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Some very brief info and some teaser pics included with the link.link title
TM
The thread's finally back to life.
Dada, how about posting your usual funny post in response of the Keen Edge? Cant wait to see your version
On an unrelated point, has anyone noticed that people driving luxury cars are starting to receive uncomfortable stares? As much as being indifferent I am, I still cant help but realize that. Some others have been complaining of the same. What about you guys?
Here in Massachusetts you get a stare if you are not driving a Prius, the only other acceptable cars would be a Subaru or Volvo plastered with Obama stickers.
When you get your Lambo you are invited over to meet me and Dada for a detailing day in my driveway. :shades:
The deals to be had at the time were on the A6. 4K off to start, they were really pushing.
Unfortunately, as you saw, the A4 was parked right up against the fence, which prevented front angle shots.
link title
TM
But just think how great the destination is! I love it down in Charleston. I don't get down there enough. How often do you go? Do you ever pick up any pieces from the "starving artists?"
Of course not! I just buy a piece here and there for personal enjoyment, never for investment. The food there is quite good, depending on which restaurant to hit. That seafood restaurant on King (?) street always has a line out the door and down the street! The name starts with an "H." I've eaten there once. It was good, but not good enough to wait that long for it! :P Love T-Bones! That restaurant on the water is good, too. What is it? Navy Pier? Good stuff.
Interior scene: Former design HQ of Pontiac, now housing the Acura design team. Meeting with the imperious Lead Designer (LD, no relation to yours truly) and his minions (Mx)
LD: Ok, folks. Time to design the new TL. I've got a theme in mind and that is "Distinct." That's not the name of the theme, just the concept.
M1: Cool, distinct from every other car on the road!
LD: No, distinct as in three different design themes. A distinct front end, profile and rear end. A "design by committee" as if each committee was a committee of one! Who never came together as one committee. A collective individuality, if you will. A triumvirate of disparate ideas joined as one! But distinct!
Ian Callum: Bloody hell. This gent is daft! His mind is none too keen...
Walter D'Silva: Daft! His ideas border on the edge of insanity!
LD: Ian, Walter! Yes! Keen! Edge! That is my vision! You both must simply work for me!
Ian/Walter: We were just....leaving! What a good idea!
LD: Ok, here's how it's going to go: I will pose three questions. Each question will apply to the three parts of the design. You minions, through your answers, will help in designing the distinctive new TL.
Ms: Murmur, murmur, murmur...
LD: Let's begin with the front end. Minions, do you like movies about Gladiators?
M1: Yes, of course! Who doesn't!
LD: Well, what do Gladiators take into battle with them?
M2: Loin cloths! Sandals! Sweat!
LD: Umm K... Let's try someone else.
M1: Swords? Shields?
LD: Yes! Shields! Big, big shiny shields! We shall incorporate the "Shield of Acura" into the front end, the leading keen edge of the Keen Edge design! Walter and Ian, I shall give you credit for the Keen Edge name.
Ian/Walther: Please don't.
Ms: Ummm K...
LD: Next question, regarding the profile: What is the greatest styling theme of this century?
M1: Faux convertible tops? Tail fins? Plastic body cladding?
LD: No! NO! and, well, maybe...
M2: Dubs? Flames?
LD: Yes, yes! Your flames are getting warmer! The greatest design theme, destined to live on forever in all automotive designs: Flame Surfacing! But that only went to 10. Keen Edge will go to 11!!!
M3: So, you want lots of exaggerated lines, sharp creases and manly Gladiator-like bulges?
LD: I think I love you M3. You will design the profile. Throw in some chrome... I'll also consider tail fins.
Ms: Murmur, murmur, murmur...
LD: And now, the posterior. Can you tell me the finest military weapon expenditure/creation in recent times?
George Bush, Sr: Michael Dukakis driving a tank?
LD: Um, no. Why don't you check up on Ian and Walter, George...
M1: Star Wars?
LD: No,no, no! Not a movie! No fantasy! Something real. Delivered on time and under budget by our government.
M4 (Master of the obvious): You said no fantasy.
LD: You, go sit in the corner with Ian, Walter and George...
LD: The Stealth Bomber! I want the rear end to be creased and pointed. Stealthy! So, when people see it pulling away, they think, "What the hell is that?"
Chris Bangle (and y'all just knew he was coming!): If I had a nickel for every time I heard that...
