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Every time we drive a Acura RL we’re stunned at the effect Honda’s SH-AWD has. Coast through a corner and the chassis feels a bit remote and nose heavy. But like an WRX, this car is meant to be driven. Hard. As with most high performance AWD cars you have to be dedicated and get on the power early, trusting that the system will sort things out. But unlike most AWD cars doing so will not result in terminal understeer – the system can shunt nearly all of the engine’s power to the outside rear wheel, rotating the car into a turn by overdriving it like a tank’s outside track. The only other car that can pull this trick: the Ferrari F430 thanks to its ‘E-Diff’.

Sadly, every review we’ve seen of the car save one has chastised the RL for having too much understeer. What these irresponsibly clueless scribes are failing to take into account is their own inability to extract the car’s potential. Every car requires a certain technique to make it come alive, and like the E46 M3 (also accused of understeering by the meek) you simply need to squeeze the loud pedal when you’re tempted to release it to make move to neutraility and beyond. (Today’s high horsepower rear drive cars need larger tires in the rear than in the front and you have to route a lot of power through them while cornering to overcome the inerent understeer of having more available grip in the rear than the front. In the RL’s case you’re overcoming the transverse front engine layouts inherent nose-heaviness).

Go ahead – stomp on it and feel what only we and 4car’s John Simister seem to have picked up on. (Simister is incorrect in stating the system can send 100% to the outside rear – the maximum is limited by design to 70%).

We never thought we’d say it but the Acura RL is the car we’d chose if we were going to be timed on an unfamiliar road. It may not walk with the stiff kneed swagger of the M45, 5 series, A6 etc., but it handles far beyond what its ride quality suggests. We can’t wait to see what the system does to the upcoming RD-X small SUV from Acura.

Bravo Honda. Now please give us the shorter gearing of the European market car. (Rev matched downshifts when in manumatic mode and a factory A-Spec chassis option wouldn’t hurt either).

NOTE: Newer readers may have missed this link from an earlier post now in our archive).

UPDATE: Another of the few that ‘gets it’ – MPH’s Eddie Alterman – adds:

the car never feelslike a front-driver, with the inevitable tugging on the steering wheel. Yet it’s no rear-drive tire smoker, either.
The car just feels perfectly set up for every corner, shifting its weight predictably through turns. Its driving experience is so tight and direct that it sometimes seems as if the two rear seats aren’t there.

UPDATE 2: Edmunds also favors the RL among AWD luxury sedans (ahead of the quietly revised 5 series and the rorty M35x):

all-wheel drive isn’t just about blizzards and black ice. Adding all-wheel drive to front-wheel-drive platforms, like those under the Acura RL and Audi A6, also gives the car more balanced handling… Not only did the RL post the fastest speed through the slalom course, it was the easiest car to drive through it. Keep your foot in the gas, point it in the right direction and the computer does the rest. In the other cars, all-wheel drive is almost an afterthought. In the Acura, it’s as important to its performance as the engine.

UPDATE 3: We forgot to mention an option worth considering that is not listed in the brochure, the A-Spec kit.

The RL A-SPEC package enhances the already crisp handling and aggressive styling with a track-tuned suspension package that lowers the car by approximately 3/4 inch, 18-inch alloy wheels equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport [A/S] tires, an underbody kit, and a deck lid spoiler. The RL A-SPEC kit will be priced at approximately $5,500 plus dealer installation and covered under a factory warranty. [source: Acura Press release]

(We’d opt only for the suspension package, tuned by the same man who worked with Aryton Senna to dial in the suspension of the NSX - the wheels and tires detract more from ride quality and foul weather traction than they contribute to handling).

In a world that is more concerned with appearances than performances, ‘rims’ are growing in size at a dizzying rate, even from the factory.

Take for example the newest Civic: the standard wheel is now a 15, most Civics ride on 16s, 17s are standard on the Si, an 18 optional. Compare this with the Civic of 10 years ago: standard 13s, the largest size available was a 14, performance tuners knew that the car was best on 15s. Same with the BMW 7 series: 15s were standard, now its 18s. (Choose any car, you’ll see the same pattern, even in those rare cases where the size or weight of the car has decreased…)

With so many people thinking bigger is better, it’s difficult to convince people of the truth: bigger wheels are ruining the way today’s cars ride and handle.

