A very good read. The car is fast, but in a GTR-esque cheat-code-on-wheels manner.



http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...rticleId=132226

I'm curious about the poor performances of the 335i and G35. Obviously Acura's track was likely designed to showcase the TL SH-AWD's advantages, but still, I expected a bit more competition from what are generally regarded as the two best entry-level sport sedans out there.

I also can't wait for a shootout between the 2009 S4 (complete with torque-vectoring Quattro) and the 2010 TL SH-AWD 6MT. The cars are actually pretty well matched in my opinion. Except for aesthetics, where Audi delivers the same old (overly conservative) goodness and Acura pushes the limit (straight into a bucket of fail).

And C&D's test of the same:

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_li...review/(page)/1

I think it would be more fair to test the '10 acura to '10 Audis and BMWs..

Would the review be the same if they put up an '08 acura?

Well, first off, the 2010 Audis and BMWs won't be undergoing any major changes (as of yet) so the year makes no difference.

Actually, there's a huge difference for the Audi. They tested the B7 S4 (V8, very compact dimensions, traditional Quattro, a bit nose-heavy and understeer-prone), whereas the 2009 S4 is the B8 generation (supercharged V6, larger dimensions and lighter weight, front wheels moved 6" forward, torque-vectoring Quattro).

Also, BMW is doing a mid-season refresh on the 3-Series in 2009, as is the G35 (when it becomes the G37 sedan). Not sure how much that would affect the results here though.

I am certain ever one of the cars will be improved for 2010. Even so, all it would mean is you can get a car just as competent as the S4 for a lot less money.

Fixed.

There's no doubt the TL SH-AWD will be cheaper. But from what I've seen, the B8 S4 is going to just massacre the B7 S4 in every single respect. It's a giant leap forward, not an incremental improvement. So I wouldn't state that the TL SH-AWD will be just as competent as the B8 S4 until we see them head to head.

When a car's that ugly, I really have no interest in how it performs. Sorry for being vain, but that's just the way it is. I'm not going date the girl with the best personality if her face looks like s scrotum. Same applies for cars.

The way the results stack up make me severely suspicious that the track they tested on is atypical compared to other testing venues. We've seen the G35 beat the E90 3-series in comparison tests, but here it was a major dead-last, while the 3-series lost to the B7 S4 which is something that just doesn't happen in the automotive world. I think when the TL Type-S 6-speed finally makes it to the mags as a production model that they can test as they please, it won't be at the top of the dung heap anymore.

I just skimmed the article, and I'm going to have to agree with Clarkma. I can't see the TL toppling *insert who you think the class leader is here*

Oops, I thought the new gens were going to be 09 models, not '10.

Just to clarify, the Audi, BMW, and Infiniti ARE updated for 2009, not 2010, but the Acura-sponsored comparison featured 2008 models of those cars (against the 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD).

The Audi S4 doesn't reach North America until the 2010 model year (launches in Q3 calendar year 2009).

Uh oh... is my next car going to be a TL? Stay tuned.

^ Can you deal with that much ugly?

Its easy when your on the inside all the time... Just think of the injustice he would be doing to everyone else though.

I don't really like it's interior either. You know what you should get Munjal? The Hyundai Genesis...

Yeah, no joke, it's all sorts of ugly. It has more black plastic buttons than a cheap laptop, and who decided that the speedo and tach should have inch-wide hubs with clusters of idiot lights on them?







How about "anything but the TL"?

I don't really see anything offending in the new TL interior.
Mitlov, back to your post from yesterday .. i thought the 2 second lead was on the B7 S4. So, unless the difference between the B7 and B8 S4 is like between a normal vette and the Z06, i don't see how i am way off the mark. Obviously, on open high speed tracks, the TL-SH is going to be at an disadvantage due to its lack of guts but in the twisties i think they should be pretty similar.












*I assume the current S4 is the B7. If it ain't then nevermind.

The current (outgoing) S4 is the B7. The upcoming one is the B8. My beef with comparing the new TL to the B7 S4 is that, by the time the TL hits dealerships, the B7 S4 will be dead and gone. I'm not sure what you mean by comparing the B7 S4 and B8 S4 to the normal Vette and the Z06, as those are two different trim levels of the same car, not two completely different generations with essentially nothing in common but the name and the badge.

Imagine if a sport sedan debuted in model year 2009, and they compared it to an E46 M3 to show that "it's better than the BMW competitor." That's what Acura is doing here, IMO.

Mitlov, the B8 S4 just debuted at the Paris Auto Show within the last week. This article was probably written about an event that happened weeks ago, and was planned months before that...

Anyone see a resemblance?

The Opel's prettier.

Don't shoot me, but the new TL has grown on me a lot.

The profile isn't very different from the previous Maxima, which was a half-decent looking car. It's the heavy-handed up front, and the fussy rear that I find offensive. I don't think the styling of this car would be such an issue of the previous generation hadn't been such a looker.

I agree with you.

The TL was always offending to look at after every redesign. Even the 04-08 model. But they grow on me.

With SH-AWD, and perhaps a more refined suspension, this may be a phenomenal car!

The TL never even approached offending before this one IMO...