New RL Photos (http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=219695)

nice find bud
;)

IMO it looks like a coupe, or at least wants to be one.
The gauge cluster looks sweet. Hopefully Lexus steals the idea and puts it in the GS.

http://www.vwvortex.com/jamie/RL/RL1.jpg

http://www.vwvortex.com/jamie/RL/RL5.jpg
http://www.vwvortex.com/jamie/RL/RL3.jpg

exterior is so so imo.

the reverse-lit nav is cool. haha, i can see where KVA lives. so cali representing!

thanks for finding the real photos :) i was amazed how fast it went. couple days ago we only got sketches on CL. now CL has actual photos . CL memebers rock!

tomm it will be at NY auto show
along with the LF-C
and M35/45

love it!
where is new IS300 now? :D

http://www.hondanews.com/CatID1000?mid=2004040738738&mime=asc

The exterior is not that great. I'd actually prefer the current RL over this one based on exterior styling but the interior is a HUGE improvement. Looking at the first picture with the 3/4 front shot it looks a lot like the old CL styling in the back which, in my opinion, was horrific. To me it doesnt really stant out as a flagship at all. Almost looks like a domestic car for some reason...it just doesnt feel like it has the Japanese engineering behind it

It looks like the trunk always looks like its open...kinda weird

The front end of this car keeps reminding me of the Camry. The sloping hood looks sporty but not stately IMHO.

Nice find! Front doesn't do anything for me at all. Interior is a huge improvement, and I love the view from the back even though it looks like a bigger version of the Accord coupe from the rear end.

GS guys ... don't the tails make you think Junction Produce for some reason? :)

It looks nice! The pictures looked alot better though. I still think it looks a little better than the new gs

Originally posted by brendanlim
don't the tails make you think Junction Produce for some reason? :)
:agree: That's EXACTLY what I was thinkin'.

Interior looks great...kinda iffy on the exterior, but it's better than the TL revision.

Overall a nice conservative design.

That big round nob better not be the I drive it resembles.

Like what most members are saying, exterior is not much for a flagship, but man, the interior is really nice!
Finally they're putting some quality into the inside. The gauges "looks like" the Mercedes new E and S.
Yeah, the trunk does "look like" it's open. The gaps are pretty big by the taillights. However the new contender will be the Infinitis.

Did they finally make a car that is rear wheel drive?

Originally posted by LexAristo
Did they finally make a car that is rear wheel drive?

Negative.. FWD with the option of AWD.

-Anthony

It would make the car look alot better if they had an optional aero kit or some sort

It's nice but reminds me the new TL and Accord, and TSX. Not sure I want to design my flagship after the current models. Maybe that's why I have more people calling my TL a Honda:)

Way to much front overhang (like the old Chrysler Cab Forward look) Looks like a Camry. With I-35 headlights. And the Mazda Millenia grill. And a Dodge stratus/745 rear. The new TL looks great, this looks like crap. It's gonna get eaten alive by the new GS and M35/45 let alone the Europeans. Interior looks good. For the price u expect that.

Overall, it's okay.:cylon:

RL=

we'll see how sales go in the long run. I still think it will beat the gs in sales though

Originally posted by Technics

http://www.fsa.ulaval.ca/personnel/paradisj/acura1.6el/16el-gr1.jpg

Any similarities.:D

Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
Any similarities.:D

LOL man.

I like the new RL overall, however it doesn't have that flagship look, like an LS430 or MB S500/600

I mean, the current M45, coming out in 2003=blah and I was expecting Nissan to hit a home run with the design of the new one and IMO, they did inside and out. The new M35/45 is THERE now to compete against the GS/E/5.

To think, the RL has been out since 1996, this is a 2005 model, 9 years, and this is what they could think of? I know Honda is usually very timid on designs but this is ridiculous. And I have a feeling it will be a solid driving car.

Funny thing is the LS is one of the blandest vehicles on the road. But commands respect and demands authority. Weird.

Is it just me or the rear trunklid seems kinda like the 7-series? Well actually the whole rear kinda reminds me of the new 7. :confused:

The wheel/tires in the second picture of the prototype look very unbalanced and mismatched. Overall I think it is a beautiful design if not a bit small.

