2005 Acura RL Introduction
I eat plastic.
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 15,177
Likes: 0
From: Detroit, MI
Originally Posted by mayonaise
i've heard people say it looks like a big accord before.. but that's what it is, isn't it? that's what the legend has always been. the last two generations didn't look a lot like the accord, but the 1st and 2nd gens looked exactly like their accord counterparts - only much bigger, more muscular, more aggressive. so in this respect, i don't mind that it resembles an accord at all.
the tail light design is pretty generic, tho. and it does resemble the new 7 series somewhat. the back is the feature i like the least. but at least honda is moving in the right direction FINALLY with this car.
what does "It isn't masking that it's still based on FWD cars." mean? who cares if it's based on a fwd car? the only problem i see is that the front still has a gigantic overhang.
the tail light design is pretty generic, tho. and it does resemble the new 7 series somewhat. the back is the feature i like the least. but at least honda is moving in the right direction FINALLY with this car.
what does "It isn't masking that it's still based on FWD cars." mean? who cares if it's based on a fwd car? the only problem i see is that the front still has a gigantic overhang.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 0
From: CA
Originally Posted by redgoober4life
And all were less sucessful than the LS from Lexus. I'd save my pennies and buy an LS if I really wanted a luxo boat.
lots and lots of fail
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 23,004
Likes: 1
From: Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeetroit
Originally Posted by MrFatbooty
I've deleted far too many posts of pointless bickering from this thread. Anyone else does it and I'm locking it and handing out warning points.
hnoes: I really like the RL's interior. Very classy.
lots and lots of fail
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 23,004
Likes: 1
From: Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeetroit
http://www.geocities.com/conceptcarc...japan/fsx.html
Honda had this shit down 13 years ago. 3.5L VTEC V6 with 280 horses, AWD with an ATTS-like system at all four wheels. Why did it take them so long to develop this?
Honda had this shit down 13 years ago. 3.5L VTEC V6 with 280 horses, AWD with an ATTS-like system at all four wheels. Why did it take them so long to develop this?
Wannabe yuppie
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 25,918
Likes: 0
From: Madison, WI
AutoWeek has a review of the RL up on their site, and they seem to like it. Oh, and they drove it in my favorite town.
Another hot, sunny July day in Washington, D.C. Tem-peratures in the high 90s, humidity way up there. The Mall is packed with profusely sweating tourists gawking at the Washington Monument, the Capitol building. The brand-new World War II memorial is jammed. Over-flow crowds fill the National Museum of Natural History, the Air and Space Museum and the Lincoln Memorial—even the fish-market area is hoppin’ down on the Potomac.
We joined the throngs (many of whom looked like they had consumed more than their share of adult beverages) to drive Acura’s completely redone flagship, the RL. Why the D.C. area? One reason, Acura officials explained, is because it is only an hour or so from Summit Point Raceway in Virginia. The company not only wanted us to get a taste of the lovely, rural two-lane roads outside of Washington, but also to wring out some hot laps on the road course.
Say what? An RL at a racetrack? What gives?
What gives is that this time around, Acura built a midsize luxury car you can drive, a car you can drive hard.
The new RL replaces the eight-year-old original model. The concept car, first shown at the 2004 New York auto show, promised a badly needed horsepower boost, real-time traffic and navigation info, and perhaps most important, all-wheel drive. The show car also had a lovely interior and a good-looking, edgy body, prompting one Acura official to note, "We don’t do styling, but this car actually looks pretty good."
The production car delivers on the concept’s promises. The 2005 RL is three inches shorter than the old car, but slightly wider and a couple of inches taller. The overhangs are shorter, and the new car looks more chiseled and aggressive.
The horsepower boost comes via the RL’s new, transverse-mounted 3.5-liter, 24-valve, aluminum VTEC V6. The engine, which meets LEV II-ULEV emissions standards, pumps out 300 hp at 6200 rpm (Acura claims that is the auto industry’s highest hp figure for a normally aspirated V6) and produces 260 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, and you can shift gears via the shift lever on the center console or with the steering wheel-mounted paddles. The transmission’s computer alters the shift points, if necessary, when going uphill or down.
Acura calls the RL’s standard all-wheel-drive system Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive, or SH-AWD (dorky name, cool system). The company says it is the first and only system that splits torque front to rear and side to side.
