|
2004 New York Auto Show: Acura
|
| 2005 Acura RL |
|
| Updated |
Mar 17, 2005 19:41:50 |
| Rating |
 16 ( -2 -12.5% ) | | Author | Brian Chee |
|
|
Description:
Somewhere between the European luxury giants and that other Japanese luxury brand, there's Acura -- builder of carefully-crafted, performance oriented vehicles such as the Acura TL, RSX, MDX utility vehicle and the new Acura TSX.
Oh yeah. And the RL. That's been the trouble of late - too many people forget about the RL as a luxury choice while shopping for Audis, BMWs and Lexus.
Acura aims to change that. To that end, they rolled out a new RL on April 7 at the 2004 New York International Auto Show that combines Acura's sport-lux reputation with advanced driving dynamics that includes SH-AWD, the world's first all-wheel drive system to also deliver torque between the right and left wheels.
Features
Debuts
Vehicles
introduced
2004 North American Car
and Truck
Ford
F-150
Toyota
Prius
The Lucky Three
Our Best Bets
for Success
Chicago
Debuts and
Features
Detroit
Debuts and
Features
Los Angeles
Debuts and Features
New York
GM's Small Car Comeback
The Art of Car Design
Concept Vehicles
Saab Q&A
BMW Q&A
What's New, What's Hot
New York Auto Show News
Breakfast at the Show
2005 Acura RL
2005 Audi A6, 2005 Audi A8 4.2, Audi RSQ Concept
2005 Cadillac STS
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid, Ford Mustang GT-R Concept
Kid Rock and the Ford Mustang GT-R Concept
2005 Jaguar XK8, 2005 Jaguar XJ8 Long Wheelbase, Jaguar Concept Eight
Jeep Grand Cherokee
MINI Cooper Convertible
2005 Nissan Xterra
Saab 9-7x
2005 Infiniti Q45, Infiniti M45 Concept
2005 Kia Spectra5
2005 Land Rover LR3
2006 Lincoln Zephyr
Lexus LF-C Concept
Suzuki Forenza Wagon
Which should make for a pretty unforgettable ride. The new RL, available later this year, will be priced under $50,000, and offers customers a typically luxurious interior and a sporty ride that is sure to please those looking to inject a little fun into the driving experience.
"This is a different market than the existing RL," said Mike Spencer, executive vice president of sales for Acura. "We expect to sell around 12,000 new RLs in the first year." According to Dick Colliver, executive vice president, the new RL is the next step in the evolution of the Acura brand. "This new RL is where we are now, as we continue to rebuild the brand."
Improvements to the RL are widespread, starting with the exterior styling. The new RL has a sharp edge to it, starting at the bonnet and sweeping back toward a slightly BMW-esqe tail. This is unmistakeably Acura, and should have no trouble fitting in nicely with the rest of the Acura lineup. Other features of the new RL include a one-touch climate control system and adaptive headlights. Inside, the RL is swathed in leather and wood grain, and boasts perhaps one of the most useful new pieces of technology available: real time traffic alerts. Culled from highway patrol (among others) reports, the Acura traffic link will be available in 20 major US markets this fall, including Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Chicago.
On the road, Acura seems to have a winner with the RL and its SW-AWD system - reportedly the first of its kind that distributes the optimum amount of torque not only between the front and rear wheels but also between the left and right rear wheels. The result is precise cornering performance that reduces torque steer and provides outstanding vehicle stability. According to Colliver, this new system will virtually eliminate understeer. By monitoring driver input and driving conditions, the SH-AWD system determines the optimum front-rear and lateral (left-right) torque distribution. This information is then conveyed to the rear differential, where direct electromagnetic clutches continuously vary the torque by up to 70 percent in either direction - front or rear. Rear torque can also be proportioned between the left and right rear tires by up to 100 percent on either side.
The SH-AWD system is composed of an ECU, sensors that detect steering angle, lateral g-force, and other vehicle information, and a rear differential.
The SH-AWD system uses torque not only for propulsion, but also to increase cornering precision and dramatically enhance vehicle maneuverability. During cornering, the track of the outside rear wheel normally falls outside the track of the front wheels. Because of this, the outside rear wheel does not rotate fast enough to keep up with the front wheels, preventing efficient transmission of torque. To counteract this condition, the SH-AWD system's rear differential is equipped with a built-in acceleration device that can overdrive the outside rear wheel. This acceleration device uses a planetary gear to speed up the outside rear wheel's rotation relative to the front wheels. The result is a significant enhancement in vehicle maneuverability during cornering.
Luxury inside. Sport demon on the outside. From the looks of it, people aren't liable to easily forget about the RL anymore.
2004 Auto Show Gallery
More
Show Photos...
d |
| Similar news: | - Lowe's Sees Profit Rising in 2005, 2006 - Home improvement retailer Lowe's Cos. on Tuesday said it expects diluted earnings per shareto rise in both 2005 and 2006 as it benefits from increasedremodeling activity and home ownership.
- Xerox Sees Earnings Growth in 2005, 2006 - Xerox Corp. on Monday predicted its business will continue to turn around and sees earnings and revenue growing in 2005 and 2006.
- GM Bets on Concept That Safety Sells - Placing its bet on the idea thatsafety sells, General Motors Corp. said on Sunday thatit will soon offer its OnStar satellite-based communicationssystem and electronic stability control on all GM vehicles soldin the United States and Canada.
| | Find all news similar on 2004 New York Auto Show: Acura |
|