Things are are HUGE on this car - the exhaust and dead pedal :eek2:

Originally posted by LexRX
The wheel/tires in the second picture of the prototype look very unbalanced and mismatched. Overall I think it is a beautiful design if not a bit small.

Things are are HUGE on this car - the exhaust and dead pedal :eek2:

Yeah, seriously. Why is the dead pedal so huge? When I first saw it, I thought someone had left a newspaper on the floor. I was like, why'd they include that in the press photo?

Anyway, even though I'm a Honda/Acura fan, I'm a little disappointed by the looks. Not a fan of the sloping front hood. Everything else seems great, though. And besides, if I had to choose between conservative Accord-like styling and "futuristic" 7-series styling, I'd go with conservative most any day of the week.

Originally posted by LexAristo
Did they finally make a car that is rear wheel drive?

Yeah, starting in 1991.

Thought I'd help out a little bit. Even though Autofiend is gone, I've still got access to the private media sites with all of the official pictures. Went and found some for the new RL...

Official .. it's like I-Drive :egads:

Looks a little better from this angle, don't you think ??

Also, last for now, dead front end shot.

Yeah that angle does look better because you don't catch all of that Camery front end overhang.

I think the car overall is nice although I expected something more flagshipish like you know, huge and and a bit more squared off and then sleek. This car has more coupe like features its stance and portions and such. This just proves that Honda/Acura is not interested in big flagships but into making something a little more than whats currently on the Acura plate. I think the interior is very nice, I see they are using the new S-class MBZ head rest style which I've always liked.

Looking at the car for the first time, I'm thinking Camery from the front and first generation TL from the back. overall though I like it better than the new GS, would I buy either......no.

Motor spec and performance?

Originally posted by Lonely Toothbrush
Motor spec and performance?

Some official stats:

New York 04/07/2004 --

Powertrain
1. World's first Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive System(TM) (SH-AWD(TM))
2. 3.5 liter VTEC V-6 engine
3. 300 horsepower
4. 5-speed Sequential SportShift automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted F1(R)-style paddle shifters
5. LEV2-ULEV emissions system

Body/Chassis
1. 4-wheel independent double-wishbone suspension
2. 4-wheel disc brakes with 4-piston calipers and slotted rotors
3. 20-inch alloy wheels with 255/35R20 Michelin high performance tires
4. Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS), which features low beams that swivel based on steering wheel input for increased illumination
5. Aluminum and high tensile steel construction

Interior
1. AcuraLink(TM) Satellite-Based Communication System
2. Leather - trimmed interior
3. Genuine wood trim
4. Acura/Bose(R) DVD-Audio system
5. HandsFreeLink' wireless telephone interface
6. XM(R) Satellite Radio
7. OnStar(R) service
8. Acura Keyless Access System(TM)

Safety
1. Advanced Compatibility Engineering(TM) (ACE(TM)) body structure
2. Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA(R))
3. Front, side and side curtain air bag systems

Dimensions
1. Length - 193.5 inches, 4915mm
2. Width - 72.6 inches, 1845 mm
3. Height - 57.1 inches, 1450 mm
4. Wheelbase - 110.2 inches, 2800 mm

Hmmm well it has a few really nice goodies on that puppy.
"Super handling AWD" thats the best name they can come up with, sounds like a joke.

Well the kids will like it. I can hear it now.
Teen in junior high; " Aw dude my parents got like this cool new Acura that just came out and it got like this waaay cool Super handling AWD system in it dude you gotta come and check it"

Hmmmmmm......

Originally posted by Milla...
Hmmm well it has a few really nice goodies on that puppy.
"Super handling AWD" thats the best name they can come up with, sounds like a joke.

Well the kids will like it. I can hear it now.
Teen in junior high; " Aw dude my parents got like this cool new Acura that just came out and it got like this waaay cool Super handling AWD system in it dude you gotta come and check it"

Hmmmmmm......

lol, yeah that does seem a little silly.
Anyway, i'm not feeling this new RL. It looks too much like a Camry/Accord. They really should have thought outside the box for this one. The interior is very very nice, but the exterior just looks blah to me. Maybe it will look better in a different color, i dunno. I would like to see it up close before making my final decison, but from the pics, it's not impressing me, much like the new GS.

dude this is funny while I was looking at the pics and I show my gf and both go at the same time camry!.. not bashing it or anything, I actually like the design BUT compared to the current model <which I like a lot and even better if it was rwd....> and its competitors, it falls short on giving that same 'flagship' feeling.. Dunno how to explain it, like it looks as something I would see competing on sales against an avalon or something, not a LS430 or Q45, etc..

