MDXLuvr

Sorry but you are wrong. The MDX competes in the Luxury SUV class. That includes the RX, FX, BMW X5, MB ML, Volvo XC90. Most of these vehciles are Car based SUV's.

The explorer competes in the Non luxury class(can't think of a better way to describe it). This includes trailblazer, 4runner, higlander, Cherokee, Pathfinder, Pilot

VTEC Racer

Look above.

ellisnc

I've been in a car on track when the ATTS overheated on Hoosiers and have a friend who also works at Honda R&D who smoked his ATTS on stock tires at Nelson Ledges in Ohio...

Gabe

How exactly do you overheat ATTS and how exactly do you know? There is no temperature gauge for the tranny and I don't believe that the ATTS logic includes a temperature switch to flip on the idiot light when it gets too hot.

Are you sure you are not thinking of the horrible SS tranny that came on the 5th gen base? There are numerous failures linked with that tranny.

Gabe

phoenix9999

I don't get it. You seem to imply that in the class of mid-size luxury sport sedans, the price differential between six- and eight-cylinder offerings is immaterial to the target audience. And yet, the eight-cylinder offerings are consistent poor sellers.

Some other comments:

Yeah you do. I mean, look at Audi. The best they have is a measly S8. BMW has nothing more than a 760iL. After all, as you said, you don't build a luxury car and not focus on the top tier, which is why it's just insane to see an underpowered, underperforming, inelegant BMW M6 piece of junk which reveals BMW as just another pretender due to their lack of a bona fide Vanquish or 612 competitor, right?

Or maybe, just maybe, there really *are* different levels of stratification in the luxury car market... you know, kind of like EVERY OTHER MARKET FOR MANUFACTURED GOODS ON THE PLANET, and maybe it's Ok for companies like Acura and BMW (yes, I named 'em in the same breath) to build luxury cars despite not having a top-tier Mayback-class vehicle somewhere within their product portfolio.

I wonder if you swoop down with those sharpened fangs on all those poor BMW 530i owners, with the same tenacity you do when reading about the Acura RL. As far as I'm concerned, it follows the Honda tradition (for good or bad) of attempting to slot a vehicle into a relatively unexplored niche. Honda's given us a full-size bona fide V6-powered luxury sedan. They've given us a legitimate E320 or 530i or A6 2.8 or S-Type 3.0 alternative, something perhaps with the spirit of an IS300 but the shell and amenities of a LS430. That's not a bad spot to shoot for, in my opinion. Sometimes the niche is just too narrow to maintain sales (the Prelude effect), othertimes it works out ok (our common enjoyment of the S2000) and who knows where the RL will fall. In the meantime, while I can't claim to schmooze with legions of hoity-poity 545i owners, I do know the mindset of the 525i/530i owner much better, and that mindset will find the RL to be an attractive option.

Mindcore

Don't be hackin on the S8 now

I think we can debate this till we're blue, but you have to consider the human factor in this as well, I mean people actually bought Azteks right?

Time will tell if the RL is a success, but I like the fact that they tried to place a car somewhere in between, if you wanted the "545" then you'd buy it, Acura didn't need to build that car, they needed to find thier own place, demonstrate thier own value, IMO.. that may not be in line with some, I bet they are banking on it being in line with most.

Frankly, I'll drive it before I say much more then that

dreamcation

All I know is that there is some serious reading involved with this post, my head hurts and my eye's are burning.

NFRs2000NYC

To you guys who think the BMW/Benz have more features.....

First of all, a loaded to the brim 760li or s600, other than the motor, still has less features than the new RL.

Oh, and lets not forget, it took the Germans only till 2003.5 to get DVD navigation (which is rated the worst every year by GPS reviewers), and xenons are still an option on 60+ thousand dollar cars. The difference between an E500 and the RL close to 20K, and the 545 about 15-16K (Ive priced it out twice)

Also, the RL according to Motor Trend and Automobile should arrive with a sub 6 second (5.7-5.8 est) 0-60. Thats as fast as the V8 versions of the 5 series and the E-class. No one will be ripping up the tarmac with this car, but you get my point. Just like the TL, this car will put a nice dent in the sales figures of competitors. Once the new infinitys and Gs Lexus come out, itll be a real sweat for zee germans.

Anyone seen the new RX330 commercial with Heinrich yet?

steve c

Another fairly typical post for this thread, throw out misinformation and expect people will just believe what you write.

Where are the drive dynamic seats the Mercedes offers? The heated and cooled seats? Sport package? Park distance control? Adaptive cruise control? Actual quality leather?

Again, yes the German cars cost more, but they also offer more. Acura missed the mark yet again, they are introducing a platform that has no future by virtue of having a v6 and FWD layout.

PLYRS 3

correct, an S600 or 760Li have features that are not even available on ANY Acura.

but all that stuff that ray mentions costs mucho bucks on an E500.

personally, i would have never brought up the S600 or 760Li....you could buy 3 RL's in canada for the price of an S600 (it's $190K up here).

it's a nonsensical comparsion.

and frankly, those in the market for an S600 or 760Li, wouldn't even know that the RL exists.