maharajamd

iTrader: (1)

I have a feeling Audi will follow the TT for a lot of their models and do circular vents. Really it's the most efficient way.

KeithL

I did not like circular vents much, but I prefer that over the vertical. What I hope Audi does not do is take the TT gauges LCD and make that the sole display on their sedans. I prefer the gauge cluster and separate head display, although I dig the TT LCD gauges. Audi also you to split info today between the gauges (MID) and main MMI display. So I have have Navi direction on the gauges while media is showing on the MMI, or vice versa.

quantum7

Of the three choices above....middle grill. Oh wait, I already have a 3G TL

UNEVAKNO

There are 15 thousand different opinions on "this and that" referring to the production model spy shots. I expected that and its mostly good information. We have to truthfully admit the 2015 TLX is a " winner " period. It will offer tech and performance options never available to Acura owners. Yes the concept vs. the production design could be more aggressive but have you ever known the manufacturer's not tone down the street model. Most of the time its just about the wheels which is a easy fix like someone already said. I personally think the exhaust issue is a easy fix just because of the placement of the mufflers. Make 2 clean cutouts the shape of the tips and its done. I am a 5x Acura owner currently driving a 2012 4G and I'm sold on this car....so far. Im already at the drawing board...STANCE...WHEELS..EXHAUST...check! Lets just be patient and see what options each models will offer.

TeamAcura

I hope so too.

And why not? A lot of newer cars in the US has clear corner lens. Audi and BMW to name a couple.

George Knighton

Every time I see your avatar, I miss my TL 6-6 that looked like yours. :-(

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

BMW, sort of. They have the orange reflector just in front of the front wheel well. Not sure if it flashes or not, but it is there.

Audi still has orange reflectors in the headlamp cluster, they are just really small.

Personally, I do not understand why the US laws even put this restriction into place. It really does not seem to make a difference to me.

TeamAcura

Ahhh, I see what they did now. Very clever.


And George, come back to the 6MT world!!!

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

What's funny is that for the first time in YEARS I have actually been considering a fully loaded Accord as a possible next car. The ego snob in me wants to say no because it feels like a downgrade......lol. But I know it's a good car and the value is undeniable. Better content of my 3GTL at the same price I paid back then. I can just imagine it lowered with nice wheels and the factory body kit. It would look REALLY nice. If only that V6 came with a 6MT, I'm sure that is something we'll see within a couple years. I wonder if that Acura badge would fit on the Accord. Haha.

Honda what a difference you made with the new Accord from the old one. Make the same leap from 4G to TLX. If they have any brains they are noticing these threads. Imagine they had an impact. I doubt it. lol.

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

They are just old outdated laws. Never used to really see too many clear reflectors back in the day but now they're everywhere and can be easily implemented, just as safe, and most important look neutral and keep the aesthetics of nearly any type of car intact. Orange clashes with most cars. Unless your car is......well orange.

Perhaps the thinking is that if white was implemented now, then parked cars at night would have some cars white, some cars orange at night and it might look confusing or not uniform.

Why change the law when nobody really cares about this little detail; except nuts like us. lol. Lawmakers have better things to do. But I'm sure the industry sides with us. They could make it the same worldwide instead of always having to do a US-spec. Pretty dumb.

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

Great statement. You know what's ironic about this? Most people will say that Honda/Acura actually has a reputation of building prototypes that are actually very CLOSE to what the production model will look like. Better than many other manufacturers.

What's going on here is, honestly, we are just a select few microscopic, obsessing, ultra-scrutinizing, detail whores. lol. No matter what they change, we will notice. We all have different tastes and no matter what changes or stays the same; everyone won't be happy.

Normal people would say the changes are subtle. They'll say it looks like the prototype. The prototype has free-flow design to stimulate interest. Now Honda is making the changes to make production feasible to them. Customers will still buy when they see the A logo and the car looks decent.

George Knighton

Three and a half months of ACC, though, and I'm hooked.

Rocket_man

I think there in lies the danger for Acura. There are only a few ways the TLX can differentiate itself from the competition, including the Accord (although not exactly the same market segment). The TLX will have a more sophisticated drive train, and some models will have SH-AWD. It will have a more luxurious finish, higher grade options, but it is also supposed to look more upscale and exciting to deserve the higher price the car will demand over the Accord. The less the TLX delivers on these fronts, the less compelling it is to some. It all depends on a buyers' personal calculus and whether the higher cost is worth it to them.

