http://www.leftlanenews.com/acura-rl.html

I SHAWD DO WANT THIS CAR

where's the v8 ;P

all the charm of a Kia Optima

Edited February 6, 200818 yr by regfootball

That grill is awful...so gaudy and out of proportion.

I think they're using the term "all new" very loosely.

looks like the previous RL that went through a south florida Eldorado classic suncoast executive edition treatment.

it's just missing the faux top, vouges, and continental kit.

"ACCORD AWD BROUGHAM"

must be a lot of ricers living in assisted living these days. all grown up they say!

It's very obvious that this is an MCE... the panels are all the same.

The thing that makes this most obvious is the taillights. They used the bumper to make the taillights smaller, even though the rear quarters are designed for larger lights. Hence the oddly-shaped result.

It reminds me of this MCE, where GM just used bumper to fill in the space the old headlights took up:

I know that's a body kit but the part I'm talking about is the same on the stock bumper too.

Edited February 6, 200818 yr by the_yellow_dart

Oh wow... They ruined it. The original may not have been exciting, but it was attractive. This is just pathetic.

Take a look at the interior.... is this a game of "Spot the All New"?

2005 RL

2009 RL

Wow. This is unbelievably bad.

Take a look at the interior.... is this a game of "Spot the All New"?

2005 RL

I do like the interior, though....the exterior isn't impressive, but Acura does know how to do nice interiors......

I do like the interior, though....the exterior isn't impressive, but Acura does know how to do nice interiors......

That is the 2005 interior...... how is this all new when you look at the 2009 interior?

That is the 2005 interior...... how is this all new when you look at the 2009 interior?

...Who cares?

spacey-looking

...Who cares?

uhm,..... Acura...

point is.... very liberal use of the phrase "All New"

almost Toyota like....

Ugh... What is Acura thinking!?!

I'll need to see it in person to tell if it looks as bad as I think it does, but how is this suppose to increase sales?

This is a mid-cycle change, it is not all new like they have said. Although it has significant changes for a MMC. Yes the grill looks horrible, unless it looks very different once it hits the showrooms (which isn't for a few months I think) it will be laughable. But then it might look different in person, I dunno, the shots I've seen so far are anything but flattering. The mechanical and feature improvements are worthy of note however, and comprise most of the changes for '09.

The new shifter area looks a lot less cheap now...that's the biggest change I see. I've always liked the interior of this car, and Acura's interiors in general. But the exterior changes make it go from bad to worse. Sure the mechanical enhancements are nice...if you completely ignore what the competition has to offer.

God, that grille is inexcusably offensive. And are those the same headlights that are on the MDX? What the hell?

Another Acura design flub. At least they didn't mess up the interior and added the leather shift boot(which in Japan the Legend has had since its intro). The Honda/Acura fans were already frustrated with Acura, now they're absolutely livid about the RL.

Edited February 7, 200818 yr by big blue

I have to wonder what they were thinking with that front end....pretty ugly. The previous front end was much better, albeit not too distinctive..this front end is distinctive, but not in a nice way, IMHO...

Let us see:

Made the steering wheel fatter and smaller. Applied wood on it. Gave the 9-3 bulge for holding it.

The Climate Control Buttons (Top two rows on center console) went from 8 buttons to 10.

Wrapped the naked shifter.

Put a coin holder besides the shifter on the driver's side.

Seems like all new to me

pretty SHAWDdy attempt at freshening up an already struggling car.

I am reminded of a Camry when I look at the dead-on/offset photos. What was Acura thinking?! They took a perfectly respectable car and beat the grille with an ugly stick.

At least the interior is still nice.

Acura RofL?

For some reason, that grille makes me think of a bad take on Transformers.

Edited February 7, 200818 yr by mustang84

Acura RofL?

:rotflmao: I think that's going in my sig

Edited February 7, 200818 yr by big blue

A chop I did. Changed grill and head lights.

A chop I did. Changed grill and head lights.

Much better, go punch the guy who design it in the nuts and take over.

Much better, go punch the guy who design it in the nuts and take over.

+1

That is actually a very nice improvement.