Here’s what happens: During straight-line cruising and moderate cornering, up to 70 percent of the torque is put to the front wheels. Stomp on the gas and up to 70 percent of the torque goes to the rear wheels. In hard cornering SH-AWD can send 100 percent of the rear torque to the outside rear wheel. The system works with an electronic control unit that senses steering wheel input, wheel speed, engine rpm and lateral g forces. The ECU takes those data and determines the best front-to-rear and left-to-right torque delivery.
On Virginia’s two-lane roads the engine was delightful—turbine-smooth and with plenty of power and flexibility. Drive-by-wire throttle makes the engine respond to the right foot instantly. The suspension, double wishbones in front and multilink rear, soaks up road imperfections and keeps the RL’s body level. Hidden wipers and flush side glass help make for near-silent highway cruising. Turn-in is sharp and the brakes, four-wheel discs with four-piston calipers, are strong.
The stiff chassis uses high-tensile steel and aluminum—Acura claims torsional rigidity is up 33 percent. The hood, front fenders and rear decklid are aluminum; the car weighs 3984 pounds. That’s 91 pounds more than the old car, not bad considering the all-wheel-drive hardware and software.
Sailing around Summit Point Raceway, we could let the car loose a bit, fling it around some. The V6 pulls hard once you get the tachometer needle swinging above 3000 rpm, and the all-wheel-drive system really works well. We had old RLs to drive back-to-back with the new RL. Where the outgoing car will push in hard cornering, the new car turns in neatly and just tracks around with impressive grip.
All-wheel drive also makes the new car more rewarding, as well as more predictable and more forgiving, even at track speeds. Yes, there is a bit of body roll, but the handling inspires confidence. This car feels far more on par with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series we tried at the same time, something you definitely could not say about the old RL. And come winter, we suspect we’ll love the all-wheel drive even more.
The interior on the pre-production prototypes we drove has been livened up considerably compared to the outgoing model and it looks excellent. The design is conservative, but the various materials and fabrics look expensive and more luxurious compared with the previously drab cockpit. The controls, knobs and switches have a quality feel, and the seats, taller and wider now, are comfortable over a full day of driving. A large knob on the center console is in charge of the stereo, navigation system, climate control and the satellite communication system, called AcuraLink.
AcuraLink could be particularly helpful to those of you who commute in big cities. Through the XM satellite radio, it gives real-time traffic information for 20 U.S. cities, including traffic flow, accidents, construction zone and weather reports. Flow and accident information are updated continuously, so you can take the potentially least congested route. It could save a lot of time and aggravation.
AcuraLink has an on-screen guide to help you with the car’s operation, diagnostic information, and maintenance and recall reminders. A six-CD, 10-speaker Bose stereo is standard.
About the only letdown with the car is the steering, which in typical Honda fashion, lacks feel. This latest RL’s steering is better, don’t get us wrong. It is weightier and has decent feel, better than the outgoing model, but still, it is not quite up to par with the best of the German rivals in terms of on-center feel.
The market for six-cylinder-powered midsize luxury cars is getting crowded and more competitive. Honda’s U.S. executive vice president Tom Elliott says the luxury car market will double in size by 2009. Besides the new RL, there is the new Cadillac STS, plus the established players from BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus. This new RL competes with them, and Honda officials hope the car will account for about 10 percent of Acura’s 2005 sales. Honda’s luxury division has a good car on its hands.
http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=100757
Another hot, sunny July day in Washington, D.C. Tem-peratures in the high 90s, humidity way up there. The Mall is packed with profusely sweating tourists gawking at the Washington Monument, the Capitol building. The brand-new World War II memorial is jammed. Over-flow crowds fill the National Museum of Natural History, the Air and Space Museum and the Lincoln Memorial—even the fish-market area is hoppin’ down on the Potomac.
We joined the throngs (many of whom looked like they had consumed more than their share of adult beverages) to drive Acura’s completely redone flagship, the RL. Why the D.C. area? One reason, Acura officials explained, is because it is only an hour or so from Summit Point Raceway in Virginia. The company not only wanted us to get a taste of the lovely, rural two-lane roads outside of Washington, but also to wring out some hot laps on the road course.
Say what? An RL at a racetrack? What gives?
What gives is that this time around, Acura built a midsize luxury car you can drive, a car you can drive hard.
