[KunalPatel87]

2009 Acura TL spyshots.

Not much detail. It has too much camo. It's HUGH though!

 

[pazbien]

2009 Acura TL spyshots.

Not much detail. It has too much camo. It's HUGH though!

Huge, but looks aggressive. I love it. It looks like it would be great competition to all the luxury sedans if a v8 + RWD were added to it. However, most likely it has a 310+HP v6 and AWD.

 

[KunalPatel87]

Huge, but looks aggressive. I love it. It looks like it would be great competition to all the luxury sedans if a v8 + RWD were added to it. However, most likely it has a 310+HP v6 and AWD.

Agreed.

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All available 4th gen TL spyshots:

Looking good.

 

[Accordlover]

Just give up on wishing for a V8 RWD sedan from Honda or Acura. It's not going to happen. So there's no point in starting a fuss over it. (hint hint future posters...)

I like the look of it.

I wonder why the windows are always down? - Does this pre-production car not have A/C???

 

[namegoeshere]

Oh dang, that's almost near me.

I know that area. Those pics were taken on the I-5 going north bound. In the pic above, to the left is the golf course at Griffith Park. Crazy.

Guess I'll have to have my camera ready whenever I'm going through that area.

I wonder why the windows are always down? - Does this pre-production car not have A/C???

Maybe the driver ripped one.... :lmao:

 

[421]

honda main campus is in Torrance, CA. I love it when BMW does these road tests cuz you'll see 8 of the same new model in a row caravan style.

I want one of those bags for my car:thumbsup:

 

[russiankid]

I wonder why the windows are always down? - Does this pre-production car not have A/C???

Maybe it was some test for wind noise with windows down:dunno:

 

[honda761]

I love the TL-S. Most fun car I have ever driven by far.
I need to find some money to buy this before its no longer made.

 

[421]

I love the TL-S. Most fun car I have ever driven by far.
I need to find some money to buy this before its no longer made.

from what I heard, the Type-S holds the same "value" for the Honda Special Edition. ie the year they come out w.the type-S is going to be the last year for that body style. I could be totally wrong though:dunno:

 

[Demonik]

that thing does look huge, but i do agree, too much camo to fully see it..but if those are the tail lights for sure...I like em alot!

 

[dgs]

I love the TL-S. Most fun car I have ever driven by far.
I need to find some money to buy this before its no longer made.

The TL-S is nice but it's too expensive for a FWD car. At that price point there are better RWD alternatives, such as the G35 sedan/coupe, Lexus IS350, and even a lightly optioned BMW 330I. No way I'd spend close to $40K and buy a FWD car, never. I would even take the new Subaru STI with the BBS wheel and navigation option before I would buy a TL-S. Not only is the TL-S FWD but I believe the turning radius is atrocious at like 40 feet. Anything more expensive than $35,000 and it's only RWD for me at that point.

I don't understand why some automakers go through ridiculous pains to cover up development cars. I mean so what, who cars if people see a car that isn't the final version? What is the big deal? Some manufactures could care less if you see a car that's in development, but Honda/Acura seem to be extremely anal about this and I think it's stupid. Just show the freaking thing, what is the big secret? I remember when they did this with the 8th gen Accord and when the final product was released I was saying to myself, "what was all the secrecy and masking tape about?" I mean, it's not like these things are going to cure cancer or solve world terrorism, it's a freaking car!

 

[Aviography]

It's called hype, and is free marketing especially in today's internet realm, it's like wildfire, look at how much exposure the new TL is already getting on this and other boards/forums.

Honda is not stupid and will take all the advantage of the free publicity it can get.

 

[dgs]

It's called hype, and is free marketing especially in today's internet realm, it's like wildfire, look at how much exposure the new TL is already getting on this and other boards/forums.

Honda is not stupid and will take all the advantage of the free publicity it can get.

Well that's one way to look at it. Of course that approach can backfire if the final "uncovered" product looks like crap. Automakers who show their car throughout the development cycle can gain valuable public commentary too and maybe change some things that people don't like before it's finalized. Honda/Acura can't do that and I think it would have been in their best interest with quite a few of their cars if they had (especially with their new "hard on the eyes" 8th gen sedan). Plus if an automaker shows a hot looking car in development that will build up far more anticipation than an automaker always covering up their development cars. I remember when Mitsubishi did this with their new EVO and I thought it was a very good looking car (still do). More recently Nissan has done that with the new Nissan GT-R. We (the general public) got to see the GT-R a year before the real one hits the streets, do you think there is any less anticipation because people have seen what it looks like?

I understand what you're saying with free publicity but I still think it's dumb and have more respect for automakers who are proud of what they have and show it all they way through development to production. Trust me, I'm not going to search the web trying to find some random, rare picture of an uncovered 2009 TL because I have no interest in playing that game. And if the real thing looks like crap I'll be sure to voice my opinion even more harshly since Acura was so secretive about.

 

[VTECaddict]

it could potentially cannibalize current sales if they show the new body style unmasked. also unmasking the car so early makes it seem already old by the time it comes out.

look at the camaro, the concept has been rolling around at various car events for over a year now, and even a few production versions have been caught fully unmasked. so by now its not like 'OMFG NEW CAMARO #(*47@#(*$&@~!!!!!' but instead more like....'hey look, its that new camaro again.'

 

[88AccordLX-i]

Well, I am hoping for the best. Acura really needs a hit with this one, so hopefully they don't mess it up. Personally, I don't think that you could really improve too much from the current TL's design. It is the best looking car out there IMHO. Especially the '04-'06 models...:naughty:

One thing bothers me though. The one pic shows the exhaust, and you can see that it is one pipe that "splits" into two at the very end. To me, that SCREAMS Pontiac...

 

[WolfpackBill]

Man, that's exactly what I saw a few months ago here in North Carolina!!! I snapped a couple of pics but never posted them as to there will be people stealing them. There were 3 Japanese chaps in there. The car is big! Just as big as the Accords. The interior is beige and has signal mirrors. Very nice!

 

[Tom R]

Is it likely (or certain?) that the '09 TL will be on the '08 Accord frame? I believe the '07 Accord and the '07/'08 TL share the same frame?

Perhaps there will be some TL components that will "fit the '08 Accord? Maybe suspension or other parts?

Thanks...Tom R

 

[pahns51]

Wolfpackbill- Do you still have the pics?

 

[dgs]

it could potentially cannibalize current sales if they show the new body style unmasked. also unmasking the car so early makes it seem already old by the time it comes out.

look at the camaro, the concept has been rolling around at various car events for over a year now, and even a few production versions have been caught fully unmasked. so by now its not like 'OMFG NEW CAMARO #(*47@#(*$&@~!!!!!' but instead more like....'hey look, its that new camaro again.'

Good point, I can see that. I didn't think about the cannibalize sales angle.

Well, back to the subject at hand. While it's extremely difficult to tell much of anything from those pictures, it does like like a large car, much larger than the current one. For me that would not be a plus. I know the trend with automakers is to make the new model bigger than the old model but I hate that trend. As the length and width go up so does the weight, and we all know weight affects acceleration, handling, and gas mileage. I think the current TL is the perfect size and doesn't need to grow in any dimension at all.

 

[HondaPOD]

Wolfpackbill- Do you still have the pics?

If you do, put a big copyright thing over the middle. That's what Brenda Priddy does. Sell them 1st to Car + Driver or something.