Acura RL wins "Tech Car of the Year"

[Joey D]

Acura RL wins “Tech Car of the Year”
Source: www.cnet.com

The tech heads over at CNET have selected the 2005 Acura RL as Tech Car of the Year. The website’s judges and the voting public came down unanimously for the 2005 Acura RL as the best expression of technology in a car. “We chose the 2005 Acura RL partly because it led the way by offering a number of technologies before any of its competitors and partly because it did such a seamless job of implementing them,” the site said. “It has live traffic information integrated with its navigation system, and it connects to Bluetooth phones. It has a Bose DVD audio system with a road-noise-canceling feature. Its power train isn’t as sophisticated as a hybrid system, but it comes close with some very fine engineering.” In terms of online votes, the RL got 1,408, the Audi A4 Avant got 146, the Audi S4 got 881, the BMW 300i got 742, and the BMW 750Li got 1,150.

 

[Raghavan]

Hmm... That"s a surprise...

 

[niky]

Not to anyone who's unsucessfully tried to learn how to use an i-Drive.

Is the RL the one with SH-AWD?

 

[Wolfe]

In terms of online votes...the Audi A4 Avant got 146...the BMW 300i got 742...

Whoa, the Audi A4 Avant got beaten by a BMW without an engine!

I know, leave it to a BMW freak like me to point that out...

 

[kikie]

Is the Acura available in Europe???

 

[kikie]

Is the RL the one with SH-AWD?

I googled SH-AWD and yes the Acura RL is SH-AWD and I found an answer for previous question (Not available in Europe).
I watched the video about SH-AWD and this is a fine piece of engineering.
Video

 

[Majarvis]

I googled SH-AWD and yes the Acura RL is SH-AWD and I found an answer for previous question (Not available in Europe).
I watched the video about SH-AWD and this is a fine piece of engineering.
Video

The Acura RL is known as the Honda Legend in the rest of the world (that is, outside of North America.)

 

[Onikaze]

The next Accord should have SH-AWD.

Which would be cool.

 

[YSSMAN]

Unfortunatley the majority of Acura models are sold either in the US or in Japan under the Acura nameplate... The only "Acura" you Europeans have is the Accord...

EUROPEAN ACCORD:

ACURA TSX:

AMERICAN HONDA ACCORD:

 

[humbo]

Whoa, the Audi A4 Avant got beaten by a BMW without an engine!

I know, leave it to a BMW freak like me to point that out...

XD, I noticed that too. I think the Audi should have gotten some more points for first engine with direct petrol injection and turbocharging.

 

[Wolfe]

Unfortunatley the majority of Acura models are sold either in the US or in Japan under the Acura nameplate... The only "Acura" you Europeans have is the Accord...

*pictures*

Ah, so that's why it's called the Accord Euro-R in Japan...

 

[YSSMAN]

The US-Market Accord is one of the first US-spec Accords ever... Although it isnt sold in Europe, it is sold in Japan...

Here are some examples:
Honda Japan Accord

Honda Euro R Accord

Honda Accord Wagon

Honda Inspire (US-Market Honda with a facelift)

Interestingly enough, I believe the Inspire is actually built alongside the Honda Accord at the Honda plant in Ohio...

 

[Wolfe]

I googled SH-AWD and yes the Acura RL is SH-AWD and I found an answer for previous question (Not available in Europe).
I watched the video about SH-AWD and this is a fine piece of engineering.
Video

It's the same idea as Mitsubishi's AYC (active yaw control) and Nissan's ATTESA-ETS. I'm surprised Audi and Subaru haven't picked up on the idea of an active rear differential yet...

 

[YSSMAN]

Well the biggest problem with the extra differential goodies is that it adds weight, cost, and makes the computer think about more things as the car drives down the road...

Volkswagens 4MOTION AWD system does indeed split torque when necessary and send it to the individual wheels that need it, but it is not like Hondas SH-AWD that sends it from side to side.

It seems as though the car AWD systems are going to be either the Haldex system (used on VW, Audi, Volvo, Ford, etc...) or similar to the variable systems that Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Honda uses...

GM is sticking with straight 50/50 AWD systems on their trucks, and the same can be said for Toyota...

 

[kikie]

and makes the computer think about more things as the car drives down the road...

Is this computer controlled?? I thought it was controlled mechanically.

 

[YSSMAN]

I'm not completely sure, but I think the Honda, Mitsubishi, and BMW systems are all powered by the computer...

 

[McLaren]

The US-Market Accord is one of the first US-spec Accords ever... Although it isnt sold in Europe, it is sold in Japan...

Here are some examples:
Honda Japan Accord

Interestingly enough, I believe the Inspire is actually built alongside the Honda Accord at the Honda plant in Ohio...

But Inspire's aren't sold in the US are they? If not, why build the car in the US and yet ship it everywhere else?

 

[YSSMAN]

But Inspire's aren't sold in the US are they? If not, why build the car in the US and yet ship it everywhere else?

Thats because Honda uses their noggin, and builds all the cars that are built on the same platform in the same factory... It saves money and cuts down on the model swaps that the line would have to change when production changes. The Inspire and Accord are nearly identical with the exception of the different grille and the right-hand-drive configuration...

GM is going to start doing the same thing as well. Why build half of the Delta cars in Canada and the other half in Germany? If the Chevrolet, Saturn, Vauxhaull, and Opels are all built in the same plant and then sent out to wherever, it cuts costs and keeps production numbers up...