Subtle, but It Makes Its Point
Driving the Acura 3.5RL is rather like watching “Gone With the Wind” for the 17th time.
It’s a flawless, memorable piece of work, but there are no surprises.
From bit part to major player, we have grown familiar with the perfection of its pieces. There’s even a mild indifference to something that once bugged our eyes as truly exciting and quite spectacular.
Until, frankly m’dears, we could be excused for not giving a damn about Acura’s fresh flagship.
It’s just another Japanese gem with a four-speed automatic shifting gears in a glycerin bath. One more example of beautiful materials attached to premium mechanicals that will sling a big sedan down highways faster than a Mustang GT. How boring. Nothing more appealing than another Japanese car promising zero breakdowns in this millennium; plus serene, rapid transit in a personal suite with every comfort short of a concierge.
After attaining the impeccable, it was inevitable that Acura would reach this point of reduced returns. Since 1986, when Acura became the vaunt-courier of Japanese luxury cars, quality and durability of the breed has munched all benchmarks.
So, having climbed the mountain, what novelty or edge does the 3.5RL--which would have been the 1996 Legend had Acura not switched to alphanumerics from job descriptions--bring to this luxury car battle between the Big Three and the Asian Triad?
It’s a collection of subtleties--all aimed at spiking the competition’s cannons, the Lexus LS400 and the Infiniti Q45. Should BMW’s 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class get caught in the cross-fire, well, all’s fair in love and selling cars.
The 3.5RL has cushions between its chassis and engine subframe to quell vibrations, plus fluid-filled mounts that automatically increase their dampening skills as speed builds. Innovative forging techniques bring new uniformity to the weight of primary engine parts--such as connecting rods--and eases engine shakes to significant lows.
And the engine is mounted the old way, north to south, because the more fashionable way, east to west, only adds to the rock ‘n’ rolling when a V-6 starts working hard.
B and C pillars--roof posts in the middle and at the rear end of the cabin--are filled with rubberized foam. The floor is a resin-impregnated honeycomb sandwich between steel sheets with a single mission: to create a cabin quieter than Tut’s tomb.
Even side mirrors have sprouted underside spoilers to remove the whistle from on-rushing air.
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The RL’s 3.5-liter engine produces 210 horsepower that is 5% more than the old Legend. But the Legend’s torque--the power punch in the process of going forward--peaked at 4,500 engine revolutions per minute. The RL hits maximum torque at 2,800, which, research shows, is where luxury car buyers motor most of their lives.
And high performance from the low end is how the 3.5RL manages a 0-60 mph time in a shade over six seconds. Or seconds quicker than the big guys from Lexus and Infiniti, which are both equipped with well-endowed V-8s.
The 3.5RL lacks nothing in sensual appointments. The basic ensemble includes anti-lock brakes, air bags, alarm system, automatic air, power moon roof, and 16-inch disk alloy wheels that look like hubcap bandits lifted them from a Mercedes S-Class.
A premium package adds traction control, heated front seats, burled walnut trim and a Bose sound system with CD changer guaranteed to submerge the Civic-mounted, 800-watt rapper in the next lane.
And the 3.5RL can be delivered with a James Bond-ish on-board navigator, with audio and visual modes responding to a global positioning satellite. It is accurate to tape-measure distances and capable of directing you to the nearest Ribs R Us or any obscure address in the belly of Topanga Canyon.
But back to the original premise.
In the 3.5RL, we have a full-size sedan stuffed with the softer and better things in motoring. Tightness of fit and depth of insulation provide Antarctic quiet. The ride seems friction free, and the image of any Acura is that of a very sensible purchase. And it runs very quickly.
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These qualities, of course, are inherent to the imperial Q45 and the mighty LS400. But Acura’s cock of the walk, whether in basic $41,000 form or tricked out to $47,000, costs at least $11,000 less than the best Lexus and Infiniti.
And they don’t come with a navigator, that $2,000 electronic Thomas Guide. It needs work, but it has the potential to become the most useful motoring toy since necking knobs.
In keeping with the three-piece outlooks of those who purchase luxury sedans, styling of the 3.5RL is GOP (Grand Old Profile) that will offend no one. Except those who prefer distinction, even some distancing from the padded-shoulder look of Mercedes.
Externally, length and wheelbase match the departed Legend, which was so close to Lexus and Infiniti that nobody noticed the difference.
Internally, little delights abound. There’s a special paint that makes vinyl look like matte leather. For the particularly long of shank or large of loafer, the underside of the front seat is carpeted to protect your Ballys.
But the hand brake has been replaced by a foot pedal, a dreadful touch of GM that has no place on a luxury automobile. Worse, the brake does not unhook when the transmission is engaged. Glowing tires will be your only warning that the brake is still on.
Acura has also softened the ride of this third-generation Legend. There’s no mistaking the roll, and no liking the conscious leg and knee bracing that must be done when cornering with verve. It’s a definite lessening of the handling edge that was forever Acura.
And that navigator needs softwear refinement. It should know that certain left turns onto the Beverly Hills stretch of Sunset get a little lumpy when there’s a median in the way.
Ms. Magellan also ordered a turn on Doheny when none was allowed. We backed up, flattened the sign banning turns, and received a graphic lesson in the damage a 1.9 mph impact inflicts on a 2.5 mph rear bumper.
Reconsidering the RL’s precise construction and polished touring manners, maybe it’s unfair to be jaded by excellence.
After all, countless showings of “Gone With The Wind” will always be more satisfying that a single rerun of “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.”
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1996 Acura 3.5RL
The Good: About as flawless as any mechanical thing gets. Small V-8 performance from a large V-6. May have many questioning the wisdom of spending $11,000 more for flagship Lexus or Infiniti.
The Bad: As with perfect spouses, all that purity becomes a little boring. Ride and handling softened for luxury buyer, not enthusiast driver.
The Ugly: The GM parking brake.
Cost
* Base price, $41,000.
* As tested, $46,435. (Includes leather seats, Bose sound system, heated seats and side mirrors, traction control and on-board navigation system.)
Engine
* 3.5-liter V-6 producing 210 horsepower.
Type
* Front-engine, front-drive luxury sedan.
Performance
* 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds, with automatic transmission.
* Top speed, estimated, 140 mph.
* Fuel consumption, EPA city and highway, 19 and 25 mpg.
Curb Weight
* 3,693 pounds.