I still have to judge the complete package to make this determination. There is certainly a little less excitement for me, but if the rest of the package is good and the price is right I'll still pull the trigger. But without the excitement factor it is 'just a car' and so buyers are less likely to buy on emotion and less willing to pay a higher price.

When I look back over the last few model roll outs for Acura, this forum has pretty accurately predicted the success/failure of each car. The majority of people here said the ILX is under powered and over priced for what it delivered. And they were right. The RLX was not exciting enough, and also over priced, and again they were right. People felt the RDX hit the mark pretty well, and predicted a hit, and they were right. Same with the MDX.

I get the feeling the current thought about the TLX is that it 'feels' like it may fall in between a hit and a miss, but not enough info to call it yet. Once we see the US version of the car, the feature content, and the MSRP, I suspect this forum will call it pretty accurately before its release. I hope its a hit... with folding rear seat!

Tonyware

I don't think the FWD Accord comes with a limited slip differential like the TL(X) does (or at least the 6 speed TL and TL-S... I think?). Significant performance difference around corners. I hope they don't surprise us and remove the limited slip diff from the 4 banger FWD TLX. That would be a serious Acura offence LOL.

UNEVAKNO

I agree

George Knighton

The 4G TL has a clutch pack type of LSD on the rear of SH-AWD models, both automatic (both 5 speed and 6 speed) and the 6 speed manual.

The 3G TL had a Torsen type of LSD on the front of the six speed cars.

I doubt that the K Motor TLX will have any kind of LSD because it is cheaper to handle non-AWD vectoring with a combination of AHA and other electronics. It is in theory slower, but a lot cheaper. With P-AWS, the car points quickly enough that you could argue for days whether an LSD would offer any kind of speed advantage to all practical purposes.

George Knighton

My personal observation about this comes from having an RLX at one typical road course, and one very long road course.

In fact, with VSA turned off and Sport Mode turned on, a P-AWS car turns quite quickly.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I agree with you there. The P-AWS system does a good job of quelling understeer and setting the car up to be more neutral and allowing for the throttle to be applied earlier in the corner than normal. That was the purpose of the LSD in the older cars anyway so I could live without it.

That said, having the LSD on a FWD car in the snow certainly did not hurt the ability to get around...

fsttyms1

I dont think we are as "few" as you might think, just look at the horrid sedan sales over the past 5+ years. Obviously the general public is seeing something they dont like as well

rondog

iTrader: (1)

Anybody else notice how the wheels look either photoshopped or enlarged? They have slight blurriness or less sharp quality as opposed to the rest of the image.

George Knighton

Yes, the RLX is definitely not an ice racer. :-)

Colin

I think the whole "sedan problem" meme is a red herring. The blogosphere and enthusiasts have taken the bait, hook, line and sinker. For example, does Acura really have a sedan problem? I think the RLX was never intended to be a volume car and the ILX is selling as well as any Integra sedan ever did. I generally agree the the 4G TL was an under performer but the TSX picked up the slack. Anyway, using low sales of these two products in 2014 is a specious argument since they're drawing down anyway.

I think Acura has been making these "fix sedan" statements knowing full well they'll become a self-fulfilling prophesy once the TLX is out. Then, three years down the road they can claim victory when sedans have fully recovered, especially if the ILX gets a good MMC.

Tonyware

Yes, that makes sense. P-AWS changes everything regarding the geometry. But you never know... we may see the Civic Si LSD in the TLX, that would be something! I mean, c'mon, they even put a torque converter in a double clutch to make the 0 to 10 smooth. So expect the unexpected these days

PS. I don't know if I am the only one who has tried and experience this but... if I turn off the VSA on snow/ice and start sliding all over the place it looks like its not "really" turned off, especially if I pick up some speed ~40-60km/h. Maybe its just me...?

George Knighton

Yup. I agree.

I'm not sure they have that much marketing moxy, but it makes sense.

Ha ha ha ha ha.... No, it's not just you. But you have to admit that with VSA turned off, it gets pretty wild and goes beyond neutral very often.

fsttyms1

Are you honestly going to sit there and try to convince people that Acura wanted the Abysmal sales of the RL, How can you honestly think they would want the RLX for that matter to be a slow seller. Sure its not supposed to sell 40k+ a year, but im sure they want more than 300+- a month (which im sure will only go down as it gets into its 3rd year). The 4th gen AND ILX have fallen far short of what they originally set for production sales numbers. It doesnt matter that the ILX sold more than the RSX, when it has fallen 20k short of what they wanted. If you believe that they intended it you are only kidding yourself

csmeance

and Acura & Honda have admitted that the brand has stagnated and it needs some new life. A lot of the concerns that people have do get voiced here such as the lack of a proper color scheme since the start of the 4G TL! The red that poised the car to look amazing won't even make it, and instead it's going to have a darker red like on the CR-V.

