

The floodgates will open on the '09 Acura TL soon enough, but in the meantime, Inside Line has posted a set of press photos and confirmed the car's final specs. As has been previously reported, there are two versions: a base 3.5L car with 285 horses and front-wheel drive; and the range-topping TL SH-AWD, which gets a 305-horsepower 3.7L V6. The Type S is history, replaced in essence by the SH-AWD. Both TL models are mated to 5-speed automatics, and a stiffer chassis should help make time spent behind the wheel more engaging.
Inside, the layout is one that should be familiar to anyone who's spent time in a new Honda or Acura. Metallic-look wings arc out from a center stack topped by a multifunction LCD screen and finished at the bottom by Honda's all-in-one controller for audio/info/nav interfaces. In short, techno-gadgetry abounds. The new TL is a larger car than it predecessor, with a 1.4-inch longer wheelbase and 6.2 inches added to its overall length. Consequently, interior space also improves over the outgoing sedan.
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Batteries are an integral part of any hybrid automobile. No batteries means no electric assist, which means no point in lugging around all that extra hardware. So Mercedes-Benz is in a world of hurt as it alleges that Cobasys, the chosen battery supplier for the upcoming ML 450 hybrid SUV, has decided not to fulfill its obligation to the German automaker. You might recall that General Motors had problems with leaky batteries from Cobasys, reportedly leading the automaker to consider purchasing the supplier outright from its current parents, Chevron and Energy Conversion Devices.
For its part, Mercedes-Benz has sued Cobasys and petitioned the court to order Cobasys to supply the batteries in had committed to. Cobasys CEO Thomas Neslage has denied that his company ever agreed to supply the batteries in the first place. If this situation isn't resolved in a timely manner, Mercedes-Benz may be forced to delay the introduction of its first-ever hybrid vehicle.

Toyota has revealed the 2009 RAV4, and while the changes to its smallest CUV are modest, they are worth noting. Foremost is a refreshening of the exterior with a new grille, front bumper and restyled rear. New wheels, mirrors and fender flares round out upgrades. A new Sport Appearance Package is also available on the top level 4WD V6 RAV4 that gets a unique rear door with no spare tire and a set of run-flat tires. The SAP also gets you color-keyed exterior molding, extra interior upgrades and a new rear spoiler.
Toyota has also found a way to both increase the size and power of the RAV4's base four-cylinder engine while also squeezing out a bit better fuel economy. At an estimated 22 city and 28 highway, the new front-wheel-drive base model scores one mile per gallon higher than the '08 edition. The enlarged 2.5-liter four cylinder engine produces 179 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 13 horses and 7 lb-ft over the previous 2.4-liter. We have to wonder though why Toyota placed a brand new automatic tranny in the '09 RAV4 with only four ratios from which to choose.
The optional 3.5-liter V6 soldiers on unchanged and offers EPA fuel mileage ratings of 19 city/27 highway for front-wheel drive models and 19 city/26 highway on models equipped with four-wheel drive. The six is mated to a standard, and again unaltered, five speed auto. Pricing for the base RAV4 remains the same at $21,500 while the rest of the range gets price increases and a 4WD RAV4 LTD V6 will start at $27,810.


All we have to go on are the images and information posted on Carscoop, but it appears the redesigned 2009 Honda Ridgeline is stepping out a bit early to what may be disinterested public. The Ridgeline for '09 gets Honda's new grille that first appeared on the '09 Pilot CUV, along with a new front bumper, headlights and all that jazz in the rear. The interior, while not all-new, gets major upgrades like a new steering wheel, gauges, and HVAC controls, as well as a Bluetooth HandsFreeLink, satellite navigation, a 115-volt power outlet and requisite jacks for the iPod and other MP3 players. According to Carscoop, Honda has largely left the Ridgeline's 3.5L VTEC V6 the same except for a new camshaft profile and better breathing practices that net a 3 horsepower bump to 250 at 5,700 RPM and a torque increase of 2 lb-ft to 247 at 4,000 RPM. New ratios in the 5-speed automatic transmission are said to take advantage of the new torque and improve acceleration.
We admit that Honda was smart not to dive head first into the full-size truck market in the U.S. like Toyota did with the Tundra, but the Ridgeline with its V6 and unit body has never enjoyed hot sales. It's both terrifically ugly and ill-suited for those super hard core tasks that, while rare, require a real rig. Nevertheless, this is Honda, a brand that really doesn't care what we think about its trucklet and will continue tweaking and perfecting it until we change our minds. Looks like that won't happen in 2009, though we're told to expect it in dealers as early as this September.

Rest easy, torque-lovers, BMW will be releasing the diesel version of its uber-popular 3 Series sedan in the United States later this year, exactly on schedule. Because it's so late in the year, the Bavarian automaker will be labeling it as a 2009 model, leading some to believe that the 335d was not going to be coming until next year. Not so, according to BMW spokesman Tom Plucinsky, who confirmed to KickingTires that both the 335d and the X5 35d will be making it Stateside sometime in November after production begins in September.
Both upcoming diesel models from BMW will use a 3.0-liter twin turbo oil-burner rated at 265hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. That's plenty of stump-pulling torque, but the best news could be the expected fuel mileage of 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway when paired with the six speed automatic.

Acura's aim of becoming a "Tier 1" luxury brand has been thwarted by a lineup that some view as nothing more than decked-out Hondas. Dan Bonawitz, Honda's vice president of corporate planning and logistics believes that broadening Acura's line of vehicles is the way to compete with Audi, BMW and Mercedes.
The first step is to introduce an all-new vehicle that will arrive before the new NSX in 2010. A coupe is a possibility, filling the gap left by the dearly departed RSX and older CL. A retractable hardtop could be part of the package, and there's also talk of a four-door "coupe" that could contend with the M-B CLS and Audi's upcoming A7.
Whatever it is, it needs to be packing more than a just a four-pot driving the front wheels. A serious competitor the 1-series would be a welcome addition to the Acura line, and would fulfill the automaker's previous claim of pursuing niches generally left unfilled by other luxury brands.