The new RL replaces the eight-year-old original model. The concept car, first shown at the 2004 New York auto show, promised a badly needed horsepower boost, real-time traffic and navigation info, and perhaps most important, all-wheel drive. The show car also had a lovely interior and a good-looking, edgy body, prompting one Acura official to note, "We don’t do styling, but this car actually looks pretty good."
The production car delivers on the concept’s promises. The 2005 RL is three inches shorter than the old car, but slightly wider and a couple of inches taller. The overhangs are shorter, and the new car looks more chiseled and aggressive.
The horsepower boost comes via the RL’s new, transverse-mounted 3.5-liter, 24-valve, aluminum VTEC V6. The engine, which meets LEV II-ULEV emissions standards, pumps out 300 hp at 6200 rpm (Acura claims that is the auto industry’s highest hp figure for a normally aspirated V6) and produces 260 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, and you can shift gears via the shift lever on the center console or with the steering wheel-mounted paddles. The transmission’s computer alters the shift points, if necessary, when going uphill or down.
Acura calls the RL’s standard all-wheel-drive system Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive, or SH-AWD (dorky name, cool system). The company says it is the first and only system that splits torque front to rear and side to side.
Here’s what happens: During straight-line cruising and moderate cornering, up to 70 percent of the torque is put to the front wheels. Stomp on the gas and up to 70 percent of the torque goes to the rear wheels. In hard cornering SH-AWD can send 100 percent of the rear torque to the outside rear wheel. The system works with an electronic control unit that senses steering wheel input, wheel speed, engine rpm and lateral g forces. The ECU takes those data and determines the best front-to-rear and left-to-right torque delivery.
On Virginia’s two-lane roads the engine was delightful—turbine-smooth and with plenty of power and flexibility. Drive-by-wire throttle makes the engine respond to the right foot instantly. The suspension, double wishbones in front and multilink rear, soaks up road imperfections and keeps the RL’s body level. Hidden wipers and flush side glass help make for near-silent highway cruising. Turn-in is sharp and the brakes, four-wheel discs with four-piston calipers, are strong.
The stiff chassis uses high-tensile steel and aluminum—Acura claims torsional rigidity is up 33 percent. The hood, front fenders and rear decklid are aluminum; the car weighs 3984 pounds. That’s 91 pounds more than the old car, not bad considering the all-wheel-drive hardware and software.
Sailing around Summit Point Raceway, we could let the car loose a bit, fling it around some. The V6 pulls hard once you get the tachometer needle swinging above 3000 rpm, and the all-wheel-drive system really works well. We had old RLs to drive back-to-back with the new RL. Where the outgoing car will push in hard cornering, the new car turns in neatly and just tracks around with impressive grip.
All-wheel drive also makes the new car more rewarding, as well as more predictable and more forgiving, even at track speeds. Yes, there is a bit of body roll, but the handling inspires confidence. This car feels far more on par with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series we tried at the same time, something you definitely could not say about the old RL. And come winter, we suspect we’ll love the all-wheel drive even more.
The interior on the pre-production prototypes we drove has been livened up considerably compared to the outgoing model and it looks excellent. The design is conservative, but the various materials and fabrics look expensive and more luxurious compared with the previously drab cockpit. The controls, knobs and switches have a quality feel, and the seats, taller and wider now, are comfortable over a full day of driving. A large knob on the center console is in charge of the stereo, navigation system, climate control and the satellite communication system, called AcuraLink.
AcuraLink could be particularly helpful to those of you who commute in big cities. Through the XM satellite radio, it gives real-time traffic information for 20 U.S. cities, including traffic flow, accidents, construction zone and weather reports. Flow and accident information are updated continuously, so you can take the potentially least congested route. It could save a lot of time and aggravation.
AcuraLink has an on-screen guide to help you with the car’s operation, diagnostic information, and maintenance and recall reminders. A six-CD, 10-speaker Bose stereo is standard.
About the only letdown with the car is the steering, which in typical Honda fashion, lacks feel. This latest RL’s steering is better, don’t get us wrong. It is weightier and has decent feel, better than the outgoing model, but still, it is not quite up to par with the best of the German rivals in terms of on-center feel.