It’s basic physics, really – ride and handling are largely a function of wheel weight. The lower the ratio of wheel:body weight (also referred to as unsprung:sprung mass), the better the ride quality. The lower the wheel/unsprung weight, the greater the tire’s adhesion to the road surface. The lower the rotational inertia, the better the acceleration, braking and steering response.

If you’re interested in performance rather than appearance, we suggest doing what we do to our own cars:

1) Get a lighter wheel in the same diameter. Factory wheels are often cast rather than forged for cost reasons, and stylists don’t care about how much a wheel will weigh so long as it looks good. By lowering your wheel weight alone you’ll see dramatic improvments in ride quality, acceleration, braking, and handling. (Steve Dinan takes this approach on his versions of the M3 and M5).

2) if you have a sport package or other option that increased wheel size from the factory, trade your wheels with someone who doesn’t read our site and has the base model car, then wrap them in tires equal or better than those you have now. (Most comparisons between base and sport package cars are not scientific because you’re comparing different suspensions, wheel sizes and tire types.) As with option 1, the lighter wheel and lower rotational inertial will work in your favor, plus the stealth quotient will mean those who challenge you on the street (or toting radar guns) won’t know how fast you’re capable of going.

NOTE: We advise against larger wheels and low profile tires on trucks and SUVs in particular. Not only are the suspension systems ill suited to keeping a low profile tire properly oriented in relation to the road surface, but doing so lengthens braking distances and increases the chance of a rollover due to the already overtaxed brakes and high centers of gravity. (When choosing Original Equipment tires and sizes, engineers choose tires that slide early, keeping the vehice on all fours. Increasing grip makes it more likely the SUV or truck will tip up on two wheels).

These pics from Top Gear show us Lexus wasn’t kidding when they promised more dynamically styled cars in the future.

The new IS looks even more serious in the flesh than in photographs. The next LS - rumoured to be coming in regular & long wheelbase forms as well as a performance enhancing gas-electric option – finally looks as a competitor to the S class et al should.

We’ve been using this link for about a decade now to check:

sidewall (height) – Aesthetically you want at least twice the sidewall height as there is ‘gap’ between the fender and the top of the tire’s sidewall – any more and the car appears ‘lifted’ a la Infiniti G35x, E-class 4MATIC, etc. Translation: going to a lower profile may cause the car to look higher, meaning you’ll be tempted to change the springs, which most often requires you change the shocks, which may lead to your hating the way your car ends up feeling…)

difference (in circumference) – A positive change will effectively raise the car’s final drive ratio, slowing acceleration and responsiveness. A negative change has the opposite effect, helping the car accelerate quicker. (We’ve been able to tell a difference of less than 2%; don’t be surprised if you can too…)

UPDATE: Here is another calculator worth checking out…

Click here for a preview of Toyota’s next generation of airbag design…

(Forgive me for questioning where their inspiration for a more nurturing cradle for one’s face came from).

In our eagerness to report on the mechanical changes to the Subaru line for ‘06, we failed to convey what gives us pause when considering the actual purchase of one (aside from the unavailability of stability control). In this write-up, Autocar’s Jaime Corstophine reminded us of one vintage Subaru characteristic that’s been lost:

something’s missing from the typical Impreza experience. The signature off-beat engine rumble is noticeably muted; a casualty of new equal-length manifolds fitted for better economy and emissions.

and the one that remains and keeps us from seeing the Impreza (or the Saab 9-2x for that matter) as a long-term satisfier…

when the driving is done cracks soon appear in its appeal… despite this latest update, the rest of the car is dated and outclassed. The cabin design, packaging, materials and finish are simply not good enough for a car at this price. The Impreza architecture is now five years old and the game has moved on. For Subaru, 2007 – when the all-new model is expected – can’t come soon enough.

As horsepower numbers climb ever upwards, we predict an increasng number of manufacturers will turn to all wheel drive.

