Autoblog

Honda adds 440,000 more cars to airbag fragment recall

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Acura, Honda

2001 Honda Accord - click above for high-res gallery

Honda began a recall campaign last November to repair overpressurized airbag inflators in 2001 Honda Civics and Accords. The excessive pressurization could cause the metal inflator casing to explode on the driver's side, potentially resulting in fragments that would pierce the airbag material and injure drivers.

That recall has now been expanded with the addition of 440,000 cars that include the 2002-2003 Acura TL. Honda says affected owners will receive a recall notice in the mail, or you can check your car's recall status on Honda and Acura's sites. Barring that, you can get all of the information in the press release after the jump or check out our galleries of the 2001 Accord and Civic models below.

Gallery: 2001 Honda Accord

Gallery: 2001 Honda Civic

Continue reading Honda adds 440,000 more cars to airbag fragment recall

Honda adds 440,000 more cars to airbag fragment recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acura dealer takes the TL's nose in for rhinoplasty

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Acura

Acura's new corporate fascia hasn't gained the affection of the automotive press, not to mention our commentators. And to make matters worse, not only is "The Shield" employed on the MDX, TSX and TL, it's expected to infect the rest of Acura's lineup into the next decade.

We're still far from convinced that the new nose was a smart move, but we've conceded that it doesn't look nearly as bad on a silver TSX, matching the lines and the color to slightly better effect.

An Acura dealer seems to have a similar idea, and after taking delivery of one burgundy TL, had the grille painted to match the rest of the exterior. While it's an improvement, we'd love to see something similar to the 2009 Legend's schnoz retrofitting an Acura emblem in place of the Big H.

[Source: Acurazine via Motive]

Acura dealer takes the TL's nose in for rhinoplasty originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog First Drive: 2009 Acura TL [w/VIDEO]

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Acura, First Drive

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Acura TL

Beginning in February at the Chicago Auto Show, Acura began rolling out redesigned versions of its three sedans in the span of six months. Beginning with the RL in Chicago, Acura has rolled out its new design ethos intended to make these cars stand out in the increasingly crowded entry luxury segment. When we first showed you the RL, it got what would charitably be described as a negative reception. The new shield grille design was almost universally reviled both in the media and amongst you readers. By the time the entry-level TSX arrived a month later, reactions softened somewhat as people became accustomed to the look. In its first few months on the street, sales of the new TSX have jumped more than 20 percent compared to the old model.

The last to arrive and arguably the best looking of the three is the mid-level TL, which arrives this September to replace the best selling sedan in Acura's lineup. Acura invited us to New York to sample its new mainstream model on the roads of Connecticut and the Empire State in mid-July. While the TL was the last to be unveiled, it is actually the first and only one of the three sedans to be completely designed around this new look. Read more about the new TL and our first drive impressions after the jump.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Acura TL

Gallery: 2009 Acura TL

Continue reading Autoblog First Drive: 2009 Acura TL [w/VIDEO]

Autoblog First Drive: 2009 Acura TL [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Acura TL fully revealed

Alex Nunez — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:22:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Acura

Click above for more photos of the 2009 Acura TL

The floodgates will open on the '09 Acura TL soon enough, but in the meantime, Inside Line has posted a set of press photos and confirmed the car's final specs. As has been previously reported, there are two versions: a base 3.5L front-drive car with 285 horses and the range-topping TL SH-AWD, which gets a 305-horsepower 3.7L V6. The Type S is history, replaced in essence by the SH-AWD. Both TL models are mated to 5-speed automatics, and a stiffer chassis should help make time spent behind the wheel more engaging.

Inside, the layout is one that should be familiar to anyone who's spent time in a new Honda or Acura. Metallic-look wings arc out from a center stack topped by a multifunction LCD screen and finished at the bottom by Honda's all-in-one controller for audio/info/nav interfaces. In short, techno-gadgetry abounds. The new TL is a larger car than it predecessor, with a 1.4-inch longer wheelbase and 6.2 inches added to its overall length. Consequently, interior space also improves over the outgoing sedan.