Ms: Murmur, murmur, murmur... Leaving...what a good idea!
Monster.com: A surge in automotive design resume postings was noted in September of 2008...
Coulda happened...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
From Acura HQ Press release:
Acura will change its tag line from ACURA Advance (Whatever that means) to
Resistance is futile you will be assimilated (plagiarized without permission)
As in assimilate incoherent multiple design to be called Contemporary Keen edge
On the side note..I was at Acura dealer last week and saw new RL. Its not that bad in looks. Granted its ugly but its not fugly
Sanjay
No Napa this time, only San Francisco.
I am going with a friend of mine and we are planning on to see Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street, Chinatown and if we have time, probably Alcatraz Island.
I am actually heading up there in one hour and looking forward to take some good shots of my car with the Golden Gate Bridge as the background.
You may want to keep the Countach on the "dream" list. There was a Lamborghini themed episode of Top Gear a few years back where James drove a mint one, one of his favorite all time cars, and absolutely hated it. Unfortunately the only clip of that on Youtube is in Russian, but there's another clip from "Clarkson's Car Years" which describes pretty much the same things James complained about, except Clarkson missed the part where the windows don't really open, and the AC in old Lambos never actually worked, so the cabin becomes boiling hot. Buy a Gallardo instead. Countach
On the side note..I was at Acura dealer last week and saw new RL. Its not that bad in looks. Granted its ugly but its not fugly
All hail the Borg Queen!
The '05 RL design was just boring and instantly forgettable, but there wasn't anything particularly ugly about it. Now its ugly. Mission accomplished!
Alcatraz almost ALWAYS needs tickets in advance. Try to call while you are underway. Some travel agents will have tickets... they buy them and mark them up.
Saw TWO IS-F cars this week!! Nice... No... Nice isn't the word. More like menacing!!
TM
Hands down you're still the king here. And here I am thinking my post is good enough... ah, so shameless of me
LG, that simply means huge renovations, rebuilt the whole thing with better systems and working AC. Of course, it also means the car will have to wait until I have my gallardo one day. Oh and after the bentley too, and the R8....... :P
"thank tagman"
Yeah, I didnt see that earlier, deepest gratitute for tagman as well.
Yes. Like Lexus would have come out with the power-drunk IS 350 if there wasn't a BMW 335i keeping them up nights. They got the speed right, now do you think they can build a cockpit that a 6'2" American male could actually fit in? Do you think they can also make the IS as fun to drive as the Rabbit? I doubt it. There is no car like a German car.
"BMW's rather poor service for a premium brand."
Yes. BMW's dealership/service is not up to premium brand treatment in my experience. They really need to work on this. I have been treated quite a bit better by VW.
However, not having a BMW requires certain adjustments. I do miss the quirky windows on the 545i. Halfway up, they would sometimes go right back down again. With the VW everything works just fine. 23-25 mpg on regular fuel with the VW. 17-20 mpg on premium fuel with the 545i. Kind of boring, but I guess I will eventually adjust.
That's fine. I myself would never spend $40k on a Hyundai.
VW is making some good moves. One poster with a geometric tag said just the idea of driving or owning a VW would make his skin "crawl." Naturally I find such a comment irrational and a probable plead for immediate therapy-not the physical kind.
Tell that to Europe and China, where VW is number one in sales.
It seems that CR has over-hauled their car reviewing dept. All of a sudden the scores seem quite a bit inflated-from the boring Suburu Forrester to the tough on the eyes, 1 Series Coupe.
A few years ago they rated the 3 Series quite a bit lower than the 1. At that time things like the turn-signals and 2-step start REALLY bothered them. All of a sudden with the same stuff in the 1, those things are hardly a bother.
Must be a new guy/gal in charge.
I have to admit that in retrospect, a few hours later, after the trooper stopped me, I was quite happy that in a VW, I could drive almost as enthusiastically as I used to do in a BMW. The 545i did 90 mph. So does the VW. Nice!
Okay! Okay! Small point; the 545i got to 90 in 7 seconds; the VW takes 10 minutes!! What's the hurry???
There is no doubt in my mind that within the next year or two, I will be moving up to something more performance-oriented: at the very least, a GTI, but probably more likely, back to some form of my beloved BMW 3 Series; but I would be doing so, kicking and screaming, thanks to those cursed run-flats! A different dealership, too.