As much as we advocate traction control to limit wheelspin or electronic stability control to prevent loss of control, both systems are subtractive – i.e. they use the brakes which can a) slow the car down and b) overcook the brakes.

The problem with all wheel drive is that – weight aside – it affects the steering: drive an original BMW X5 (constant 63:37 split) and an updated one with xDrive (rear drive until slip occurs) and you’ll feel the difference.

Now Ferrari is experimenting with a system that (like BMW’s xDrive or Infiniti’s Intelligent all wheel drive) will send power to the front wheels only when needed.

The system will only be engaged for short bursts and so should be seen more as a way to reduce power-on oversteer rather than to air winter traction, etc. We don’t expect it to replace the current traction or stability control systems, but it should reduce the number of times those systems will have to ‘subtract’ from the fun quotient…

Manufacturers know that 99% of the population judges cars by styling, horsepower, etc.

But it’s not how a car looks or how much power it is claimed to have that makes it feel the way it does – only by understanding the efforts (or compromises) made by the engineers can you determine its potential or its limitations.

Over the years, Dave Kimble’s artwork has helped us to develop our ‘X-ray vision’...

Click here for a glimpse of the Corvette Z06 as Dave sees it.

Reading the article you’ll see why we respect this car so much… The performance numbers it produces are impressive of course but the car represents what GM is capable of when it lets the engineers rather than the accountants make decisions. Unlike most of GM’s efforts, this is one thoroughly (re)engineered automobile.

Most older Hondas and Acuras we’ve ridden in have automatics with frighteningly severe shift quality. Granted Hondas have always shifted firmly to prolong transmission life (slow shifts cause more wear) but something seemed amiss…

Then we remembered: most Honda autos require a Honda specific fluid. Here’s a quote from the owner’s manual of a 1997 Accord:

always use Honda Premium Formula Automatic Transmission Fluid. If it is not available, you may use Dexron III automatic transmission fluid as a temporary replacement. However, continued use can affect shift quality. Have the transmission drained and refilled with Honda ATF as soon as it is convenient.

A brochure for Genuine Honda fluids states:

Honda’s special proprietary formula offers superior anti-shudder performance (resulting in smoother shifting) and prolonged life, Use of non-genuine brands can impact the performance of your transmission in the form of poor shifting, shudder and low fluid pressure.

Given the business practices of the average mechanic or quick-change artist (and how few people get their higher mileage cars dealer serviced), we’d say its fairly unlikely the Honda or Acura you’re driving or considering as a used car purchase has been running on the correct fluid. (Only dealers and a small handfull of Honda specialists stock the fluid).

And its not just the automatics that are under threat. Honda once suggested conventional 5W or 10W30 motor oil be used in its manual transmissions but has since taken the time to come up with a purpose-designed lubricant called Honda MTL. Thinner than oil, thicker than manual transmission fluids, the Honda formulation is optimized for the finicky and delicate synchronizers in Honda gearboxes. As one message boarder explains:

aftermarket MTL [is] too slick. Redline and Royal Purple users have been having the same problems. The synchros can’t get up to speed quick enough because of the decrease in friction. Many top brand tuners still recommend using only Honda MTL in the trannies. I definitely do. Their engineers aren’t dumb; they formulated their MTL the way they did for a reason.

Unfortunately, while dealership parts departments stock Honda MTL, the service departments we’ve polled don’t use it (it’s easier- and cheaper – to get all your lubricant from the same 55-gallon drum). Every service advisor, mechanic, and parts guy we asked admitted they use Honda MTL in their own cars but as one said”In a customer’s car? Why bother? They’ll never know the difference…”

(And you won’t – until your transmission starts failing).

When buying two new tires, most people – mechanics included – still believe that you should put the best two on front.

They’re wrong.

Testing done by Michelin found that the best two tires should always be placed on the rear regardless of whether you have front, rear or all-wheel drive.

Click here, then on ‘Watch a short video to learn more’ for proof.

(Also read this if you drive a car or truck with all-wheel or four-wheel drive…)