Before 2004, the Acura TL wasn’t considered a genuine rival to the BMW 3 series and Mercedes C class, which could be attributed to its image and dullness. The 2004 redesign changed that. Combining modern styling, sharp performance, affordability, and comfort, the TL surprised it’s German rivals with its competence. The fact it was available in Type S trim and with a manual transmission didn’t hurt either.The original TL (TL stands for ‘Touring Luxury’) was introduced in 1996 to replace the Vigor. The TL did not concern the Europeans as it had dull styling and underwhelming performance. Same thing applies to the second generation TL which debuted in 1999. It wasn’t till 2004 that Acura gave a car the Europeans were afraid of. It became the second best selling luxury sedan behind the BMW 3-Series in the U.S following 2004. Continue reading
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Tag Archives: Acura RL
2007 Acura RL Review
No, your eyes do not deceive you. What you see here is an Acura RL. With 379 of the RLs sold in 2012, it is rare. I told the owner of this car this fact, and she said, “Hmm, then I guess my car is a collectible!”. The RL’s genealogy can be traced back to the Legend. in 1986, Honda created a luxury division with the Mid size Legend and the compact sporty Integra. Replacing the successful and popular Legend that jump started the Acura brand, the 1996 RL attempted to provide a comfortable and reliable alternative to the BMW 5 series and Mercedes E-Class. It barely made a dent on the sales chart, as the Acura with its front wheel drive layout and 200 horsepower V6 could not match the superior dynamics and power of its European rivals, and also it lacked prestige. The Acura RL was redesigned in 2005, and for the first time, all-wheel drive was standard. In 2014, the RL is succeeded by the RLX. Continue reading
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