April 8, 2004

New York auto show
Acura RL concept a preview of 2005 RL

New York, New York - Acura unveiled a concept RL sedan at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday. The concept vehicle features a new all-wheel-drive system, and provides a preview of the direction in which Acura will take the production version of the 2005 RL which will be introduced this fall.

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"The RL Prototype highlights Acura's focus on developing a truly luxurious sedan," said Dave Gardner, Acura National Sales Manager. "The combination of a refined and sumptuous interior, a high-output engine, sport-tuned chassis and a revolutionary all-wheel-drive system allows the RL Prototype to deliver a rewarding driving experience."

The RL concept is shorter and wider than the current RL with a wide stance, and offers more passenger volume than the current model.

The RL Prototype's 3.5-litre, 24-valve, all-aluminum VTEC engine generates 300 horsepower and meets LEV-2 ULEV emissions standards. It is mated to a 5-speed Sequential SportShift automatic transmission that enables gears to be shifted using the shift lever on the centre console or with the F1-type paddle shifters located on the steering wheel.

The "Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive System" (SH-AWD) is the first all-wheel-drive platform that distributes the optimum amount of torque not only between the front and rear wheels but also between the left and right rear wheels.

To further complement the high-output engine and all-wheel-drive system, Acura gave the RL Prototype a highly rigid unit body that is lightweight, due in large part to aluminum construction of the sub frame, suspension, hood, trunk and front fenders.

Inside, the RL Prototype features leather, genuine wood trim and an assortment of leading-edge technology. The RL Prototype features a premium 10-speaker Acura/Bose DVD-Audio system, tuned to deliver surround sound to all seating positions. Acura's latest DVD-based, satellite-linked Navigation System with bilingual Voice Recognition utilizes an 8-inch screen mounted in the centre console and has been programmed to accept verbal commands and deliver driving directions in either English or Canadian-French. Acura's HandsFreeLink wireless telephone connectivity system is also found on the RL Prototype.