You know I don't think that they are even targeting the S class/ 7 series / LS in faaact they never have, think about it. The Legend was what a sports luxo sedan a six shooter not 8 it was FWD not RWD so their target was never this huge luxo flagship of a sedan and when they tried with the last gen RL it failed, it was almost like they didn't have enough to work with (V8 RWD),and doing so was out of their demographics if you will. Acura is one of those 'most bang and quality for your buck luxo sport type of division" always have and they seem to be keeping it that way. Acura don't do Flagships, just because the RL is at the top of their sedan cup doesn't mean its a flagship, maybe in comparison to the other cars in their line up but thats about the extent of it. I suppose this is one of the reason why they stopped the Legend in 95, because that car was so successful it launched them head first in a direction they refused to go, it all kinda make sence now.

http://www.honda.co.jp/HDTV/news/2004-4040401a/

Originally posted by Milla...
You know I don't think that they are even targeting the S class/ 7 series / LS in faaact they never have, think about it. The Legend was what a sports luxo sedan a six shooter not 8 it was FWD not RWD so their target was never this huge luxo flagship of a sedan and when they tried with the last gen RL it failed, it was almost like they didn't have enough to work with (V8 RWD),and doing so was out of their demographics if you will. Acura is one of those 'most bang and quality for your buck luxo sport type of division" always have and they seem to be keeping it that way. Acura don't do Flagships, just because the RL is at the top of their sedan cup doesn't mean its a flagship, maybe in comparison to the other cars in their line up but thats about the extent of it. I suppose this is one of the reason why they stopped the Legend in 95, because that car was so successful it launched them head first in a direction they refused to go, it all kinda make sence now.

Acura isn't trying to target the s class or 7 series at all. Acura doesn't even have a car in that car level. The RL is meant to compete against the E-class, 5 series, M45, GS430, etc. Acura has yet to introduce a flagship sedan to compete with the S-class, 7-series, Q45, LS430, etc

Okay, i think the RL looks hot now...look at these pics. And look how small the people look compared to it

2

3

4

5

This car doesn't look bland at all. It has nice indentations and curvatures in the body. I think that this car will look very good in person. When i first saw the pics of the TL, i didnt think it was that great looking but when i saw it in person, the car was absolutely beautiful. I think the RL will be the same. Its not photogenic...haha:p

looks very clean but i think it has some influences from ACURA EL (honda civic)
it's a great car over all. i would take this one over E60 525i anyday

the think the regular 5 series cars are ugly but the new M5 has alot of appeal

I don't like it as much as the sketches posted a couple days ago with the more aggressive looking headlights , but I think this car would look much better in person, and will not resemble a big Camry at all. A big improvement over the current RL I think.

Meh, to me the front end looks like a cross between a RSX and a Impala, while the tail-lights remind me of the ones on the new Scion tC.

Originally posted by MagusFuria
Meh, to me the front end looks like a cross between a RSX and a Impala, while the tail-lights remind me of the ones on the new Scion tC.

hey dont cross the RSX with the Impala :D

Originally posted by SexySC
2. Leather - trimmed interior
3. Genuine wood trim

One thing I like about my CL that was lost in the 2000 and up Acuras is the leather interior. Not leather-TRIMMED, which I think is cost-cutting in a way that doesn't fit the luxury image. I couldn't believe it when I test-drove a TL and found that the back side of the driver's seat was "leatherette". To think that the much-ballyhooed new RL might have an interior that is not leather all-around is unconscionable.

The genuine wood trim is a step up, though. At least 1SickLex will be happy with THAT upgrade! :D

Wow, the exterior design of the new RL is totally different than I expect from an Acura flagship sedan. When you take a first look at it from the outside, I think it makes you wonder how much room there is on the inside, just because how (like everyone has mentioned) it resembles somewhere along the lines of a coupe :egads:

Then, step into the interior, and it's amazing how comfortable and luxurious (in the literal sense) it looks. The wood trim (though I'd rather like to see marble gray instead), the navigation, the controls, not to mention the instrument gauge cluster (sporty style like the Altima and GS). I sat in my real estate broker's '02 RL, and thought the interior was really bland and boring. This new RL seems to be on another level, as far as design, shape, appearance and feel are concerned. It should certainly catch a lot of eyes and heads from all of this year's auto shows.

