2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL received a facelift a few months ago in preparation for the 2009 model year, but that hasn't stopped Acura engineers from

2011 Acura RL

 

 

 

 2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

 

 the latest design concept change made by the automaker for this line of luxury sedan vehicles. For this model, there are 2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

2011 Acura RL

   The RL luxury sedan has long served as one of the most technologically advanced vehicles from Acura, and in 2011 made major improvements to raise the level again.To maximize the output of the 3.7L V-6, the RL receives a new SportShift sequential 6-speed automatic for 2011. In addition, the RL has a quieter cabin, even with the use of technology for the first single resonator in the wheel of a passenger vehicle.
With bold looks, a 300-hp engine and Acura acclaimed Super Handling All Wheel Drive ™ (SH-AWD ™), the RL 2011 shows that the luxury is perfectly complemented by advanced technology and the adrenaline of performance. In addition to providing luxury, style and performance that keeps Acura top-of-the-line sedan drivers more connected to their world (and the world around them), which offers some of the latest in intuitive, easy to use , the state-of-edge technology.
"The RL remains the benchmark for innovative use of relevant technologies to customers," said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales. "There are not many production cars at any price they offer the most advanced technology and sophistication of the transmission system."

The 2011 Acura RL goes on sale at Acura dealerships on December 21, 2010 and will be available in three trim levels. The MSRP for the RL will be $47,200, RL with Technology Package will be $51,350, and the RL with Advance Package will be $55,150.
Acura’s flagship model, the RL, will get a V-8 when the next generation debuts sometime in 2011, Automotive News reports. Power and displacement are hush-hush, but the new engine should make far more than the current V-6’s 300 horsepower (305 in the TL). It will be Acura’s first production V-8.

The Acura RL is the flagship car for North American luxury brand Acura — marketed in Japan as the Honda Legend and manufactured in Saitama, Japan. The alpha call-sign "RL" is an abbreviation for "Refined Luxury."[2]

The first-generation Acura RL was a similarly rebadged version of the third-generation Honda Legend, and was first introduced into the North American market in 1996 to replace the second-generation Acura Legend. Previous to the 1996 introduction of the first generation Acura RL was the second-generation Acura Legend (1991–1995), equivalent to the second-generation Honda Legend, which in turn was preceded by the first-generation Acura Legend (1986–1990), equivalent to the first-generation Honda Legend.

The current second-generation Acura RL is a rebadged version of the fourth-generation Honda Legend and was introduced into the North American market in September 2004 as a 2005 model. This iteration of the RL received an extensive mid-generational facelift for the 2009 model year.

In 1996, Acura introduced the Acura 3.5RL, replacing the Legend. Known internally as "KA9", Acura dropped the Legend name when market research showed that consumers knew Acura products by their model names, "Legend" and "Integra", and did not necessarily associate the names with the manufacturer, Acura.[3][4]

The 3.5RL's longitudinally mounted V6 engine had its center-line mounted in-line with the car's axis, and not transversely (i.e., 90 degrees offset from the vehicle axis) like most other front-wheel drive cars. This longitudinal placement allowed for a smaller turning radius and easy in-town maneuverability, as well as 56/44 front/rear weight distribution.

Every new Acura RL launch has carried the same question: Will it finally get a V8? Acura has held its ground on a V6 all-wheel-drive powertrain for its top sedan, and the 2012 Acura RL looks to continue that trend. Acura execs aren't convinced enough Americans buy V8 sedans to justify offering one, and with gas prices steadily rising, they may have a point.

Acura will likely use its fully redesigned 2012 RL to demonstrate a new hybrid powertrain instead. Executives have said they plan to add more than one hybrid into the Acura line, and the plug-in system that Honda introduced at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show -- designed to be integrated into a midsize sedan -- should boost the flagship's horsepower without sacrificing fuel economy.

We expect the 2012 Acura RL to start close to its current price of about $48,000 to stay competitive with competitors that include the Infiniti M37 and Lexus GS 350. Check back soon for complete buying advice and driving opinions.

