You can see it in Silver on the Acura.com site. Click on the "Future Vehicles" tab. It also lists the new engine as putting out 300hp instead of 290hp - so less of a HP boost than exists between the TL and TL-S.

TL-S

Horsepower can't fix ugly. (just ask Pontiac)

TL-S

ApolloV

pcdsim

Tomsk the red-nosed reindeer

DieterX

anthony94114

long_live_the_E36

Maymar is convinced M.C. Escher engineered his car

superbmtsub

bizzychris

ocdguy

jnostalgics

RoninianHoon

amblito

ZZMarcus

Krookideyez

Hot_Carl

graverobber- My Yugo Nova!

The MKZ is the only luxury car Lincoln makes right now that isn't for fleet buyers, and it's FWD.

JHJVJR

ocdguy

[www.mugen-power.com]

Here's a sample:

Layout: 90 degree V8 Naturally Aspirated
Horsepower: 590hp / 9500rpm
Individual Throttle Bodies

SRekauqh

amblito

chairmanofthebored

This looks like that Buzzard that was always trying to catch Bugs Bunny. Hopefully it's not as stupid.

graverobber- My Yugo Nova!

mikedrawcar

The TL is FWD only as well, unless that has changed recently.

As for the ES, point taken.

JHJVJR

stevecmh

Old_Car_Guy

Thank you, come again.

CardiffGiant

but seriously, is this "refresh" supposed to help or hinder sales?? that grill looks like something from PepBoys sold in the fake-spinner-wheel-cover and neon-license-plate-surround aisle

abgwin

Osterizer

What is a Double Plenum Power Grill? Isn't a plenum an enclosed space in which the air pressure is higher than outside? They're going to pressurize their grill? eh?

The SH-AWD RL that I test drove (wife's idea) wasn't very impressive - the body roll didn't help. The sales guy (who owns one) told me that this was the most superriffic & awesomest AWD system ever. He explained why, but I nodded off. I asked him to drive his '07 RL behind my '02 S6 Avant and keep up in the corners. He couldn't do it. I kept my S6.

40Valve

johnnyichiban

JONNRG

drdreydel

amblito

crevans

Anyways, I thought the previous RL looked kinda nice in a bland sort of way.

Turkina

SwatLax

Benson2175

jomil91

You know, for maximum effect.

General Halfshaftery

FЯeeMan is slowly cЯawling out of the new commenting system

some_stupid_nut

bmoredlj

The SH-AWD systems (plural, there are at least two separate systems) are front-wheel drive with a clutch-based power-take-off unit powering an electronically controlled clutch-based limited slip rear diff with or without a planetary gearset in between the PTU and the rear diff. There is no center differential in either system.

The systems without the planetary gearset use a mismatched rear differential ratio to "overdrive" the rear wheels relative to the front when the PTU is engaged (and, by selectively operating the clutches, overdriving the outside rear wheel). The system with the planetary gearset allows either overdrive or a 1:1 ratio between the rear axle and the front.

Both systems are "part-time", in that the rear wheels are only driven when the computer closes the clutch in the PTU, but the system with the planetary gearset can be activated more frequently.

"Quattro" is a brand name applied to multiple AWD systems and includes front-drive based haldex brand systems similar to the SH-AWD setup (but without the overdriven rear axle/Rear LSD feature) on the A3, rear-drive based haldex brand systems (the R8) and systems with a true center differential (usually torsen-brand), such as the A/S 4/5/6/8.

VW sells both haldex-based (R32, Euro Golf) and torsen-based center differential systems (Passat) under the "4-Motion" brand name.

While the SH-AWD systems have their advantages (like full front-to-rear lockup), systems with a center differential or systems like the R8 (or the Porsche, or the Veyron) which are rear-drive-based are generally considered superior from a "sporty driving" standpoint.

AndyDuncan

ocdguy

.: R32-PΩWER ™

TheAstronot

makfu

This definitely looks different, though

The Name's Ash78, Housewares

danms6

Maymar is convinced M.C. Escher engineered his car

First the fugly new Accord and now this thing. What the hell is going on over at Honda?

makfu

G_Money

And I like this. I'm not going to say it's great design, or beautiful, or anything. But it's distinctive, and it looks uniquely Japanese - they've reached the point where they don't have to copy

Maymar is convinced M.C. Escher engineered his car

FЯeeMan is slowly cЯawling out of the new commenting system

The best selling Lexus model is the RX, followed by the ES. The RX is FWD with optional AWD. The ES is FWD only. By my count that's two FWD Lexus models to two FWD Acura models. The difference is that Lexus offers RWD-only models, and has a lot more variety than Acura.

Brian E

badco/LoJ

reefer

JHJVJR

Also, the best selling Acura model is the TSX, which is only available in FWD.

I did forget Audi. Their not exactly a barnburner when it comes to luxury sales though, although certainly in better shape than Acura and Lincoln.

JHJVJR

RalphieDC

Brian E

Yeah. No.

FightingChance

Most of Acura's models are SH-AWD, not FWD. Acura and Lincoln aren't the only two luxury brands that cling to FWD, either. So do Saab, Volvo, and Audi.

This is still hideous. It's a Lincoln MKS with a mouthpiece.

Brian E

Unregular

An RL with new sheetmetal doesn't solve Acura's biggest problem, which is standard FWD on most of their models.

The two luxury brands in the biggest trouble are Acura and Lincoln. They are also the two luxury brands that still cling to FWD for most models. I don't think it's a coincidence.

JHJVJR

UDMan

georgejetson

grzydj

I really hope the next TSX doesn't look like this.

Brian E

tomsweetser