While we're at it, do something with that silly bar at the top of the grill. I can't stand it.

Eh, modest exterior changes (now loonger), new bigger engine from the MDX which uses more fuel, in exchange for 10 more hp.

Take a look at the interior.... is this a game of "Spot the All New"?

2005 RL

2009 RL

Now now... it has a new gear shift and the needles in the gauges are longer. VERY new. :AH-HA_wink:

I couldn't help but to think it looks like a refreshed 10 year old Euro Mazda 626...

A chop I did. Changed grill and head lights.

Acura 9-RL-5?

more like "all-terrible"

this is just awful! who is RUNNING the show over there? it's like they're trying to fill the Acura brand. It can't survive on TSX/TL sales alone!

point is.... very liberal use of the phrase "All New"

almost Toyota like....

"Liberal" and "mistranslation" are two very different words.

And I can spot the shifter / shifter trim plate that are different...

"Liberal" and "mistranslation" are two very different words.

And I can spot the shifter / shifter trim plate that are different...

Steering wheel is modified.

Steering wheel is modified.

Not exactly. It may be standard on all RL's now, but it was an option on the previous RL.

Steering wheel is modified.

I'd say "Oh snap" but siegen's got a better answer..

Not exactly. It may be standard on all RL's now, but it was an option on the previous RL.

So they did even less to the car.

All new my ass.

So they did even less to the car.

All new my ass.

For a MMC, actually quite a lot has changed.

I guess they figured that nobody buys these anyway so they can claim "all new" without too many noticing.

This car is really hard on the eyes.

It is painfully ugly.

Apparently, the Japanese have crack, too.

This looks very close to the old one that nobody bought, just with an uglier grille, so even less people will buy this. It seems all they did was add some wood trim to the inside and put the new grille on and call it a day. That is worse than Buick trying to pass the LaCrosse Super off as something new.

No V8, no success. Can't compete against the Germans with a V6 only car. They at least could have done a diesel or hybrid that got 25 mpg, at least then it would have an advantage over other cars, but this is like a run of the mill average luxury car from 2005 trying to compete in 2009.

This looks very close to the old one that nobody bought, just with an uglier grille, so even less people will buy this. It seems all they did was add some wood trim to the inside and put the new grille on and call it a day. That is worse than Buick trying to pass the LaCrosse Super off as something new.

No V8, no success. Can't compete against the Germans with a V6 only car. They at least could have done a diesel or hybrid that got 25 mpg, at least then it would have an advantage over other cars, but this is like a run of the mill average luxury car from 2005 trying to compete in 2009.

Actually, the Lacrosse Super does have a much larger engine over the lesser versions and is the fastest Buick ever built. Handling is also said to be top notch for a large FWD V8.

Sadly, the Lacrosse Super ends up having more claim to "all new" than this RL.

I wasn't an RL fan to begin with......and this MCE does nothing to make me a fan.......

This car has always been a true product and marketing disaster for Honda......whatever happened to the "Legend?" They should have built upon the reputation that car had originally. The first gen (and maybe the second gen) Legends were truly nice cars....and had a bit of "verve" to them.....

Actually, the Lacrosse Super does have a much larger engine over the lesser versions and is the fastest Buick ever built.

????? Faster than a GNX?

????? Faster than a GNX?

Higher top speed. I think the GNX is still fastest to accelerate.

I wasn't an RL fan to begin with......and this MCE does nothing to make me a fan.......

This car has always been a true product and marketing disaster for Honda......whatever happened to the "Legend?" They should have built upon the reputation that car had originally. The first gen (and maybe the second gen) Legends were truly nice cars....and had a bit of "verve" to them.....

Granted, it's still a Legend... outside of North America, that is. Japan's Honda Legend = our Acura RL. Speaking of which, I wonder how the updated Legend will look in Japan.

It seems that Acura's focus shifted away from its flagship sedan to its other products. Shame that only two of those products, the TL and TSX, are worth looking at.

My mother leased a '90 Legend back in the day... one of the best rides I remember from being young. It is a shame to see the way the car has faded into irrelevancy...