Any car that strikes my fancy, and I can convince myself I can afford it, I shall consider irregardless of badge. My very first car purchase? A used '78 VW Scirocco. Loved it, light in weight, light in power, heavy in fun. Bright white with black (no chrome) trim, Recaro seats and no A/C (a lesson learned). It hurt me so to watch it rust away...
I was a dyed in the wool Japanese car fan, as I've mentioned, I'm the stereotype of perceived Japanese build quality and reliability through experience. My folks had a series of Mercedes in the '60s & '70s which, for the most part were reliable (and yes, solidly built). But when something went wrong, hooboy!, open that checkbook wide! They abandoned domestics (and the Germans) in the '70s and turned Japanese. End of open-up wide checkbook issues...
I went from my VW to Mitsubishi (Turbo, oh, so that's what power feels like! I like it! I actually sorta enjoyed the turbo lag, when the tach hit 3k, yeeha!) to Acura (Integra, still the best screwed together car I've owned). Then a series of domestic company cars. Only the Olds nearly killed me by developing a leak on the top of the gas tank! The mechanic told me that it was good I didn't smoke or generate any sparks under the car. Appeared to be a mfg. defect (surprise!) The car itself? Not bad as it should have been since it was the same car they had been building for the last 15 years! The Sable that followed was a perfectly inoffensive car. Comfy, underpowered, smooth on the highways I frequented with no quality issues I can recall. The Dodge Intrepid that would be my last co. car was lovely to look at, noisy and somewhat abominable in build quality but it served me well, no issues until the ac condenser went (as Chryslers were prone to do, along w/trannys). But, that experience emboldened me enough to buy my '99 300M. Better, but still not Japanese or European build quality, some quality issues but none that ever came close to stranding me/costing me $, but I thoroughly enjoyed that car. But would not keep it past 70k miles.
And that leads me to the current ride, the TL. Great car. But, barring unforeseen circumstances, I shall return to the Continent for my next ride. It's time, I'm old, I've "under bought" cars all my life and I just want one (running the gamut in possibilities, the oft mentioned XK, XF, A/S5, 3 series, Evora???). Unless, of course, the G37 or IS convertibles knock my (Red) Sox off... Or I win the lottery...
Genesis? Sure, I'd consider it. Maybe a Tiburon for my daughter when she's 16... Badge? I don't need no stinkin' badge...
Like I said, it's pouring rain, the family is out shopping/with friends and I'm bored... Off to EBay Motors!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
The Rabbit averages 24 mpg on regular fuel.
The GTI averages 25 mpg on premium fuel.
Driving each vehicle 12k miles, with assumed prices of $3.5 and $3.8 for the gas, the GTI will cost $74 more. The savings buys me 2 bottles of my favorite Shivaz, mate!
From my first new car, '77 Gran Prix up until my wife's '03 Yukon Denali, I always believed GM was the way to go. Bah Humbug, Roger Smith!
Now, "I'll get you, my pretty Z06, and your little dog CTS as well! HEEHEEHEEHEE! That would be the WWOTW flying on the 2011 VOLT! "
Seeing as GM has just been doused with a bucket of credit-stopping bath water, the result is "I'm MELTING! Oh, What A World, WHAT A WORLD!"
There are no driver cars previously created in the US...PERIOD... until the '08 CTS comes very close but misses with the exterior design. A great road car does not need Art & Science cookie cutter edges. Let's leave that to the 2009 TL!!
Although, here is a review of the 2010 TL SH-AWD, which sounds phenomenal. Worth a wait?
Ultimate AWD??
They tested 5 cars and here's the results:
The Lab Results
We rapidly came to some conclusions. Here's how we ranked the cars after our testing.
1st Place: While the 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 6MT might not have the horsepower to keep up on the straight with any of these other sport sedans, it works best by far in the corners and made up time over its competition in speed at the apex and at the exit. At nearly every corner, the SH-AWD was so astute and intelligent that you could literally slap the go pedal to the carpet and let the all-wheel drive sort out how best to put the power to good use. And yes, these optional 245/40ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires (the largest and stickiest of any of the tires in the entire group) really help, but it was in combination with the SH-AWD where the rubber really made a difference. This car carves the corners.
