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2009 Acura RL
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb132/Kamar_A/Cars/Cars%202/03.jpg
A rear end shot of what could be the 09 RL. Not much has been said of it. There are plans to release this thing early next year. Possible features include a Hard Drive, and maybe some more new toys. New engine will probably be added. Probably not a v8 or v10 though. I hear only 2 body panels are being changed. Maybe more interior room. Who knows! Any more info will be added as the time goes on.
A rear end shot of what could be the 09 RL. Not much has been said of it. There are plans to release this thing early next year. Possible features include a Hard Drive, and maybe some more new toys. New engine will probably be added. Probably not a v8 or v10 though. I hear only 2 body panels are being changed. Maybe more interior room. Who knows! Any more info will be added as the time goes on.
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Some color choices below
Crystal Black pearl, Silver jade metallic, Grigio metallic, Tuscan beige, Alberta white, Platinum Frost, Opulent blue and Redondo red
Some colors are new. Features are going to be enhanced. Maybe no more PAX tires. Navigation and bluetooth are going to be enhanced. Looks like a ton of features are going to be changed.
God, that's a shame...
The next few years will be hard ones for Acura in that case. Try as it might, it just can't seem to out-Audi Audi. With all the engineering prowess available at Honda, seems like it ought to be able to do that...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
"What this means to you: It still can't run with the big dogs, but..."
Will it matter?
I doubt any of these changes will matter much...
( sadly )
Nice to share the pages with you again. JJACURA and I are scoping out the update. I'll be back.
Regards,
George
Hope you are well.
It really seems like Acura doesn't know what to do with this model, even the current version (which I like enormously better lookswise than the '09)--it's too expensive (by far) for the entry level luxury category, it doesn't have the size or cachet for the premium luxury segment, and it still won't after this redesign. For a company as astute as Honda has proven to be over the years, they just haven't been paying attention here.
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I admit the RL is not everyone's cup of tea, but that's a bit harsh and undeserved! :mad:
I enjoy driving my '05, but it's not the car that I wanted to see when I visited the Acura showrioom in December 2004 - and subsequently ordered because I am an avowed 'Acuraphile.' Now, I find it hard to believe that Acura, having produced this touch-up, will really present us with a fully remodeled '10 - maybe '13 - maybe. I'll wait.
- George
Just as a final observation, many cars styling changes look worse in pictures than in person. I think we may want to withhold final judgement until we can see it for ourselves. I agree that the front shocked me when I first saw pics, but I've looked at them numerous times since and the shock has worn off a bit. My harsh assessment has softened a bit. I don't think this redesign will pull up sales numbers, but I doubt that it will drive every potential buyer away as some have implied. Big discounts will continue with the RL imo.
It is amazing that a company like Honda that has been so successful in most of its other ventures could fail so utterly to design a $40-50K luxury car that anyone would want.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
However I was left with the feeling "I wonder how much the 2008 will be discounted when the 2009's get released?" I was hoping Acura would sell the remaining inventory at a deep discount to clear the lots so customers wouldn't compare.
That possibility, a sale on the 2008's, is my big interest in the 2009's.
I am a die-hard RL fan since Y2006. To show our loyalty to Acura, both me and my wife each got new '06 RL in silver, with all the same options/stuff - "his and hers" as joked by dealer every time we go in for an oil-change.....been tracking/researching RL since then.
Here are my comments:
1) When RL was first out in '05....."Tech car of the year" - proven Acura's tech. was at leat 3-yrs ahead of competition (e.g. Real-time traffic in '05).
2) No face-lift since then.
3) Best car-buying experience from Internet....goto Carsdirect.com and I got the best deal in town, bought two new RL's in a month; the discount was so huge I thought there might be some "discount on warranty" - No, same factory warranty all the way, and really trouble-free shopping with no nego. needed whatsoever....entire car-buying time was less than 30-min.
4) '09 "Inventory control" someone mentioned in the discussion.....if you goto Carsdirect.com now and you'd see huge (close to $10K) discount off MSRP on '08 - I figure that's what it means "Inventory control" - they are NOT SELLING, and Acura would think twice about how many RL to produce in '09.