IMO Acura needs to step up their game to realize that they are playing with the big-boys now. How about tap to blink turn signals like on a BMW/Benz? I could go on for days with what I hope the new TL has but in all honesty this is a much better start to the 5G TL than the 4G TL got.

George Knighton

I don't think they made a conscious decision not to sell any, but when there is every indication that maximum capacity of the factory in Japan is only about 12,000/year, they clearly did not intend for it to be a market capturing event.

I'm with you though in wondering about this 5G Legend/3G RLX logic. It shares no chassis and suspension components with any other car in the Honda fleet except the upcoming NSX. That is an obvious recipe for wasting money.

But I haven't understood Honda marketing for years. All that I know is that they're building cars that keep me buying them.

2006 Accord 6-6 HFP Coupe --> 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 6-6 ---> 2014 Acura RLX Advance.

I've been driving Hondas since 1989 and they continue to keep me occupied.

Legend2TL

He was referring to the few who notice the detail changes from prototype to production, not the overall appearance and styling.

George Knighton

There is a strange phenomenon that I have noticed with Honda and Acura enthusiast communications all over the Internet.

A minority will be somehow talked into buying a Cadillac CTS or XTS, or an Audi A6 instead of an Acura, or they'll get talked into a Camry instead of an Accord by a really good salesman on the other side.

And then they waste half their lives explaining and justifying their regrettable choice to their friends on the Honda and Acura communications venue.

It'd amuse me more if it weren't somehow sad and tragic.

George Knighton

If I'm understanding you correctly, this is likely true because the RLX has it.

BEAR-AvHistory

Watching a marketing strategy unfold is always interesting to me.

In this case it could be former happy Acura owners find it interesting to watch the sad and tragic train wreck that TL/RL sales have become over the past 5 years & want to see how it turns out with the new models.

So far the new cars are 0-2 in meeting Hondas publicly stated goals. The TLX really needs to be a winner to meet Honda/Acura's managements stated sales objectives. Only time will tell but if the current faithful, I will by Acura no matter what, owners represented here are acceptable it might be a long 5 years.

Also if your sales are down 50% model for model over 5 years from the prior version its not a minority who have gone elsewhere because of slick salesmen.

Tonyware

I thought I was the only one But I see that the natural evolution of our species (lol) is indeed: Accord Coupe --> Acura TLX --> Acura RLX. One more gentleman I know in my neighborhood followed the same pattern. Maybe an RLX is in my future...

I wonder, and perhaps this may be the topic for another thread, if there are other patterns in the evolution of car buying habits among us.

fsttyms1

And after a year they will be averaging less than half that. I dont see this car having sales numbers any better than the RL it replaces in a year or so, which to me is another failure where they should have learned from the car it replaced.

fsttyms1

I really truly want my next car to be another Acura, im a diehard honda/acura fan. I love their reliability, and engines. I am just having a very hard time with everyone else out there with a product that appeals to me much much more.

Colin

Didn't I say Integra Sedan? (ie. the last time we sold a Civic based sedan)

But this is the scam. Acura only admitting the 'problem' when the fix is already on the way. LOL, I don't understand why you guys don't see that you're being handled... and instead call me delusional.

You get it.

Colin

So does the ILX, RDX, and MDX. This feature is patented by Richard Ponziani, a former automotive engineer. He recently sued Ford (and won) for infringing on his idea. I wonder if Acura is also named or if they waited to introduce the feature after winning approval?

George Knighton

That might be their problem: They keep building cars for us instead of new customers.

LOL... Maybe!

My first Honda was a 1989 DX Hatch 5 speed that was a long live'd commuter car.

My track car for 12 years was '00 ITR #110, that ended its life as a K20A(*) DC5 ITR converted car with Hondata and professional racing suspension. That was quite a car, and some people are still made at me that I sold it.

I got old, and was surely tempting fate, especially on the more modern tracks with serious elevation changes, tracks like VIR and Mid Ohio.

George Knighton

Or maybe they had the common sense to pay him a few cents per car to be able to use his idea. :-)

I had no idea about this!

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

Just knowing ron dog is watching this thread is a glimmer of hope in itself.

KeithL

Funny how Honda offers a Sport model Accord, yet the luxury division will not offer a Type-S to go up against its direct competition. Acura needs to figure out how to compete with the others in its class. What makes it harder now is you have MB CLA and Audi A3 which will clearly steal TLX sales.