The seller of today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe Acura TL describes it as a “unicorn of a car.” With its A-Spec additions and 6-speed stick, it really isn’t something you come across every day. Let’s see if its price makes today that day.
In the comments on last Friday’s 2006 Mercedes Benz E55 AMG, several of you questioned why someone would take a car that already offers extraordinary performance right of the box, and modify it to give even more. There are pros and cons to pumping up the jam on any performance-minded ride, but the apparent diligence undertaken in extracting more power from that hot Benz did seem to outweigh the chance it might all just blow up in a new owner’s face. That work also seemed to tip the scales in favor of the car’s $15,000 asking, earning the E55 a narrow but decisive 55 percent Nice Price win.
An important aspect of any car with aggressive intentions is just how the ponies meet the pavement. In the case of Friday’s Benz, that was by way of the rear wheels which—as was pointed out by Charles Darwin in his The Origin of Species—is how performance should be handled.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at this 2007 Acura TL Type S A-Spec which is the most aggressively tuned edition of the mid-sized model from Fancy Honda. This edition of the TL, it should be noted, is also exclusively FWD.
In case you were wondering where the TL slots in Fancy Honda’s model lineup it’s in the middle between the… umm, and the larger…. Hmm? Yeah, since they went to alphabet soup instead of actual names I really can’t be bothered to keep track of what goes where in Fancy Honda’s lineup.
Suffice to say the TL is a reasonably roomy four-door saloon with an all-alloy V6 sitting sideways under its hood. In Clark Kent guise that’s a 3.2-litre giving 270 horsepower. Here in Type S form that gets punched out to 286 ponies at a fun-zone level 6,200 rpm.
Another plus on this TL is the six-speed stick. That’s about as rare as a coronavirus test these days and elevates the car from “you had my curiosity” to “you have my attention” levels of interest.
The icing on the cake, however, is the factory A-spec package underneath it all. That’s comprised of a stiffer suspension, unique 8.5 by 18-inch wheels, and a modded body kit that accommodates a quad-tip exhaust. That’s pretty much it and considering it cost the better part of six-grand to add to your TL when new, it makes sizable sense to have waited to get one so equipped here aways down the road.
With just 99K on the clock, this hot-pants TL hasn’t yet gone down too many roads in its day. The Alabaster Silver Metallic paint looks to be in excellent shape, and the handsome alloy wheels show no sign of curbing. Also fortunate, this isn’t the later model with the hideous silver beak for a grille.
The interior is likewise ready for action with its two-tone black and grey upholstery and serious if somewhat plasticky additional surroundings. The only questionable choice in here is the addition of a cell phone mount on the center stack. Hopefully, that can be removed without damage to the underlying plastic.
The ad notes what appears to be the car’s most recent significant maintenance, including the replacement of the timing belt and all fluids within the last year and a half. One front strut has also been given the heave-ho, although the ad assures that its replacement was an A-spec original.
An aftermarket cat-back exhaust has been added to the car which the seller claims gives it the “perfect sound.” Other than that, it’s said to be all stock which makes it a solid choice if you’re into Fancy Honda and the brand’s more aggressive wares.
A clean title and accident-free history round’s out this rare TL’s attractions. The seller gives no explanation for wanting to sell the car but does offer a reasonably concise and effective ad for its sale. Part and parcel with that is the car’s $13,900 price. That’s a lot for any decade or more old Acura that’s not named NSX, but this is an appreciably rare beast and it’s now time for you to weigh in on whether or not it’s worth that price.
What do you think, should the seller get that $13,900 asking for this TL Type-S with its rare factory A-Spec kit and six-speed stick? Or, is that just too much for a car that’s likely rare because nobody really wanted it in the first place?
You decide!
Charlotte, NC Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Michael Beaty for the hookup!
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