The 2011 Acura RL is an elegant, conservative sedan—at the large end of mid-size, powered by a strong, high-revving V-6 powertrain and sophisticated all-wheel drive system, and loaded with comfort, tech, and infotainment features. But simply put, compared to nearly any other sport luxury sedans from rival brands, it comes up short.

To start, in a fickle luxury market, the RL's design is simply no longer fresh. While the RL has been given a modest refresh for 2011, in the form of a new front end, revised interior tech and entertainment features, and a number of mechanical changes including a new six-speed automatic transmission, most of the car is carried over (and is now more than five years on). For some seasoned luxury car buyers, the anonymity might be appreciated, but as Acura's left it for 2011 this sedan looks derivative and lost from the outside. Inside, it's better, with the familiar Acura instrument panel layout—still close to that used in the TL—which has held up well, even if it's a bit restrained.

Going by the specs panel, or even by instrumented-testing numbers, the performance credentials for the 2011 Acura RL look great: The powerful 300-hp V-6, a new six-speed automatic with paddle-shifters, and a sophisticated SH-AWD all-wheel drive system help put the power to the pavement (and smartly manage it from side to side) even on tight, roughtly surfaced corners. But somehow, something's missing in the translation to the driver's seat. This year, a new six-speed automatic provides smoother, surer shifts, which helps make the powertrain more agreeable than ever, but numb, innocuous steering and all-around isolated feel keep you from pushing it hard. If you do, though, you'll find it's actually quite hard to fluster: Acura's SH-AWD system here simply delivers with composure and grip, whenever you need it.

If you don't watch it, you'll probably end up pushing well past the speed limit; with its quiet, supremely isolated interior and a suspension that keeps body motion very much under wraps yet without giving up comfort, it's a go-fast touring machine for the sorts of trips where you want to cover hundreds of miles a day while catching up with your road-trip companions. Even on the most roughly surfaced, tightest backroads, you'll only hear, faintly, the most jarring impacts, while being able to glide around tight, choppy curves very quickly—though again, without much of the satisfaction or involvement that usually comes with a sport sedan.

The interior of the 2011 Acura RL, while one of the quietest and very comfortable for those in the front seat, is far from the roomiest and really only fit for four adults. Front seats are firm and fine, but the backseat is surprisingly short on headroom and foot space, and the trunk feels like a compromised afterthought. Again, the RL's strong suit is quietness in the cabin, thanks to a host of true luxury-car measures, including an active noise cancellation system.

The feature list is strong, overall, with xenon headlamps with Active Front Lighting, adaptive cruise control, heated and ventilated seats, Bluetooth and USB features, and a great-sounding USB system all on offer, as well as a navigation system with real-time traffic and weather data. But the design is showing its age in a number of tech and feature details—especially in the overly sluggish, outdated navigation system, which compared to the latest systems in Lincoln and Audi vehicles feels a full decade behind.

Although Honda has yet to confirm a replacement, stay tuned in the Related News section; a fully redesigned RL might soon remedy that and provide Acura with a more competitive entry.
A new generation car, known internally as "KB1", was launched in late 2004 for the 2005 model year. Still without the much-rumored V8 engine, it features a sophisticated all-wheel drive system Acura calls "Super Handling-All Wheel Drive" (SH-AWD). It integrates active differentials with the all-wheel drive system and traction control to improve handling, similar to the "ATTS" system featured on the 1997 Honda Prelude SH. At the time of its introduction, the Acura RL's SH-AWD was unique among all wheel drive systems because not only could it vary traction from front to back, but also side to side in rear using a technique called torque vectoring, becoming the first such system. The RL can direct up to 70% of available torque to the rear wheels, and up to 100% of that available rear torque can be directed to just one wheel. In combination with a specially designed planetary gear set which can over-drive the rear wheels up to 5% greater speed than the front wheels, the torque direction to one wheel, or torque vectoring, can have a steering effect. As the car speeds around a curve, torque vectored to the outside rear wheel will pull the rear end around the curve faster, just as paddling the outside oar of a row boat faster than the inside oar will cause the row boat to turn.