5) If Edmunds Inside-line's recent saying is true that after listening carefully to the market, Acura's to bring its Y2011 new RL with long awaited 420hp-v8, real-wheel-drive w/SH-AWD, etc. to compete in this segment.
Could Inside-line talk to Mr. Jon Ikeda of new Acura R&D center in Torrance California that:
a) Honda should be more aggressive than Toyota from my perspective....being an ex-Marketing-exec in one of the giant Japanese "Kai-Sha" in the past 20-yrs.
b) RL is Acura's flag-ship, and I am a die-hard Acura's fan as evidenced above,....like to see RL's continuous winning.
c) New Y2011 RL needs.....STYLING, STYLING, STYLING, in addition to all other stuffs to compete in that segment.
d) U.S. market needs - Styling, Power, and especially with Acura's Tech and Performance when considering $5-$6/gallon in the near future (if you do market research carefully all over the web, that's what market is saying now-a-days). If Mr. Jon Ikeda and Acura can pull all those together, then I think Y2011 RL might be the "Car of the year" winner again with its traditional "pricing-competitiveness" market position (of couse, let us not to confuse Acura's next NSX marketing strategy with its new RL).
e) But I can not wait, and I think Acura can not wait.....just look at it now - RL is simply not selling. Can Acura bring its NEW RL SOONER to the market....?
f) Look at Acura's "Advanced-Sport-Sedan" concept, it reminds me somewhat of "Aston-007". .....could Mr. Jon Ikeda talk to Ian - the infamous Chief-designer of previous Aston-Martin's DBS and now behind Jag's new XK-coupe and XF-sedan, or something......?
Well, I figure Ian might not be "too happy" after Ford's selling Jag/Range-Rover to Indian Tata-auto.
Dear Mr. Ikeda and Mr. Acura.......STYLING, STYLING, and with all of your Tech and "stuffs", bring your NEW RL to the market sooner, then you'd be striving again, and I'd be your loyal RL fan again, hopefully in Y2009/end....save RL's sales.
If it's not too late, go to Carsdirect.com now.....they are now with huge $10K discout off MSRP on '08 RL - best deal in town (I'm from S. California).
See my other posting about RL's future along with my car-buying experience as followed.....Good luck.
-----------------
I'd like to share my RL experience with rainbow11, carolinabob, ex007, rv65, djdj and many others......(p.s. I am from S. California)
I am a die-hard RL fan since Y2006. To show our loyalty to Acura, both me and my wife each got new '06 RL in silver, with all the same options/stuff - "his and hers" as joked by dealer every time we go in for an oil-change.....been tracking/researching RL since then.
Here are my comments:
1) When RL was first out in '05....."Tech car of the year" - proven Acura's tech. was at leat 3-yrs ahead of competition (e.g. Real-time traffic in '05).
2) No face-lift since then.
3) Best car-buying experience from Internet....goto Carsdirect.com and I got the best deal in town, bought two new RL's in a month; the discount was so huge I thought there might be some "discount on warranty" - No, same factory warranty all the way, and really trouble-free shopping with no nego. needed whatsoever....entire car-buying time was less than 30-min.
4) '09 "Inventory control" someone mentioned in the discussion.....if you goto Carsdirect.com now and you'd see huge (close to $10K) discount off MSRP on '08 - I figure that's what it means "Inventory control" - they are NOT SELLING, and Acura would think twice about how many RL to produce in '09.
5) If Edmunds Inside-line's recent saying is true that after listening carefully to the market, Acura's to bring its Y2011 new RL with long awaited 420hp-v8, real-wheel-drive w/SH-AWD, etc. to compete in this segment.
