MT Then and Now: 2014 Acura RLX, 1997-2009 Acura RL - MotorTrend Magazine (blog)
Flagship cars are supposed to be the embodiment of a certain automaker, but Acura's previous flagships have failed to make much of an impression. While the RLX is new for 2014 , we’re taking a look back at Acura flagship sedans we've reviewed in the past. Acura's very first flagship was the Legend, which came to the U. S. in 1987. It was powered by a 2. 7-liter V-6 that produced 160 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, and could be paired with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. "Not only are the RL's major dimensions unchanged from the Legend-save for being 1. 0 inch taller-but the basic suspension and engine designs and a total of 40 percent of its parts are Legend carryover," we wrote in our first Acura RL Road Test. So a substantial amount of parts were carried over from the Legend to the RL, but it wasn’t all good news for driving enthusiasts: "This process unfortunately has also filtered out whatever sportiness remained in the Legend, and the RL's... In this comparison , the RL's new Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system shined: "The car grips curves like it's on rails," we said. Source: wot.motortrend.com