While the current-gen TL is Acura's most attractive vehicle, we have a feeling the new-for-2009 edition may not age as gracefully. The new corporate shield grille is in place, adding bling to the nose and offering enough frontal reflective surface to repel a Klingon phaser bombardment. If you miss the obviously-an-Acura front end, you might need to do a double-take to recognize in profile thanks to a C-pillar kink that apes BMW...and Infiniti, and the Jaguar XF, just to name a few. Out back, the trunklid repeats the shield motif that started up front. Regarding the car's styling, there's much for you to discuss in the comments below. Stay tuned for plenty more information and our first drive impressions of the new TL in the days to come.

Gallery: 2009 Acura TL

[Source: Inside Line]

2009 Acura TL fully revealed originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2009 Acura TL in the buff

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:26:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Acura

Click above for more shots of the 2009 Acura TL.

The 2009 Acura TL has been spied enough times to rival the Chevrolet Camaro and Nissan GT-R, and even though Acura has already released a teaser of the TL ahead of its official launch, the overly airbrushed glamour shot doesn't accurately reflect what the TL will look like in the flesh.

Our new friend Dariusz came across a handful of images of the TL hanging out in a parking lot, with only the badge on the bonnet and boot obscured by tape and the steering wheel cloaked in a towel. Check the gallery to get a detailed glimpse of the new TL and check back next month for our First Drive.

Gallery: More Spy Shots: 2009 Acura TL

Gallery: 2009 Acura TL spy shots

[Source: Buckeye1 via Flickr]

Spy Shots: 2009 Acura TL in the buff originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Acura TL shows its face, AWD confirmed

Alex Nunez — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:13:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Acura

Click above image to enlarge

The 2009 Acura TL is coming this fall, and Acura has released the first official image of the car. Acura's love-it-or-hate-it new shield-grille face is affixed to the front end of the new sedan, which also sports thin, slanted headlamps and a pair of angular lower intakes. A pronounced accent line sweeps down from back to front, where it leads directly into a very pronounced wheel arch. Looks like we'll have to wait a little longer to see the car's posterior.

Two TL flavors will be offered, confirming the preview report that we ran back in April. Honda doesn't announce powertrain specifics other than to confirm that the new TL will be available with Acura's SH-AWD system and also offer the marque's "most powerful engine ever." We assume that to mean the 300-horsepower 3.7L engine used in the RL and MDX will also be making an appearance in the TL. Based on what we were told back in April, look for a 280-horsepower 3.5L to serve as the base engine in the FWD car.

So, now that you've had your first look at the new TL, tell us what you think.

View Poll

[Source: Acura]

Continue reading 2009 Acura TL shows its face, AWD confirmed

2009 Acura TL shows its face, AWD confirmed originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acura recalls 273,000 TLs due to fire fears

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:03:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Acura

Honda put out two recall notices today that affects some 273,000 2004-2008 Acura TLs. One of the recalls addresses a windshield wiper issue, where a potentially faulty circuit breaker on 129,600 '04 and '05 TLs could fail, rendering the wipers useless.

The other recall is a bit more compelling. Apparently an issue with high temperatures under the hood can cause the power steering hose to degrade to the point that it could crack and leak fluid onto the catalytic converter. This could result in a fair amount of smoke, or, at worse, a fire.

Neither issue has resulted in a crash or injury, but Acura dealers have been instructed to replace the power steering hose and, in the case of the windshield wiper motor, inspect the unit and replace it if necessary. Naturally, there's no charge for either recall.

[Source: Detroit News]

Acura recalls 273,000 TLs due to fire fears originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acura exec outlines future vehicle lineup

Dan Roth — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:05:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Japan, Acura, Honda

Acura's sales are down, and rather than try to be all cars to all buyers, filling niches is more the game plan. Product planning manager John Watts intimated that Acura's looking at segments with a narrower appeal, such as the now-defunct CL, and the possibility of a retractable hardtop vehicle, too. The MDX does well, and the new RDX is the darling of everyone who drives it, but as far as cars go, Acura's not catching anyone's hair on fire. The top-dog RL sedan is a wonderful car - beautifully drawn, SH-AWD moves, and a powerful V6 make it a very pleasant way to devour miles, but it doesn't offer the flavor du jour for premium sedans with performance leanings. The engine layout is wrong, and it's missing at least two cylinders to truly be taken seriously by some buyers who are looking for a V8 and rear drive as prerequesites.

