The All New 2005 Acura RL

Back in 1995 I had just started my career here at Pflueger Acura and we were in the process of phasing out the Legend nameplate and replacing it with the 3.5 RL for the 1996 model year. The new car was a vast improvement over the Legend sedan in refinement, features, and overall comfort. Unfortunately, it was not a better sport sedan, but it was a better luxury sedan. For all of those who kept their Legends and felt ‘abandoned’ by the move to a pure luxury car, I have news for you: We’re back and better than ever!

I just returned from the Ride and Drive preview for sales consultants held in San Francisco and I’ve got lots of initial impressions I’d like to share with you. The new RL (no more 3.5 in the name) is destined to continue the strong success of the TSX and TL by offering more of what makes our cars special: impeccable craftsmanship, technological leadership, and outstanding value. There are so many things to cover, I don’t know where to begin, but let’s start with the technology that is not available anywhere else.

Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive
(SH-AWD) is both all-new and an extension of several concepts and technologies that have been around for a while but never combined in this fashion. The ’nuts and bolts’ of the system are based on the tried and true MDX VTM-4 system. The torque split is accomplished with a series of electromagnetic clutches which progressively lock up to shift torque to the desired axle. Up to 70% of the engine torque can be moved from the front to the rear axles to maximize traction and stability. The new RL system features the ability to send up to 100% of the rear torque to either the left rear or right rear wheel. When you go around a corner, the outside wheel has to travel farther than the inside wheel. A planetary gear set allows the wheel receiving the additional torque to accelerate faster than the other wheel. This endows the car with handling traits more like a traditional rear wheel drive sedan.
On the demonstration course, I had a chance to try different driving lines through a decreasing radius sweeper. If you hurry through the first part of the turn, with too much speed, and suddenly apply the brakes, you will get understeer. Very safe because applying the brakes transfers weight to the front tires restoring traction. However, if you can steadily feed throttle through the corner, the SH-AWD will power the outside rear wheel to help keep the nose of the car pointed into the corner. Also very safe, but now a faster way through the corner!

Engine Power
The RL motor continues to displace 3.5 liters and is still a V-6, but that’s where the similarities end. The new engine utilizes a narrower “V” angle to allow for a more compact engine bay for more efficient space utilization. This means that there is more room for passengers and cargo without making the overall length of the car larger. The old 3.5 RL engine produced 225 hp and 231 lbs-ft. of torque. The new VTEC motor makes 300 horsepower and 260 lbs-ft. of torque. The new motor also pollutes less than the outgoing powerplant and meets the stringent LEV2-ULEV emission standards. This is the most powerful engine ever offered for sale by Acura, the NSX is “only” 290 horsepower!

Body and Chassis
The new RL’s body structure utilizes high tensile steel for most of the frame, with aluminum for many critical areas. The front and rear subframes are aluminum alloy, as are the suspension wishbones., hood , front fenders, roof and trunk lids. To further save weight the driveshaft to the rear wheels is made of exotic carbon fiber! Amazingly, even with the addition of the SH-AWD system, the new RL weighs only 91 pounds more than the 2004 model. Dimensionally, the new car is three inches shorter in overall length, but it’s an inch wider and offers more passenger volume than the 2004.

Safety
The RL is the first car from Acura or Honda to benefit from the new safety research center established in Ohio. Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) utilizes new techniques to disperse crash forces over a larger area thus making the car safer for the occupants. Special attention was also paid to car vs. SUV collisions and car vs. pedestrian accidents. The RL is standard with Front, Side and Side Curtain airbags and once the car is tested by the NHSTA and IIHS we are fully expecting to get their top ratings. Eventually all our cars will have this new technology, but the RL has it now! The RL brakes are huge vented discs front and rear with high performance Brembo 4-piston calipers on the front wheels. For the first time in an Acura we have Daytime Running lights to increase visibility under all conditions. The new Xeon High Intensity Discharge lights also feature another Acura first, Adaptive Headlights. This system can pivot the lights to “look into” the turn.

Navigation and Voice Control
For the first time in an Acura in Hawaii, the navigation (which is standard) will be available and will function. The navigation system DVD-ROM contains a full database of 1.7 million points of interest nationwide and access to the Zagets Restaurant guide. You could search for Italian restaurants within a 10 mile radius, see a rating on that restaurant, plot the course, place the call for reservations (through your Handsfreelink TM) all via Voice Command in a few easy steps. You might never need to take your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel again. As a backup, there is a new control called the Interface Dial. This reduces clutter on the dashboard, and provides a graphical interface to control the car’s systems much like a mouse helps you on your PC with Windows.

Luxury Items have not been forgotten
Luxury begins with the touch of the door handle. With the RL Keyless Access System remote in your pocket or purse, all you need to do is touch the door handle and the car instantly recognizes you and unlocks the door. The trunk works the same way, and there are even sensors to keep you from inadvertently locking the remote in the trunk. To lock the car, all you need to do is lightly touch the ‘dimple’ on the door handle and all the doors lock.

The audio system is a DVD-Audio setup like in the TL, but this system uses BOSE electronics to enhance stereo imaging for all seating positions. The 6-disc changer can play audio CDs, DVD-A, MP3 and DTS formats. It also serves as a part of our new Active Noise Cancellation system. This new technology uses two microphones to “listen” to ambient cabin noise. It will then play beck (through the RL's speakers) “anti-noise” to cancel out low frequency sounds and can result is a reduction of interior noise by as much as 10 decibels!
The dual zone air conditioning actually ‘talks’ to the GPS system so the car knows which way it’s traveling with regard to the suns position and the car can adjust the cooling requirements to compensate for solar heating on the sun side!

The new paint process uses environmentally friendly water borne paints that are now hand sanded between the primer and the color coat. Two coats of clear are than applied to increase the depth of shine and give the paint that “wet look” prized by car lovers worldwide. Unfortunately my driving impressions of this car verses the Mercedes E320, BMW 530i, and Audi A6 won’t fit in the space available.
I’ll have a full review on my web page by the time you receive this newsletter so be sure the check www.satoauto.com If you want more information or want to be notified when this is available for test drives in Honolulu, drop me a line at 808-255-1255 or via e-mail: colin[at]satoauto.com