Acura TL Technical Info
Overview
 The Acura TL performance
luxury sedan was introduced in 1995 with a second-generation model debuting
in 1999. For 2004, an all-new completely redesigned TL went on sale with more
power, an assortment of breakthrough technology and an exterior design that
is taut, athletic and powerful. Enthusiast drivers appreciate the TL for its
high dynamic capabilities-the 2005 TL is a true driver's car that competes against
the best near-luxury sedans.
For inspiration Acura considered a design style referred to as "Bauhaus,"
named for the famous German design house of the 1920s that defined "form follows
function" design. The TL uses crisp, taut lines instead of sweeping curves,
satin trim in key areas rather than bright chrome, and a driver-oriented layout
makes driving more engaging.
Market Summary
The luxury vehicle market continues to expand, and the "near luxury" and
"luxury SUV" segments within it are enjoying the most growth. The Acura TL
occupies the near luxury segment, which accounts for over a third of the luxury
market as a whole. Although the TL has been a top seller in this segment, it has
recently faced increasing challenges from sporty sedans such as the BMW 530i,
Cadillac CTS and Infiniti G35. Competition also comes from compact near-luxury
sedans like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-class.
Powertrain
The TL's 3.2-liter VTEC V-6 features an aluminum-alloy cylinder block and
heads, crankshaft and pistons. Combining a 3-rocker VTEC system with a high
11.0:1 compression ratio and high-flow intake and exhaust systems help the
engine produce 270 hp and 238 lbs-ft of torque at 5000 rpm.
The engine meets the tough California Air Resources Board (CARB) LEV-2 ULEV
emissions standards for all vehicles sold in the U.S., and has a tune-up
interval of 105,000 miles. A Maintenance Minder system continuously monitors the
vehicle's operating conditions, indicating to the driver when maintenance such
as an oil change is required.
Both a 5-speed Sequential SportShiftTM automatic and a close ratio 6-speed
manual transmission are available.
Body & Chassis
The design concept starts by building the body over a substantial
foundation-large wheels and tires positioned wide, with body overhangs
minimized.
Front suspension geometry evolved from the previous TL Type-S in pursuit of
even greater roadholding capabilities. Every suspension link has been set to
optimize the geometry to produce superior ride and handling. Using a lower arm
and knuckle, and shortening the rigid stamped steel upper arms, results in
greater camber gain, resulting in optimized tire contact patches during
cornering. Both the front and rear suspension have built in "toe" gain when the
suspension is in bump, further stabilizing the chassis on rough roads and during
cornering. With careful suspension tuning, engineers made sure that enhanced
handling performance did not come at the cost of ride quality or comfort.
Double-wishbone front suspension and 5-link double wishbone rear suspension,
4-wheel disc brakes, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and Electronic Brake Force
Distribution (EBD) are all standard. Wider wheels and tires are standard, and a
choice of all-season or high-performance tires is available on the manual
transmission models.
Despite a comprehensive array of technology and the use of insulating
materials to promote a quiet and luxurious cabin, strict control over component
weight has kept the automatic transmission-equipped TL to just 3,575 pounds.
The list of features and equipment contains a number of firsts for the
industry and for Acura. It is the first vehicle in North America to feature an
acoustic glass windshield with shade band and the first to offer a standard
DVD-Audio 5.1 surround sound system.
Interior
Acura's tradition of augmenting a driver-oriented layout with luxury features
is fully realized in the TL. LED backlit analog instruments are placed to allow
the driver instant access to information, while top quality interior materials
and details enhance luxury. The interior is also more spacious and stylish,
and features standard perforated leather-trimmed seating.
The TL features the Acura Navigation System with Voice RecognitionTM with
seven million points of interest for the 48 states. Its trip calculation time is
two times quicker than the previous generation TL system and it recognizes 293
verbal commands. It also offers a large, easy-to-read 8-inch multi-function
touch screen display.
Another advance is the use of Bluetooth, a wireless technology that's attaining
widespread use in computers, PDAs and other portable electronics to enable hands-free
phone capability in the TL. The Acura HandsFreeLinkTM telephone system
wirelessly links to the TL owner's Bluetooth-compatible cellular phone to enable
calls to be made and received through the TL's audio and voice recognition systems.
