Acura RL

The Acura RL is the flagship car for North America luxury brand Acura — marketed in Japan as the Honda Legend and manufactured in Saitama, Japan. The alpha call-sign "RL" is an abbreviation for "Refined Luxury." The first-generation Acura RL was a similarly rebadged version of the third-generation Honda Legend, and was first introduced into the North American market in 1996 to replace the second-generation Acura Legend. Previous to the 1996 introduction of the first generation Acura RL was the second-generation Acura Legend (1991–1995), equivalent to the second-generation Honda Legend, which in turn was preceded by the first-generation Acura Legend (1986–1990), equivalent to the first-generation Honda Legend. The current second-generation Acura RL is a rebadged version of the fourth-generation Honda Legend and was introduced into the North American market in September 2004 as a 2005 model. This iteration of the RL received an extensive mid-generational facelift for the 2009 model year. The 2011 Acura RL adds new features and color combinations: Six-speed automatic transmission, power folding mirrors, rear backup/parking sensors. The six-speed automatic transmission, which was first introduced on the 2010 Acura ZDX, replacing the five-speed automatic that has been criticized by the press as outdated. Said to increase efficiency, the EPA ratings have increased to 17/24/20 (City/Highway/Combined) an increase of 2 mpg in highway driving. In addition, 0-60 times are said to decrease by 0.5 seconds, bringing the overall 0-60 time down to 6.0 seconds. Power folding mirrors have been available, in other than the North American market, since the 2004 introduction in Japan. Parking/backup sensors have been available in the North American market as a dealer installed option since the second generation Acura RL introduction in late 2004. A host of other features have also been available since the car's introduction in late 2004, some of which are detailed in the Safety section below. The 2011 RL exterior updates including a revised front grill. Inside, the RL offers a new interior color (Sea Coast), new Dark Burlwood interior trim, thin-thread stitching on the steering wheel.

Acura RL Video Review - Kelley Blue Book

Unique new 18x8-inch diameter 15-spoke aluminum wheels are offered with a new noise quieting technology. A polypropylene Helmholtz resonator encircles the center portion of the inside wheel. The resonator serves to cut specific frequencies between 100 to 500 hertz, and in combination with increased floorboard insulation decreases interior noise by 1.3 dB, or 15%. A new technology is also introduced, a noise reducing wheel mechanism. The 2011 RL is fitted with Helmholtz resonators in the wheels (a "world's first" for a passenger vehicle). These chambers sit in the center portion of the inside of the wheel and help diminish road noise, which results in a quieter cabin. This appears to be a conventional alloy wheel modified to incorporate an internal noise reduction device. A diagram shows an elastomer type ring with multiple hollow chambers surrounding the center line of the wheel circumference. This device is supposed to dampen noise generated by rough road surfaces such as highway seams, making the cabin a more silent. The device has been coined as "Noise reducing", an noise reduction system for the wheel mechanism which works by resonance absorption. The SH-AWD all-wheel drive system was lauded by Popular Science as one of the best automotive innovations of 2004, and earned the 2005 "Tech Car of the Year" from CNET.com. In a comparison of 2006-2007 model year midsized sedans with all-wheel drive, the RL compared favorably to a Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4MATIC and a BMW 5 Series with xDrive. Subsequent moves by both Audi and BMW to design and market their own versions of torque vectoring all wheel drive systems bear out the innovative nature of the SH-AWD design. While critically acclaimed, sales have not met expectations. Despite the mid-generational update in 2009, sales that year were just 2043 cars, which was a 55 percent drop from 2008. Regarding sales of Japanese luxury flagships during the first six months of 2010, Acura has sold only 872 RLs, compared to 5,650 Lexus LS and 6,602 Infiniti M sedans. Enthusiasts and dealers said that the RL was not competitive because it is smaller, uses front-wheel drive, and lacks a V8 engine option, compared to its larger rivals in the mid-luxury segment that are rear-wheel drive and have a V8 available. The 2009 refresh and 2011 update did not keep the RL competitive enough in acceleration or fuel-economy, considering that other marques had released new generations of their mid-size luxury sedans, and as the RL retained a five-speed automatic transmission while other rivals had automatics with six or seven gears. The RL's styling while generally considered handsome was not inspirational and passionate enough to give buyers hints about its technological features or standout in a crowded field, and the 2009 model was criticized for its "Power Plenem" grille. Some have suggested that the initial price of the RL is perceived to be out of its bracket. As the new RL offered more features and performance than the base version of its luxury competition's (i.e., the base six-cylinder BMW 5 Series), Honda Japan suggested that it could charge more, though Honda Canada disagreed. The RL's initial MRSP was $69,500 CAD, more than the six-cylinder BMW 525i and close to that of the V8-powered BMW 545i. At the RL's price point, most consumers expected a V8, furthermore they did not perceive the Acura brand as being on par with its German rivals and expected more value from the Japanese marque. The damage from Honda Japan's alleged hubris was done, perhaps giving the RL an unfavorable impression that could not be removed, even though Honda Canada has since reduced the RL's price. In 2009, the new generation of the Acura TL was released and it is expected to offer tough competition to the RL, as the TL has essentially the same engine, the SH-AWD system, and many of the RL's features for only $44,900 CAD. In October 2010, the Acura RL has been named as one of Consumer Reports most reliable cars, one of among 5 Honda models (Acura TL with front-wheel drive; Acura RL luxury car; Honda CR-V small SUV; Acura RDX small upscale SUV, and Honda Ridgeline compact pickup truck) named as most reliable in various categories.