I'm disappointed it's still a V-6 :rolleyes:

:) GS300 in trouble
http://response.jp/issue/2004/0408/article59354_1.images/64441.jpg
http://response.jp/issue/2004/0408/article59354_1.images/64440.jpg
http://response.jp/issue/2004/0408/article59354_1.images/64442.jpg
http://response.jp/issue/2004/0408/article59354_1.images/64444.jpg
http://response.jp/issue/2004/0408/article59354_1.images/64446.jpg
http://response.jp/issue/2004/0408/article59354_1.images/64447.jpg

Originally posted by LexusLuver
:) GS300 in trouble . . . . .


Based on what we' ve seen so far (mostly from pictures and incomplete info on specs) i would have to say new M45>new RL>newGS. The hybrid technology that the new GS supposedly comes with is the only thing that it has going for it.
I don't have problem with the general shape / sheet metal of the new GS, it's just that the headlights, taillights, & the grille to a lesser extent look so unappealing. They should scrap them and redo them altogether IMO.

Not bad; I like the gauge's blue dash lights; I DON'T like those ugly interior grab handles; the front is okay; the rear is sort of old & outdated. Acura is ALMOST there, but have a long way to go.

the center dash reminds me of the tC.
http://www.scionlife.com/gallery/tc/tc09.jpg

the headlights remind of the next VW Golf
http://autosuper.ru/news/2003/07/29/golf.jpg


I think it's allright. Could be good competition for the next GS. But it's sad how the flagship luxury sedan from Acura can't be placed as direct competition of the LS. They need to pull something even larger (ala LS and Q45) :thumbup:

I will say that those last pics do alot for the car, seeing people next to it helps with the scale of it, and yes its a nice size, it just looks like a huge coupe and I'm alright with that. I think this car is going to look much much better in person.

Those head lights look predatory. They are staring at you, piercing right thru you. They remind me of the eyes of an eagle and a cobra snake.

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=863405

m
it does look like it, it has the same length and overall shape as the

just look:

http://www.theautochannel.com/media/photos/oldsmobile/1998/98_oldsmobile_aurora.jpg

Ohhh no now you guys are taking it a bit to far now stop right there.

Originally posted by Milla...
Ohhh no now you guys are taking it a bit to far now stop right there.

okay:D

Originally posted by BrickHead
Those head lights look predatory. They are staring at you, piercing right thru you. They remind me of the eyes of an eagle and a cobra snake.

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=863405

These look even more predatory, I like the sketches better. :thumbup:

http://response.jp/issue/2004/0401/article59092_1.images/63987.jpg

Here are some more pics from the auto show

http://gallery.dealerrater.com/gallery/shows.asp?galleryId=5&manu=Acura&Submit1=Search

The more I look at this car the more I like it. It has a pretty good size to it, not bad, not bad. Thanks for the pictures guy.

Wait, I just thought. If the V-6 RL has 300hp, then Lexus will have to bump the GS 430's rating.

Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
Wait, I just thought. If the V-6 RL has 300hp, then Lexus will have to bump the GS 430's rating.

They would have to if they want to compete at all. If the GS430 is 300 hp and the RL is 300 hp, its a no brainer that someone would get the RL because its cheaper and nicer with the same hp

Personally I like the car - but the dash. Could that really be from the same company that brought us the TL? IMHO, the TL dash is perfection - the RL dash however....I just don't understand.

Same sort of thing with the new A6 - the dash in that car seems so much better thought out and "nicer" than the A8. Werid that they have to play games with the dash layouts and controls in the flagship cars (i.e. BMW 7 Series).

Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
okay:D

hahaha, the photos you posted were cracking me up! :bigok:

as for the RL, well, it is supposed to compete with the 5 and GS...well, i don't know man, i think it just lacks that "Luxury" feel on the exterior.

the RL seems to be just a bit too sporty and aggressive for its target customers which generally are a bit more conservative when it comes to cars...however it is all changing as the new generation takes over that targeted market.