New England Automax - 2008 Acura TL Type-S

New England Automax - 2008 Acura TL Type-S

The TL is within a couple dealer-installed options of $40,000, so if you're
not willing to engage the salesman in a 12-hour game of Battleship or spend
three weeks tracking down a TL Type-S in California sans chrome wheels, you
might spend a bit more. The TL is rather expensive for a front-driver, so
it's a good thing it employs the architecture well.

The Type-S gets several goodies beyond the base model, such as Brembo
brakes, a more-aggressive suspension setup, and if you order the manual
transmission (necessary to run similar acceleration numbers), a mechanical
limited-slip differential. This last piece is entirely essential, regardless
of what Saab thinks, when asking the front wheels to brake, steer, and turn
256 pound-feet of torque into more than tire smoke. Running that much twist
through a limited-slip diff to the front wheels means you'll want both hands
firmly on the wheel when tromping the go pedal at lower speeds, lest you
flatten pedestrians and street signs unfortunate enough to be caught in the
weaving path carved by the torque steer.

More important here, the Type-S gains 28 horsepower over the base car, for a
total of 286. Interestingly, fuel economy swells along with engine
displacement, which grows from 3.2 to 3.5 liters. It's worth noting that
this engine, from a company known for producing some of the most-efficient,
highest-specific-output engines extant, creates the least power per liter of
the three Japanese 3.5-liter V-6s here (the two others produce 306
horsepower), although it does return slightly better gas mileage, owing in
part to more efficient front-wheel drive. The TL is based on the Accord
chassis, which is all-new for 2008, so expect a new TL in 2009.

*VEHICLE TYPE:* front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

*BASE PRICE:* $38,940

*ENGINE TYPE:* DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel
injection
Displacement: 212 cu in, 3471cc
Power (SAE net): 286 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 256 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

*TRANSMISSION:* 6-speed manual

*DIMENSIONS:
*Wheelbase: 107.9 in
Length: 189.8 in
Width: 72.2 in
Height: 56.7 in
Curb weight: 3515 lb

*C/D TEST RESULTS:
*Zero to 60 mph: 5.5 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 13.9 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 25.8 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 5.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.1 sec @ 101 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 150 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 163 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.93 g
Received on Mon Jan 28 2008 - 07:29:45 EST