In 2008, Edmunds.com Inside Line "Future Vehicles" is claiming that the next generation Acura RL (third-generation RL/fifth-generation Honda Legend) flagship model will be powered by a V8. Power is expected to be sent to the rear wheels, and the next generation of Acura's SH-AWD system to be used on the next RL will engage the front wheels only if the rear wheels' traction is compromised. IL’s source claims that a 4.8L V8 producing 420 horsepower (310 kW) is being developed and will feature cylinder deactivation technology to keep fuel economy up. Other news and rumors indicate that Acura will be launched as an upscale brand in Japan, and the 2011 model year RL, with a V-8, will be part of that launch, as will the replacement for the Acura NSX. The NSX follow-on would be the so called "halo" car, with the RL heading the Acura line up as a luxury sedan flagship. A July 10, 2008 Acura press release announced the upcoming fourth-generation 2009 Acura TL will come in two versions, one of which will have SH-AWD and the "...most powerful Acura engine ever...." If the TL is to continue as the model slotted below the Acura RL, the specifications of the 2009 TL would almost have to dictate that the future generation RL will have to be a larger, more powerful car, as indicated by the Edmunds article. With the recent 2008 worldwide economic downturn, Honda has made some announcements that may change the future of Acura, and the RL in particular. Long rumored V-8's slated for the projected 2011 Full Model Change (FMC) may be a good deal further off, as long as 2015, according to an article in Edmunds Inside Line which cited a November 26, 2008 article in Edmunds Auto Observer. Before the 2008 economic downturn, Acura was also rumored to be developing a new multi-purpose rear wheel drive specific platform, possibly similar to the strategy used by Nissan's Infiniti line. This would allow Acura to better compete with so called Tier One cars (e.g., BMW and Mercedes-Benz). In a December 17, 2008 announcement from Takeo Fukui, CEO of Honda, the introduction of the Acura brand to Japan in 2010 will be pushed back to an undetermined date, and the development of the V-10 NSX replacement will be cancelled. More recent articles, such as a February 9 Motor Trend Online article about the Honda CRZ state outright that the Acura rear wheel drive platform has been canceled as a result of the 2008-09 financial crisis. A more recent October 2009 Car and Driver blog cites a dinner with Acura executives who acknowledge that the introduction of the new, larger, and in some guises, more powerful, fourth generation Acura TL makes it extremely difficult to market the current RL. They speak of a new generation RL in one or two year's time that will reassert itself as the Acura flagship, but not with a V-8 as the rest of the market has done in the BMW 550, Hyundai Genesis, Infiniti M, Lexus GS 460 and the Mercedes E-Class. All of these cars are available in six cylinder and V-8 variants. Acura says the actual sell rate of V-8's is quite small, and in the coming world of $4.00 per gallon gasoline, not the way of the future. It is unclear as to whether Acura Style magazine is teasing the reader with another Mid Model Change (MMC) update to the existing second generation Acura RL, or discussing a "Special Edition" type package to boost the last year of sales before a Full Model Change (FMC). The FMC had been previously rumored for a late calendar year 2011 introduction, as a completely new model year 2012 design, which would become the third-generation Acura RL. FMC's are usually announced with great fanfare, so the changes detailed in Acura Style magazine are likely just an update for the 2011 model year of the current second generation Acura RL, and not a FMC. Significant to note is the addition of a new transmission, with presumably only one more model year remaining of current generation sales.In October 2010, Temple of VTEC released additional information about the upcoming 2012 Honda Legend refresh. This article does not specifically mention a 2011 Acura RL. There are rumors that 2011 may be a very short run for the Acura TL, and that the 2012 TL will come out in mid calendar year 2011, with a revised front grill and a 6 speed automatic transmission. This Acura TL rumor may portend what might happen to the Acura RL. There may be a short run of 2011 Acura RL's similar in every respect to the 2010 Acura RL's, or there may be no 2011 run at all, and remaining 2010 inventory will have to suffice. The Temple of VTEC article confirms the 2012 Honda Legend will have the addition of a 6-speed automatic transmission, an upgraded VGA resolution navi screen and hard disk drive (HDD) based navigation system. These features appear now on the Acura ZDX.