The market for six-cylinder-powered midsize luxury cars is getting crowded and more competitive. Honda’s U.S. executive vice president Tom Elliott says the luxury car market will double in size by 2009. Besides the new RL, there is the new Cadillac STS, plus the established players from BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus. This new RL competes with them, and Honda officials hope the car will account for about 10 percent of Acura’s 2005 sales. Honda’s luxury division has a good car on its hands.
http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=100757
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: outside Philadelphia
I'm new here. Hope nobody minds that I'm posting to a thread that's been dead for two weeks.
3.5 liter V6 with gas mileage 17/25 and 300 horsepower is industry leading. 3.5 liter V6 with 260 lb.ft. of torque and a 5 speed automatic is nothing exceptional in this class. The SH-AWD and the reasonable price make this car interesting but not especially noteworthy.
But it's worlds better than the last generation RL and I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation becomes the car to beat in its segment.
3.5 liter V6 with gas mileage 17/25 and 300 horsepower is industry leading. 3.5 liter V6 with 260 lb.ft. of torque and a 5 speed automatic is nothing exceptional in this class. The SH-AWD and the reasonable price make this car interesting but not especially noteworthy.
But it's worlds better than the last generation RL and I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation becomes the car to beat in its segment.
HC Racer H5
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,261
Likes: 0
From: KCK
Auto Express: Honda Legend (US Acura RL)
Neat article from across the pond.
here was nothing legendary about Honda's previous flagship saloon. With front-wheel drive and forgettable styling, the old Legend didn't measure up to its BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class rivals. However, that could change with this all-new version - and we were first behind the wheel to try it out.
Built on a totally new platform with a shorter wheelbase and more compact body, the Honda has clearly been given a sportier edge. The front end is similar to that of the smaller Accord, while large-diameter alloy wheels and an aggressive rising waistline hint at the Legend's performance potential.
Get behind the wheel and it's im-mediately obvious that in terms of handling, Honda has come closer to its German rivals than ever before. A new four-wheel-drive system, called Super-Handling All Wheel Drive - SH-AWD - uses a hi-tech set-up to split the power between the front and rear wheels. However, the most impressive part of SH-AWD is that up to 100 per cent of the rear axle torque can be routed to just one wheel. That means the Legend offers near-perfect handling balance when cornering.
With its well weighted and precise steering the Honda turns in just like a rear-wheel-drive car, and when pushed the system adapts to provide the maximum possible grip. Couple that with a smooth ride over rough surfaces, and the newcomer has dynamic abilities which could embarrass the 5-Series.
Under the bonnet, only one engine is available - a 300bhp 3.5-litre V6. Mated to a slick five-speed automatic transmission with sequential manual switches on the steering wheel, the gutsy unit allows the saloon to sprint from 0-60mph in only 6.4 seconds.
What's more, Honda hasn't forgotten the importance of interior design in this sector. The Legend comes with fine leather and wood trim, cleverly incorporated into a stylish, plush cabin. With the model pencilled in for a UK launch in 2006, it looks as though Honda has finally hit on a winning formula for executive car success.
Built on a totally new platform with a shorter wheelbase and more compact body, the Honda has clearly been given a sportier edge. The front end is similar to that of the smaller Accord, while large-diameter alloy wheels and an aggressive rising waistline hint at the Legend's performance potential.
Get behind the wheel and it's im-mediately obvious that in terms of handling, Honda has come closer to its German rivals than ever before. A new four-wheel-drive system, called Super-Handling All Wheel Drive - SH-AWD - uses a hi-tech set-up to split the power between the front and rear wheels. However, the most impressive part of SH-AWD is that up to 100 per cent of the rear axle torque can be routed to just one wheel. That means the Legend offers near-perfect handling balance when cornering.
With its well weighted and precise steering the Honda turns in just like a rear-wheel-drive car, and when pushed the system adapts to provide the maximum possible grip. Couple that with a smooth ride over rough surfaces, and the newcomer has dynamic abilities which could embarrass the 5-Series.
Under the bonnet, only one engine is available - a 300bhp 3.5-litre V6. Mated to a slick five-speed automatic transmission with sequential manual switches on the steering wheel, the gutsy unit allows the saloon to sprint from 0-60mph in only 6.4 seconds.
What's more, Honda hasn't forgotten the importance of interior design in this sector. The Legend comes with fine leather and wood trim, cleverly incorporated into a stylish, plush cabin. With the model pencilled in for a UK launch in 2006, it looks as though Honda has finally hit on a winning formula for executive car success.
