Big Shoes to Fill
After what seems like a long time coming, Acura has just officially launched its third generation TL luxury sedan. Taking the middle lane between the compact TSX and full-size RL sedans, the new TL has some pretty big shoes to fill. The previous generation was a massive hit, topping the charts as a best seller in its class, and winning hands down as the Canadian Car of the Year for 1999, when it was introduced.
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| Does the new Acura TL have what it takes to live up to the previous generation and go head to head with stiff market competition? (Photo: Honda) |
Continuing the pursuit of bestseller in the entry luxury car division, Acura has set its sights on main targets, Infiniti I35, Lexus ES300 and Swedish rival Volvo S60. While the Acura has seen great success with the TSX against A4 and 3-series, and domination in the sport compact segment with the RSX, does the new TL have the right stuff to successfully tackle its highly-regarded opponents?
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| Unlike the previous generation of TL, that took on the appearance of a traditional luxury sedan, the new TL sports small front and rear overhangs. (Photo: Honda) |
This past April, Acura unveiled the TL Concept at the New York Auto Show. Designed by Jon Ikeda, the concept provided, in his words, "more than a strong hint at the styling direction for the 2004 TL." Without a doubt the thinly veiled concept is nearly the spitting image of the production car. It's easy to see heavy influence from the razorblade-styled TSX, especially up front on the car's face. Thin, angular headlights are inset against the car's protruding five-sided grille in typical Acura fashion. Unlike the previous generation of TL, that took on the appearance of a traditional luxury sedan, the new TL sports small front and rear overhangs. A high trunk lid and truncated tail feature slim bumpers, distinct taillights and integrated exhaust tips to further the sporty image. Oddly, the novel slash through the door, running parallel to the lower window line has been kept, complete with orange and red side blinkers.