2005 Acura RL

The 2005 Acura RL combines performance, technology and style in an athletic new luxury package that pushes the boundaries of automotive design on multiple fronts. No production car at any price has ever offered more advanced electronic technology or drive-system sophistication. And none has made its driver more connected-with real-time traffic information, personal assistance, phone communication and audio entertainment. True to form for Acura, the many advanced systems of the RL are engineered to function smoothly, efficiently and intuitively. Similarly, the RL upholds another basic Acura tenet: comprehensive standard equipment. In the case of the RL, everything is standard. There are no factory options. The only available RL options are a few select dealer installed upgrades.

In creating this new luxury vehicle, Acura designers completely redefined the RL concept and repositioned it at the leading edge of its category. Its new shape is much more taut and athletic, and its acceleration and cornering performance is dramatically improved to challenge the most capable German sports sedans. Comfort, quietness and ride quality are also substantially improved. The 2005 RL serves clear notice that Acura has upped the ante in its category.

The innovation built into the RL begins with the most powerful engine ever offered in a production Acura. The new 3.5-liter VTEC™ V-6 engine develops 300 horsepower (a remarkable 33-percent increase compared to its predecessor) and torque has risen to 260 lbs.-ft. (a 12-percent increase). In spite of developing much more power from the same displacement, the new RL engine meets much tougher emission standards and delivers comparable fuel economy as compared to its predecessor.

A new 5-speed automatic with Sequential SportShift, paddle shifters and Grade Logic Control sends power to the standard Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD™) system, which dramatically elevates cornering capability. This innovative full-time system distributes power precisely front-to-rear and side-to-side in the rear. In addition to providing the expected traction advantages of all-wheel drive, SH-AWD does something no other current AWD system can: It increases the rotation speed of the outside rear wheel during aggressive cornering to help the car turn more effectively under power. This lessens the cornering load on the front tires to reduce understeer and improve handling balance and total cornering grip.

Powertrain
+ World’s first Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive System(TM) (SH-AWD(TM))
+ 3.5 liter VTEC V-6 engine
+ 300 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque
+ 5-speed automatic transmission with Sequential SportShift, steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters and Grade Logic Control
+ CARB-certified LEV2-ULEV emissions system

Body & Chassis
+ Unit-body with extensive use of high-tensile steel and aluminum
+ Lightweight aluminum front and rear subframes
+ Independent front double-wishbone suspension with independent multi-link rear
+ Active Front Lighting System (AFS) with Xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps
+ 4-wheel disc brakes with 4-piston front calipers, ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist
+ 17-inch alloy wheels

Interior
+ Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition(TM) (standard in the 48 contiguous states and Hawaii)
+ AcuraLink(TM) satellite communication system with real time traffic
+ Leather-trimmed seating and genuine wood dashboard trim
+ Acura/BOSE(R) 10-speaker Surround Sound System with 6-disc CD, DVD-Audio and DTS’ changer and AM/FM tuner
+ Active Noise Cancellation
+ HandsFreeLink(TM) wireless telephone interface
+ OnStar(R) digital/analog tri-modal system
+ Keyless Access System
+ GPS-linked, solar sensing, dual-zone, dual-mode automatic climate control system
+ Power moonroof
+ Power rear sunshade

Safety
+ Advanced Compatibility Engineering(TM) (ACE(TM)) body structure
+ Dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
+ Driver’s and front passenger’s side airbag with front passenger Occupant Position Detection System (ODPS)
+ Standard side curtain airbags
+ Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA(R)) with traction control