The first-generation RL was powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) 90° C-series V6 non-VTEC engine. The second-generation RL uses a newer design 60° J-series 3.5 L V6 SOHC VTEC engine delivering 300 hp (224 kW; later revised to 290 hp (220 kW) due to new SAE testing procedures). To give the car a more sporty feel, the car features drive-by-wire throttle control and a five-speed sequential sport shifting automatic transmission with shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. As with the first-generation Acura RL, the second-generation Acura RL uses premium unleaded fuel rated at 91 (R+M)/2 octane.

A first for the RL is the use of aluminum 4-piston front brake calipers over 12.6-inch cast-iron ventilated front rotors. These multi-piston calipers are extremely rigid, and are derived from racing applications. In the rear, 12.2-inch cast-iron ventilated discs attach to their hub with lightweight aluminum collets and are gripped by one-piston aluminum brake calipers.[5] The RL was equipped with a unique five spoke 17-inch alloy wheel with Michelin Pilot HX MXM 4 245/50-R-17 98V[5] all season grand touring tires. These wheels were one inch larger in diameter, and the tires 20 mm wider in section than those found on the first-generation Acura RL.

New features found on the 2005 RL include a keyless entry system which allows the driver to both lock and unlock the car by touching the door handle, without having to use the remote control, and a keyless start system. A new 260 watt, ten speaker Bose DVD-Audio 5.1 sound system equalized for the RL cabin features several Bose technologies.[6] Bose AudioPilot is a noise compensation technology which analyzes background environmental cabin noise and uses an algorithm based on cabin acoustics to boost certain portions of the musical signal so that it may be heard more clearly above environmental sound "clutter" without any apparent change in volume.[7] Bose Centerpoint processes stereo and matrix surround sound recordings to allow play through the 5.1 sound system even though the source may only be a stereo sound track. Bose Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) rounds out the suite. Always on, whether the stereo is on or not, ANC takes input from two microphones placed in the cabin to analyze drivetrain related low end frequencies entering the cabin. The ANC sends information to the sound system to create a precisely shaped and timed reverse phased audio signal from the door speakers and the subwoofer. The result is a dramatic reduction of engine and exhaust noise.

XM Satellite Radio, integrated Bluetooth hands-free technology for wireless phone use, voice recognition technology with over 560 voice commands to control navigation system and displays, wireless phone, audio system, heating and ventilation controls round out the cabin's technological features. Heating and air conditioning systems are also tied into a solar sensor and GPS positioning so that cabin temperature remains constant in a mixed sun and shade situation. Based on sun position and cabin orientation, additional cooling air can be automatically added to the sunny side of the car to keep that occupant comfortable while not freezing out the occupant on the shady side.

The Alpine Electronics DVD-based navigation system is integrated with an 8 inch LCD display and a multi use Interface Dial, which can act like a mouse moving up down left right, like a knob, scrolling through preset menus, and a selector by clicking. Unlike many in-car navigation systems, the Alpine DVD based navigation unit allows the driver to change destinations and routes "on the fly" while driving, rather than being locked out unless the car is park. The deeply integrated voice recognition system works with the navigation system and can also recognize city and street names. Also unique at the time was two way communication via AcuraLink satellite communication. Using a facility of XM Radio service, the system can send a variety of messages to the car including service appointment reminders (appointments first made via Internet) or important messages such as recall notices. The use of OnStar is carried over from the previous generation RL. Use of digital/analog trimode (two digital bands and one analog band) technology allows the 2005 RL OnStar technology to survive the planned 2007 phase out of the analog OnStar to all digital OnStar service in 2007.

Other new features include the Active Front Lighting System, in which the high intensity discharge headlamps swivel with the steering up to twenty degrees, offering improved night cornering vision. Light emitting diodes (LED) replace traditional incandescent lighting is used for many rear tail and brake as well as in the side mirror housing integrated turn signals, and many interior cabin lights.

2011 Acura RL