would not surprise me that SH-AWD is gone from the TLX and replaced with the AWD now found in the RDX. That might be bad news for the enthusiast, but the average consumer probably wouldn't know the different, but the savings in money, weight, and power loss are probably an easy trade for Acura to make. To get the weight down, keep cost under control, and maximize the MPG (which is probably more important to buyers than the difference between AWD and SH-AWD) it seems like a no-brainer. If they made a Type S maybe it would show up there. But I'm betting they are counting on P-AWS to improve handling vice SH-AWD. Same decision they made on the RLX.

Rocket_man

The new Genesis at CES... Wish the TLX could do this...

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/tech/2014/01/06/4346739/

More...

probmxstyle

Could do this? We don't even know what it can do yet...

Oswald Vater

Yeah I figured it was old news but thought I'd throw it out there for those who might have lost it in the shuffle of other posts!

a35tl

I think I need to calm down a little. I've been so eager to see the new TLX since they announced that they would reveal it on 01/14/14, that I'm now dreaming about it.


I dreamed last night that the unveiling was going to be in my community. So on the morning of the reveal, my Dad and I went to go see the car. When we arrived there was no TLX, only brochures that gave stats about the car. I picked up a brochure and noticed the fuel economy numbers and was astounded to see that the TLX was rated 37mpg city/64 mpg hwy. I told my Dad that this was going to be some car. We were told to wait because the car was on the way to the site. In the dream, I remember waiting for the car and the dream ended during my wait. Never got to see it. Wish I had though. I'm curious as to what image my subconscious mind would have conjured up. Oh well, 6 more days now.

kurtatx

It's an Acura, not an iPhone

Just kidding. I'm surprised as well, but this isn't exactly front page type stuff. Acura has taken a step back in popularity it seems.

George Knighton

Speaking of which, the AcuraLink app needs help. It consistently hangs on the 64-bit A7 iPhone 5S, even though it works on the A7 iPad.

:-/

Makes no sense whatsoever, and they need to get the lead out. The App Store negative reviews are climbing daily. Just fix it. Everything you need is open source...no excuse.

About the P-AWS comment.... I think that's an excellent idea, and I've heard that rumor before. But I'll say again that I don't see how that's going to work if they're using the same rear suspension that the Accord has. They'd have to design a completely different, smaller P-AWS actuator.

But it's a good idea. I don't think people understand how well this system really works unless you've drive an RLX pressed hard.

Now...if they're dropping SH-AWD in favor of the kind of AWD on the RDX, I do see how that would fit under there.

I do not see how my former TL's SH-AWD or the MDX SH-AWD is going to fit on the Accord rear suspension.

It's got to be either a newly designed SH-AWD system, or we've had it wrong all along and the 2015 TLX is a smaller version of the 2014 RLX.

It's likely the main reason I'm so anxious about the TLX is that I want to be sure that I did not make a mistake buying the RLX instead of waiting for the TLX!! :-)

But still, as the former owner of a 4G TL, I want to know and I am curious how all these questions about the suspension are really solved.

If you've got SH-AWD on a McPherson nose, you've already got bad camber on the outside, weight bearing front wheel in a corner. Then SH-AWD puts even more pressure on that outside wheel and I don't see how it's going to work right...the camber's going to be totally wonky unless the McPherson nose on the TLX is tricked out somehow, or it's not McPherson at all, or they are putting more power to the outside REAR wheel than usual for SH-AWD, or there's no SH-AWD...or I just don't know what....

KeithL

I think the new Genesis has the Germans clearly in their targets. I know the original Genesis was targeting them, but I think it woulnd up competing more with the Japanese brands, now you take HTRAC (40/60 AWD) which clearly is a shot at Audi Quattro and style adding in the tech and style and well, they will probably seel a lot of these. The big ding is they shoudl have spun off a new brand.

boe_d

I must have the genesis device!

I'll chase Acura round the moons of Nibia and round the Antares maelstrom and round perdition's flames before I give up on it!

From hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee (stinkin' beak!)

mdArt

Here's my TLX painting interpretation right before Detroit

mynameisjacob

^ Wowwwwwww.

You go work for Acura now!

maharajamd

iTrader: (1)

Anyone see Audi's new v3 MMi and the TT's new digital gauges?

Oswald Vater

And revenge is a dish best served cold!

RedsTL

Looks nice, but needs to be larger!

docboy

Nice!

Aggressive and sinister with subtle hints of the 3G, yet not over done. Acura would be wise to look at this pic.

mdArt

Thanks mynameisjacob!

mdArt

Thanks, Doc!

mynameisjacob

Race car too.

http://acuraconnected.com/2014/01/09...at-naias-2014/

weather

^^ Why aren't they taking the 150HP ILX at the track?! I am sure that would get the checkered flag (lol).

IN all seriousness....that could spell out some hope for the TLX!!