Could Inside-line talk to Mr. Jon Ikeda of new Acura R&D center in Torrance California that:
a) Honda should be more aggressive than Toyota from my perspective....being an ex-Marketing-exec in one of the giant Japanese "Kai-Sha" in the past 20-yrs.
b) RL is Acura's flag-ship, and I am a die-hard Acura's fan as evidenced above,....like to see RL's continuous winning.
c) New Y2011 RL needs.....STYLING, STYLING, STYLING, in addition to all other stuffs to compete in that segment.
d) U.S. market needs - Styling, Power, and especially with Acura's Tech and Performance when considering $5-$6/gallon in the near future (if you do market research carefully all over the web, that's what market is saying now-a-days). If Mr. Jon Ikeda and Acura can pull all those together, then I think Y2011 RL might be the "Car of the year" winner again with its traditional "pricing-competitiveness" market position (of couse, let us not to confuse Acura's next NSX marketing strategy with its new RL).
e) But I can not wait, and I think Acura can not wait.....just look at it now - RL is simply not selling. Can Acura bring its NEW RL SOONER to the market....?
f) Look at Acura's "Advanced-Sport-Sedan" concept, it reminds me somewhat of "Aston-007". .....could Mr. Jon Ikeda talk to Ian - the infamous Chief-designer of previous Aston-Martin's DBS and now behind Jag's new XK-coupe and XF-sedan, or something......?
Well, I figure Ian might not be "too happy" after Ford's selling Jag/Range-Rover to Indian Tata-auto.
Dear Mr. Ikeda and Mr. Acura.......STYLING, STYLING, and with all of your Tech and "stuffs", bring your NEW RL to the market sooner, then you'd be striving again, and I'd be your loyal RL fan again, hopefully in Y2009/end....save RL's sales.
Thanks for your info.. I cut/paste the followings directly from Edmund about Y2011 RL for your reference ...pretty new stat.
(BTW, if you're into "Power-Toy" and "Hot-Hatch", check out '08 Mazdaspped-3 (Car & Driver 10-best)....0-60 in 5.4sec., 263hp w/280-torgue - even bigger torgue than RL, TL, Infiniti-G, Lexus-IS, VW-GTI....etc.; I test-drove one, fantastic acceleration and built very very "tight", relatively quiet when crusing, best of all - under $25K with Bose)
------ Edmunds' latest stat about Y2011 RL --------
What Edmunds.com Says:Rear-wheel drive and a V8 engine should help, but the 2011 Acura RL really needs distinctive styling if it's going to compete against Germany's finest.
What We Know: Honda has been listening to the word on the street very carefully, because it has finally decided to give the 2011 Acura RL luxury sedan a V8 to help it compete with strong rivals in the U.S. One source tells us that Honda is currently working on a 420-horsepower 4.8-liter V8, and will employ the same cylinder deactivation technology we see on the current Japan-spec Inspire V6, thus generating class-leading fuel economy figures. But unlike the current RL, which sits on a front-wheel-drive platform and features Honda's SH-AWD four-wheel-drive system, the all-new RL will instead incorporate a rear-drive platform, one necessity that Honda planners have clearly identified in this segment, and a reconfigured SH-AWD system that engages the front wheels when rear traction is compromised. Slated for a mid-2010 debut, the new RL is expected to land in showrooms wearing a higher price tag than the current model.
How is Acura going to deal with the hybridization of the industry? Will they go to a hybrid Acura? Can one manufacture a V 8 and still make it "fit" within a hybrid?
I think Acura will have their share of hybrids, and it will include a V8 model. Guessing, maybe about 2012.
I am not in the industry, and own a 08 RL. But I think the hybrid issue will be addressed sooner than later.
Good luck to all and stay safe.
jensad
JJAcura
A note to those who derided the nonoptional nav system - I'm on this trip alone and I don't know how I could have done it without the nav system. One day in Ohio I looked at the map at the end of the day and during the day, I had made 14 route changes to see the various sights on my itinerary. Without an excellent memory or a good navigator, I would have been pulling over every 1/2 hour to look at the map. At one point, even a good navigator wouldn't have helped. My nav system was insisting I take "the next left turn". It was unmarked and looked like the entrance to an industrial park. I took it anyway, and it was the highway I needed to take.
Would not worry about doing it in the RL.though!
JJ
http://michaeladhi.com/2008/06/11/somewhat-confirmed-an-expensive-honda-with-rea- r-wheel-drive/
It's somewhat confirmed though. Now Acura can become a tier 1 brand.
CMBS and Adaptive Cruise control are offered in a stand alone package. About 3800 USD. Hope this helps.
When I took my RL in for service this morning, I ran into my salesman. He said there's been a slight delay and they won't be coming in until the first or second week of July.