2nd Place: While the 2008 Audi S4 Quattro would seem to hold an advantage by the sheer fact that it hangs a 340-hp V8 over its front wheels and offers the traction of all-wheel drive, it is hampered by stubborn understeer on the entry to slow and moderate-speed corners. The steering remained light and precise throughout the course, as did the feel of the light-effort clutch and shifter. The S4 was the only car here other than the TL that was able to put the power to the pavement before the apex of the corners — a real advantage thanks to all-wheel drive. Poor weight distribution keeps it from getting close to the TL.
3rd Place: The BMW 335i maintains its composure even when driven extremely hard, yet it feels surprisingly slow and out of place compared to the TL and S4. Of course, putting power down with just the rear wheels means the front wheels almost needed to be straight before the throttle could go all the way to the floor. The throttle response from its twin-turbo 300-hp inline-6 is only happy and snappy in the upper rpm range, and the steering feels indirect and slow in comparison. Great brakes, but this wasn't enough to make up the 2.7-second gap to the TL. It's just too slow to react.
4th Place: Hoping the BMW 335xi's all-wheel drive would allow the 3 Series to put its 300 hp to better use, we discovered that it only further snubbed the responses of the sedan. The steering became less direct, the throttle response grew worse and the understeer became more pronounced. The added weight of the car was obvious, especially in a high-speed corner with an apex at the crest of a hill.
5th Place: To be honest, the Infiniti G35s didn't even get a second drive in the comparison. From the second corner of the first hot lap, it was painfully obvious that the heavy effort and lurching response of the clutch pedal (it turns out they're all like this), the heavy-effort shift action and an inability to keep its rear tires hooked up on anything less than a dead-straight piece of track kept the G35s from being able to put up a good fight. On this track, it required constant vigilance just to keep the G35s on the pavement.
Sounds real nice...I will post on the Ultimate AWD Sedan to start some rather lively comentary. In 2006, I went toe to toe with the BMW enthusiasts on the side of AWD. As the tech improves, the results are quite impressive IMHO.
Regards,
OW
Sure wish I could go back 3 months and short WM and LEH.
Oh well. It's sunny and warm in Florida. The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Red Sox for the American League East title. Life is good.
I will be off to Santa Fe for a while. Time to get away.
Had a good laugh, thanks to Dada. Really need one, especially these days considering the situation I have to deal with down here at work.
LW, I agree it's good that you've been pretty busy, except for the becoming a bigamist part :P , jk. It is really slow nowadays, and its really making an impact here at work, the slowest ever since the day 1 I worked here. And despite recent raise in pretty much everybody's paycheck, there's been rumors about downsizing and layoffs since last week, thanks to a secretary's eavesdropping a meeting discussing company's efficiency. It really scares most employees, and they seem either uneasy or just plain stressed out. The atmosphere is gloomy now, sigh... Oddly I feel indifferent about it (maybe I'm just too confident? :P ). Until there's confirmation however I'll just have to get used to hearing "Omg, am I gonna get fired?" or "Please, not me. I dont know where else to go" or the worst "Please God, I dont wanna lose my Cadillac" (the last comment annoys me the most as I have to hear it every hour). Add nothing much to do, and you get the perfect recipe for instant boredom and annoyances, somebody please shut him up!!!!!
Don't let what's going on get you down. What's a world-wide depression among friends? :surprise:
GM just has to stop insulting folks with yester-decades style, technology, ride/handling, interior materials, build quality and reliability. Not too much to ask, no?
From what I've seen and read, the Queen Mary is turning. While I've yet to see any GM products reviewed (maybe save for the Corvette) with words consistently sprinkled throughout the review such as, "superlative, best in class, world class, (insert perceived leading marque here)-besting, or conspicuous quality," the hint of those descriptors may beginning to become apparent.
Save for the front end of the CTS, I like it. Nice interior too (granted, I have not spent much time in one). I think folks get into too much of a nitpick battle of is it a 3 or 5 competitor? I think it could be both: Priced like a 3, but with more space for people/stuff; sized like a 5 but much less expensive! Pick you poison. I dunno, I might give it a try when I'm ready to move on from the still classically handsome TL that proudly wears multiple coats of Z-2 and Z-5 in my garage.
Other than the CTS (and possibly Corvette, but gotta get some gold chains, first!