There's talk of a new 8 or 10 cylinder powerplant in the offing. The NSX is supposedly getting a V10, which could then propagate through to other Acura cars. Analysts have noted that there's a need for a flagship sedan above the RL to offer RWD and larger engines. While Acura gets its act together developing the new NSX and readying the new TL for launch in 2009, dealers are enviously eyeing Lexus and Infiniti stores, wishing they had a big V8 boomer to throw into the fray, as well.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Acura exec outlines future vehicle lineup originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Driving Impression: 2008 Acura TL Type-S Six-speed

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Acura, First Drive

Click the photo of the 2008 TL for a high-res gallery

Acura kicked off its 2008 model presentation with a rundown of what's new for 2008, which isn't much. The bulk of the presentation was actually about the development of the AXR-01 LMP2 race car. Once that was over, we had the opportunity to select from a fleet TL and TSX sedans for the drive out to Waterford Hills Raceway. I hopped into a six-speed manual TL Type-S to traverse the forty mile route that Acura laid out for us.

The driving route consisted of a mix of stop-and-go and medium-speed city driving, low-speed neighborhoods and twisty back roads. Under the hood, the TL Type-S has a 3.5L SOHC V-6 equipped with Honda's VTEC variable valve timing system. The V-6 has an output of 286 hp and 256 lb-ft of twisting force. The torque peaks at 5,000 rpm but feels reasonably strong at lower revs as well giving the engine a flexible, responsive feel.

Gallery: 2008 Acura TL Type-s ride

Continue reading Driving Impression: 2008 Acura TL Type-S Six-speed

Driving Impression: 2008 Acura TL Type-S Six-speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Mystery Acura sedan

Chris Shunk — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:05:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Acura, Honda

Acura's non-CUV lineup has been rather quiet lately while the Japanese, German, and American competition have been steadily adding new and refreshed models to their lineup. Judging by these spy shots in the California desert, that's all about to change. The folks over at KGP Photography caught a mystery Acura sedan testing in the middle of the night, and even though the vehicle is heavily camo'd, there are a lot of interesting cues that can't be hidden with black padding.

The sedan appears to be rather large, meaning that it's likely the TL (the RL isn't scheduled to arrive until 2010 or later), which has been on the market virtually unchanged since 2004. The greenhouse looks like it's been to the Lexus/Nissan design school with its steeply raked C-pillar, although the camo doesn't give much away. What's visible of the front end shows a much more aggressive look for Acura, and judging by what appears to be a mesh grille and performance-oriented wheels, the model caught testing may be Acura's next stab at a sport model. The automaker's car lineup could use a shot in the arm to keep up with the competition, and with Honda's penchant for excellent quality and powertrains coupled with their outstanding AWD system, this new model should be great, whatever it may be.

[Source: WorldCarFans]

Spy Shots: Mystery Acura sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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V8 Acura in the works

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 08:09:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Acura, Honda

It's been speculated for some time that sales of Acura's luxo-barge offerings may be hindered by the automaker's lack of offering V8 power. According to Automotive News, this problem may be remedied soon.

In an interview with Honda's president of R&D in the States, Hirohide Ikeno, he hinted that a new direction for Acura powerplants would debut at the upcoming Detroit auto show in January.

It's already been confirmed that the new NSX, due in 2009, will likely get a mid-ship V10, drawing credibility from Honda's 8- and 12-cyclinder racing mills. That kind of power is necessary in the supercar market and a V8 option is a necessity if an automaker hopes to compete with other luxury sedans.

Although development of the V8 will be carried out by Acura's parent company, Honda, don't expect a V8 option in the next Civic.

