Test drive: 2005 Acura RL

The long anticipated Acura RL has finally arrived and it is well worth the wait. It's wider, taller and far, far more attractive than the vehicle it replaces. This is the definitive Japanese near-luxury performance sedan with as much computing power, advanced technology and electronic bells and whistles as Apollo 12. Conservative styling has a timelessness that will strike a deep chord in the targeted buyer - the mature upper management family man. MSRP: $49,100; Warranty: 4 yrs/50,000 mi.

This is the one the faithful have been waiting for. While gorgeous from every angle, its beauty is more Annette Benning than Beyonce. Nevertheless its tightly stretched lines will be catnip to the older, conservative buyer the RL targets. Its beautiful curves will hold their value as this vehicle ages and the design should retain its appeal far longer than the previous RL before it begins to pale. This new RL is not too long, not too wide nor is it too high. To my eye, the proportions are just about perfect. With the wheels positioned out as far as they can go towards the corners, the package almost defines stability and athletic balance. But its physical grace is more that of the confident older athlete rather than the brash young struttin'' and spikin' stud. Which means, I'm afraid, it'll easily fade into the background, though probably not so far as previous RL models. Safety is a priority in this new RL. It has 6--count 'em, 6--standard air bags and a highly crush-resistant cabin. In fact, the RL was the only one of 18 vehicles tested recently in this class of luxury cars that was awarded a 5-star rating, which means you'll have a better than fair chance of walking away from all but the most cataclysmic crash.

If it weren't so well meaning and effective, the cabin of the RL would be technological overkill. The amazing Bose audio system has features unobtainable just a few years ago on home systems costing thousands. The hands free phone has Bluetooth wireless technology. Geek nirvana! But it's also got things for the technologically challenged, including superb multi-adjustable power seats and keyless entry. With the key in your pocket just tap the door handle and the locks lift. Same thing when you start up the engine. Leave the key in your pocket and turn the switch. Nothing could be simpler. Of course, everything that should be is power-assisted. The seats can be adjusted every which way and the steering wheel not only tilts but in European fashion telescopes as well. When you turn the wheel, optionally covered with thick wood and leather, the xenon headlights swivel to illumine the corner. While exceedingly luxurious, the rear seat cushion is set a bit too low for my comfort. At speed, the "active noise cancellation" system emits an undetectable sound that precisely mirrors the ambient low booming road and wind noise and effectively cancels them out. Result: cathedral-like silence in the cabin.

It’s here on the road that the genius of Honda's engineering team shows itself best. While there's no V-8, as had been expected by some observers, the ultra-sophisticated, transverse-mounted 3.5L V-6 with 24 valves and variable valve time (VTEC) produces a segment-leading 300hp. This propels the heavy RL from 0 – 60mph (96 km/h) in well under 7 seconds. And when you want to cut loose, the innovative electronic assist systems included with the all wheel drive package will do much of the fine tuning needed to keep you between the white lines. Acura calls this SH-AWD for "super handling all wheel drive." This system distributes torque not only between the front and rear wheels when needed (that is, when slip is detected) but it is also capable of sending 100 of available torque to the outside left or right rear wheel when that is needed. The effect is to increase the rotational speed of the outside wheel in order to reduce understeer. Let’s think about that for a moment. The outside rear wheel actually pushes the car around the curve. A minor complaint: Much as I liked the peppy V-6 offered in the RL, I think hybrid drive would have been more in keeping with the class leading electronics found in the cabin. More eco-friendly, too.

You've just got to know when Acura was so slow coming up with something to replace the hoary old last generation RL, it was hiding something under the old kimono. For me the wait was worth it. This car is spectacular. Not cheap, mind, but worth every penny. Can't for the life of me understand, however, why Acura decided to cheap out at the last minute and make essential luxuries like the wood and leather steering wheel and headlight washers optional extras. The 18" wheels with summer tires make sense as an option, as many drivers will need a set of snow tires—and the typical RL buyer puts safety and comfort before performance. Although cars today rarely stop running on their own so long as drivers remember to fill up once in a while, traffic circulates slower than it did two generations ago. Some of this is due to car wrecks caused by people driving outside their capablities. With more and more people driving every day and gadgets like cell phones and concert-hall sound systems competing for the attention of drivers, something has to be done to reduce collisions. Acura’s response with the RL is the SH-AWD system. In hard driving, this makes the RL the all round performance equal (at least) of its European and US competition.