I root for competent and plentiful competition to improve the breed and possibly force the carmakers to whom I aspire to own their steeds to keep prices in check! And so the steady rain continues... Probably a good day to buy a car, I'm sure nobody is shopping around here!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
What industry are you in? I work in financial s (insurance), we've already had a round of downsizing earlier in the summer. I believe that my company is a conservative, financially sound enterprise. Our stock price has been almost halved in the last year, though... Greed just isn't good, I should have exercised my very, very meager options already... Not to mention my 401k/IRAs... But, it ain't just me, I know.
Too bad, in '01 I was a paper billionaire, in '06 I was the millionaire next door. Now, "when do we next get paid???" :sick:
But, I've got my health, my family and my shiny, shiny TL!
And, yes, HPowders, congrats on the Rays. See you in the playoffs. Hopefully, the Sox will get a chance to redeem themselves against the Rays as you owned us in the regular season...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
I too went Japanese after my own issues with M-B. Despite their recent improvements, I just can't see myself going back to that brand. Their engines are great and 7Gtronic is one of the best gearboxes, but I just don't trust them, especially the American built ones which still seem to fall apart. Beyond that, they're just ugly these days. A Mercedes used to be elegant, if a bit stodgy and conservative. Now all of that is gone, replaced by tawdry glitz and flash.
That was a very interesting test. The new TL's weight distribution is just as poor as the last one, so it's very impressive that SH-AWD is able to combat what should be just relentless understeer. By the time the 2010 TL AWD 6MT actually arrives however, Audi will have a new S4 which should easily take down the Acura on a track. The new S4 will have either six-speed manual or a seven-speed S Tronic DSG, rather than Acura's ancient 5-speed auto. It also rides on the new better balanced platform, and has the latest Quattro system with the "QuattroSport" rear dif, which can shift torque side to side between the rear wheels and overdrive the outside wheel - just like SH-AWD.
Then there's that whole S4 is gorgeous, TL is hideous thing.
The AWD wars are really interesting as well. Audi should stay ahead with the rear differential capability. Next is a front diff that does the same thing. A bit more proactive than the abs control.
Also saw the '09 A4 during my A-8 test drive. Look out BMW. This car is hot! Not to mention your R8!
TL? What TL??
Regards,
OW
Even though the Red Sox came in number two in the AL East, they can go on to win the World Series and the Rays can be knocked out in their first playoff series.
I still think the E has aged gracefully. The new S has a real presence, the SL is a basically beautiful design marred by too many stylistic eccentricities (and about as common around Boston as BMW 3s). The new C class, I actually like (not the low-rent appearing interior, but the exterior) but if one is to buy a Mercedes sedan, it starts with the E. The CLK was a handsome devil in its prior incarnation, the current version is just not worthy. The CLS and CL are also lookers in a positive way in my book. The SUVs? Who cares, they're SUVs. Not my cup of tea. Excuse the Evil Wife's RX, please. Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets!
If I do go car shopping next year, as of this writing, no MB will be on my list. I think my desire to have one is as Freudian as it gets: My parents had 'em!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
My co-workers often asked me why I show no sign of anxiety, I can only say I dont know, all I know is if someone's getting fired it wont be me as my performance is among the best in the company. Even if I get fired there's no point in worrying now. Being stressed out will only make you perform worse, increasing your chance of getting laid off. What will be, will be. Meanwhile, just chill and do your best.
There was a version of the Honda Prelude that had exactly that, I believe it was called the SH. I'm not sure its necessary on an AWD car though.
Audi definitely wont cede the AWD performance crown to anybody without a fight, although technically the fastest AWD car on a track (according to the Top Gear power board) is the Nissan GT-R, which beat the Murcielago LP640.
So, do your best because no matter where you are, it's all connected. It's what brought me to the Luxury Lounge in the first place. We can opine about the best things in life to appreciate (cars) but everyone here really knows what counts.
I can talk because I did the same and the economy did me in during a R.I.F. 3 weeks ago. You saw my dream cars. THe dream is ALIVE!
Regards,
OW
I stopped in at a Lexus store, a brand I don't normally shop. Apparently a brand new new Lexus 460L (do I have the numbers right?) lists for around 62K. With a base MSRP roughly 33% lower than an S Class or a 7 Series and greater perceived reliability, Lexus must be really undercutting the resale of these cars.
Here is a link for resales on the 7'ers. The 2007 SWB lost an astounding 22% off MSRP so far.
7 Series Resale Values
Regards,
OW