[Source: Automotive News -- Sub. Req.]

V8 Acura in the works originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Dec 2006 08:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No more mystery: Acura TL Type-S official photos hit the web

Alex Nunez — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Acura

Over the weekend, the Boston Globe let loose with the first details on the new Acura TL Type-S. We didn't expect to hear any more on the subject until 9/1, when Acura was set to officially pull off the wraps, but Autoweek has accelerated things a bit by publishing official pictures and additional details.

We already told you about the car's 286-horse 3.5L V6, which is connected to either a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed auto with paddles. Also covered was the new stiffer suspension for the Type-S, so let's move on to how the car looks.

Appearance-wise, the Type-S has adopted the former TL A-Spec's bodywork. The lower side skirts, the fender bulges, and the decklid spoiler that all first appeared on that package are now part of the Type-S trimmings. All TL models receive revised front fascias featuring integrated foglamps, new head and taillight assemblies, and an updated interior. The TL Type-S also gets a slightly different rear-end treatment that incorporates a new bumper cover and a pair of dual-tipped exhaust outlets (very BMW "M" if you ask us). Both the TL and TL Type-S get new wheels, too, with the Type-S rims reminding us of the ones found on the Nissan Altima SE-R. Frankly, we're a bit surprised they didn't go with a more original design. No complaints about the base TL's new 5-spokes, which look great.

The interior incorporates new gauges, a new steering wheel, and colored ambient lighting (blue for TL, red for Type-S). The available nav system has a real-time traffic feature and also acts as the display for the car's reverse camera. The now-expected-by-everyone iPod jack is hidden in the center console.

The Acura TL was and remains a sharp-looking car that's been made even more attractive thanks to the availability of the performance-oriented Type S package. Aside from the additional fun now available via the loud pedal, Acura wisely left well enough alone. We're ok with that. Now, how soon can we drive one?

Thanks to Rob C. for the tip!

(More pics after the jump)

[Source: Autoweek]

Continue reading No more mystery: Acura TL Type-S official photos hit the web

No more mystery: Acura TL Type-S official photos hit the web originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Aug 2006 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acura readies 286-hp TL Type S

Alex Nunez — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 11:05:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Acura

UPDATE 1

The Boston Globe spilled the beans! For MY 2007, Acura has added a Type S model to the TL range. Those who opt for the package are rewarded with a 3.5L V6 churning out 286 horses and 256 lb.-ft. of torque, 28 hp and 23 lb.-ft. better than the base TL's 3.2L mill.

Subtle detail changes differentiate the Type -S from the standard car. A mesh grille, wheel/tire upgrade, rear spoiler, quad exhaust outlets and, of course, Type S badging identify it as such. Inside, the Type S gets sportier seating, carbon fiber trim, and racy steel pedals. A sport-tuned suspension is in place to give the car improved handling to go with its added punch. Expect a retail price of around $39,000.

We're guessing that an official announcement will likely come this week, now that a major media outlet has broken the story. We'll have photos and complete specs as soon as Honda makes them available to us.

Thanks to reader Raghu fir the tip!

[Source: The Boston Globe]

UPDATE 1: Click here to see a shot of what the 2007 Acura TL Type S will actually look like.

Acura readies 286-hp TL Type S originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Aug 2006 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda enters Chinese luxury auto market with U.S. Acura brand

Joel Arellano — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, China, Marketing/Advertising, Acura

Honda's luxury brand, Acura, dropped off its first shipment of TL's at the port of Shanghai this week. The brand, developed originally by Honda Motor Co. for the U.S. market, has only recently pursued markets outside of North America.

The TL is Acura's most successfully selling model in the U.S. Alongside the flagship RL's, the sedans will be sold in several major Chinese cities, with Acura aiming to sell 3,000 vehicles through the first model year of operations. It is unknown if Honda plans to build plants on Chinese soil to manufacture more of the luxury mark.

[Source: The Fabricator]

Honda enters Chinese luxury auto market with U.S. Acura brand originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jul 2006 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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