V8 Powered Acura on the Way
TOKYO — Remember that oh-so-ugly Acura Advanced Sedan Concept we saw at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show?

No prizes for guessing that it was indeed a design study for the next-generation Acura RL. Fortunately, Honda has listened to the criticism and has completely restyled the flagship sedan's exterior and distanced the face from the Accord's.

Actually, Honda has been listening to the word on the street very carefully, because it has finally decided to give the luxury sedan a V8, to help it compete with strong rivals in the U.S., including Audi, BMW and Lexus.

One source tells us that Honda is currently working on a 420-horsepower 4.8-liter V8, and will employ the same cylinder deactivation technology we see on the current Japan-spec Inspire V6, thus generating class-leading fuel economy figures.

But unlike the current RL, which sits on a front-wheel-drive platform and features Honda's SH-AWD four-wheel-drive system, the all-new RL will instead incorporate a rear-drive platform, one necessity that Honda planners have clearly identified in this segment, and a reconfigured SH-AWD system that engages the front wheels when rear traction is compromised.

Slated for a mid-2010 debut, the new RL is expected to land in showrooms wearing a higher price tag of over $70,000.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=125224#2

 

Finally :bowdown:

 

Yeah, but for 70K and it loses AWD? No thanks.

 

If only Honda "listened to the criticism" prior to their most recent RL facelift.

 

agreed. what the hell were they thinking. they should have prepped the v8 and rwd platform for the facelift instead of waiting for a new model.
/sarcasm

 

people want acura to move up and when they do people bitch. "omg it's too expensive!" they'll never win. it will still have sh-awd but rwd biased since it will be a FR platform.

 

AMEN!!!!

 

Agreed. It would still be AWD. Sounds more like the Infiniti system where teh front wheels engage only on a slip.

Regardless, I think this whole story is made up. Sounds too perfect like it came hot off the presses from someones bedroom computer. Someone who also has very good photoshop skills

 

The 70K is just an estimate and not a definite figure, if it is still competing with the GS, 5 series, E class it is not going to cost anywhere near 70K. If it is moving up in size and prestige to S class, LS, 7 series territory then topping out at 70K is still not unreasonable as those other cars go well over 100K when loaded up with top engines/options. Hopefully they will offer a less expensive lighter rwd only version for better acceleration and fuel economy and a SHAWD option for poor weather driving and better handling characteristics.

Hate to be negative but there is nothing confirmed from Honda/Acura about the v8 or rwd platform nor are there any prototypes running around Europe to confirm this, it is is just a rumor from edmunds. We have heard rumors of a rwd v8 Legend/RL since 96 and all we got from Acura was a softer less powerful v6 car with a name change to RL on a fwd platform and later a Accord based platform car with more power but still no v8 or rwd and sales suffered heavily because of it even though it is a very good car. I will believe the v8 rwd when I see it because Acura for some reason is totally against this drivetrain layout and prefers just fwd accord based platforms,engines, and tranmissions, I guess they save alot of money doing it that way but it hurts their image as a luxury player and limits what they can do with their vehicles power/size wise.

 

That is a beautiful car