Acura's new corporate fascia hasn't gained the affection of the automotive press, not to mention our commentators. And to make matters worse, not only is "The Shield" employed on the MDX, TSX and TL, it's expected to infect the rest of Acura's lineup into the next decade. We're still far from convinced that the new nose was a smart move, but we've conceded that it doesn't look nearly as bad on a silver TSX, matching the lines and the color to slightly better effect. An Acura dealer seems to have a similar idea, and after taking delivery of one burgundy TL, had the grille painted to match the rest of the exterior. While it's an improvement, we'd love to see something similar to the 2009 Legend's schnoz retrofitting an Acura emblem in place of the Big H.
Acura is again tossing enthusiasts a bone with a new six-speed manual transmission option for their 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD model. While the 2009 model is only available with a five-speed automatic with paddle shifters, next year will mark the return of the stick shift -- and the first time Acura has paired their SH-AWD with a manual transmission. The six-speed is all-new, and stronger than the manual last used in the 2008 model. It features a more rigid aluminum case and heavy-duty internals. New gear synchronizers improve accuracy while a standard short-throw shifter improves feel. In addition to the six-speed manual, the TL SH-AWD receives "Hill Start Assistant" to hold the vehicle on hills during a start, and special enthusiast-oriented suspension tuning for flatter cornering. The manual transmission also comes with stiffer engine and transmission bushings, heavy-duty front driveshafts, and stronger CV joints. Best of all, the manual transmission weighs 88 lbs. less than the automatic, moving the TL's weight distribution even further rearward.
Acura has finally revealed the pricing structure of its new 2009 TL sedan, and the base price jumps to $34,995, a little over a thousand bucks more than the last entry-level model. Replacing last year's Type-S is a new model with a version of Acura's SH-AWD and, at 305-horsepower, the most powerful V6 that parent company Honda has ever offered for sale. That top-level model will run you $38,505, which is pretty close to what the abandoned Type-S went for last year, though standard navigation is dropped. Adding the Technology Package -- which includes niceties like GPS, keyless access, push-button start and the Acura/ELS Surround sound audio system we liked so much when we got our first drive -- to either model will add about $4K to the asking price. The looks are extremely polarizing, and these price increases aren't likely to win over the TL's detractors. Still, there is no doubting that the TL remains a lot of car for the money. Time will tell if it remains the sales success that its younger self undoubtedly was. Get all of the pricing details after the break.
Beginning in February at the Chicago Auto Show, Acura began rolling out redesigned versions of its three sedans in the span of six months. Beginning with the RL in Chicago, Acura has rolled out its new design ethos intended to make these cars stand out in the increasingly crowded entry luxury segment. When we first showed you the RL, it got what would charitably be described as a negative reception. The new shield grille design was almost universally reviled both in the media and amongst you readers. By the time the entry-level TSX arrived a month later, reactions softened somewhat as people became accustomed to the look. In its first few months on the street, sales of the new TSX have jumped more than 20 percent compared to the old model.
The last to arrive and arguably the best looking of the three is the mid-level TL, which arrives this September to replace the best selling sedan in Acura's lineup. Acura invited us to New York to sample its new mainstream model on the roads of Connecticut and the Empire State in mid-July. While the TL was the last to be unveiled, it is actually the first and only one of the three sedans to be completely designed around this new look.
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The 2009 Acura TL has been spied enough times to rival the Chevrolet Camaro and Nissan GT-R, and even though Acura has already released a teaser of the TL ahead of its official launch, the overly airbrushed glamour shot doesn't accurately reflect what the TL will look like in the flesh.
Our new friend Dariusz came across a handful of images of the TL hanging out in a parking lot, with only the badge on the bonnet and boot obscured by tape and the steering wheel cloaked in a towel. Check the gallery to get a detailed glimpse of the new TL and check back next month for our First Drive.
The 2009 Acura TL is coming this fall, and Acura has released the first official image of the car. Acura's love-it-or-hate-it new shield-grille face is affixed to the front end of the new sedan, which also sports thin, slanted headlamps and a pair of angular lower intakes. A pronounced accent line sweeps down from back to front, where it leads directly into a very pronounced wheel arch. Looks like we'll have to wait a little longer to see the car's posterior.
Two TL flavors will be offered, confirming the preview report that we ran back in April. Honda doesn't announce powertrain specifics other than to confirm that the new TL will be available with Acura's SH-AWD system and also offer the marque's "most powerful engine ever." We assume that to mean the 300-horsepower 3.7L engine used in the RL and MDX will also be making an appearance in the TL. Based on what we were told back in April, look for a 280-horsepower 3.5L to serve as the base engine in the FWD car.
Acura is in the middle of a total makeover, and while we've already seen the RL and TSX, the Japanese automaker's bread and butter TL has been out of the spotlight, until now. Spy photographers have snapped up a couple shots of the 2009 TL sans the requisite crazy patterns and without most bras, leaving some poorly fit panels to throw us off.
Up front, the grille is covered, but the basic shape looks very much like the buck-tooth treatment given to the RL and TSX. The front wheel arches bulge out like the TSX to give the TL a more aggressive stance, and the concave line stretching from the A-pillar to the tail lights has been replaced by a muscular character line expanding from the front arch, helping to further accentuate the sedan's stance. Out back, a prominent V shape at the bumper and spoiler gives the TL a little more style, while the tail lights wrap to show off the TL's angles.
So far, Acura's new-look lineup has been a mix of hits and misses (more misses depending on who you ask), but the TL is the high volume stud that absolutely has to be a home run for Honda's luxury lineup to keep up with the competition.
Honda/Acura had its 2009 dealer meeting in New Orleans last week, and a little birdie that claims to have attended has whispered some details about the 2009 Acura TL in our ears. According to our anonymous tipster, the '09 TL range will consist of two models. The front-wheel-drive car will be powered by a 3.5L V6 delivering 280 horsepower. The step-up version will feature SH AWD and have a 3.7L, 300-horsepower V6 underhood (presumably the same one used in the MDX). We're told the latter car is not a Type-S, by the way -- that trim level goes back into hibernation with the arrival of the '09. Word is, the car "looks amazing." The TL in its current state is Acura's best-looking vehicle, so our curiosity is definitely piqued.
Honda put out two recall notices today that affects some 273,000 2004-2008 Acura TLs. One of the recalls addresses a windshield wiper issue, where a potentially faulty circuit breaker on 129,600 '04 and '05 TLs could fail, rendering the wipers useless.
The other recall is a bit more compelling. Apparently an issue with high temperatures under the hood can cause the power steering hose to degrade to the point that it could crack and leak fluid onto the catalytic converter. This could result in a fair amount of smoke, or, at worse, a fire.
Neither issue has resulted in a crash or injury, but Acura dealers have been instructed to replace the power steering hose and, in the case of the windshield wiper motor, inspect the unit and replace it if necessary. Naturally, there's no charge for either recall.