The TL features a standard DVD-A 5.1 audio system in North America. The
225-watt Acura/ELSTM Premium 8-speaker Surround Sound System with DVD-Audio,
DTSTM and CD 6-disc Changer, AM/FM Tuner and DolbyTM Cassette delivers a
whole new level of audio fidelity. This DVD-Audio system, developed with
Grammy-winning music producer Elliot Scheiner, utilizes six distinct channels
(compared with two on the typical premium sound system) to deliver sound
resolution 500 times better than CD. The premium system plays standard CDs,
DVD-A discs, and DTS-enabled CDs and incorporates XM(R) Satellite Radio for over
100 channels of premium quality sound.
Safety
The TL has an advanced array of safety features. This includes advanced
passive safety technologies and engineered-in accident avoidance capabilities
like 4-wheel independent suspension, 4-wheel disc brakes, large P235/45R17
tires, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist and Vehicle Stability
Assist (VSA).
In the event of a collision, the TL unit body is engineered to disperse
collision forces while maintaining the integrity of the passenger compartment.
Front and rear door beams (two in the front, one in the rear), extensive use of
lightweight, high-strength steel in the passenger safety cage, and deformable
front and rear structures, help the TL target the highest rankings in the
government SINCAP and NCAP barrier tests. Likewise, during the IIHS offset
collision the TL is expected to achieve a "GOOD" rating (the highest) in all
categories. Other safety features include standard side curtain airbags and
adjustable rear outboard head restraints.
Powertrain features
- 3.2-liter, SOHC, VTEC V-6 engine
- 270 horsepower @ 6200 rpm
- 238 lbs-ft of torque @ 5000 rpm
- Intake side three-rocker VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic
Control)
- 11.0:1 compression ratio
- High flow cold air induction system
- 2-stage tuned intake manifold
- High-flow exhaust system with closed-coupled and under-floor catalytic
converters
- Drive-by-Wire Throttle SystemTM
- Computer-controlled Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI)
- Direct ignition system
- Meets CARB LEV-II ULEV emissions standards
- Maintenance Minder system which optimizes service intervals
- 105,000-mile tune-up intervals
Body & Chassis features
- Unit body with extensive use of high-strength steel
- Bi-function Xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps
- Acoustic glass windshield
- Satin grille and trunk trim
- Standard power moonroof with 1-touch switch with auto-reverse safety
feature
- Memory-linked power mirrors with auto tilt-down for left and right mirrors
- Double-wishbone front suspension
- 5-link double-wishbone rear suspension
- Lightweight aluminum-alloy front subframe
- Torque-sensing power rack-and-pinion steering
- 17 x 8 aluminum-alloy wheels
- P235/45R17 Bridgestone Turanza all-season tires (Potenza high-performance
tires available on TL with manual transmission)
- 4-wheel disc brakes with 3-channel ABS, Electronic Brake force
Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist
- Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control (standard on
automatic transmission and manual transmission models
Comfort & Convenience features
- LED backlit analog instruments
- Leather-wrapped 4-spoke tilt and telescopic steering wheel
- Steering wheel mounted controls for audio, cruise control, HandsFreeLink
telephone system and available Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition
- Performance-oriented front bucket seats with leather seating surfaces
- 10-way power driver's seat with power adjustable lumbar support
- Fully lined trunk
- Dual-zone, Dual-mode Automatic Climate Control System
- Keyless Memory Link with two driver profiles
- Acura/ELSTM Premium 8-speaker Surround Sound System with DVD-Audio,
DTSTM and CD 6-disc Changer, AM/FM Tuner and DolbyTM Cassette
- XM Satellite Radio
- Multi-Information Display (MID) enables access to multiple electronic
functions
- HandsFreeLink wireless phone interface
Safety features
- Driver and front passenger airbags with dual-stage inflators
- Front seat mounted side impact airbags with Occupant Position Detection
System
- Side curtain airbag system
- Front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters
- Front neck injury reduction seats
- Front head restraints adjustable for height and tilt
- Rear outboard adjustable head restraints
- 3-point seat belts for all five seating positions
- Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR)
- Tether anchors (all rear positions)
- Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system for rear outboard
positions
- Seat belt reminder
- Childproof rear door locks
- Adjustable front seat belt anchors
- Front and rear crumple zones
- Dual front and single rear door beams
Copyright © by All-Acura All Right Reserved. Published on: 2004-09-13 (29 reads)Go Back To: 2005 Model Line-up | 
