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The Acura TL is clearly a car for people who like to drive. Its confident, alert composure on the road not only makes driving enjoyable, but also makes you a better driver. Compared to most of its rivals, the TL feels lightweight and responsive. The TL's front-wheel-drive configuration provides a dimension of all-weather capability, while effective engineering has made it compatible with a commanding level of horsepower.
It's no surprise that the V6 engine dominates the TL's personality. It has a sharp, mechanical edge to its performance, and it accelerates quickly to its 6,200 rpm power peak, more like a small engine than a large one. At the same time, this V6 has enough power at moderate rpm to deliver soothing performance at modest speed. This combination of power on the open road and flexibility in urban traffic is a hallmark of Acura's way of doing things.
The TL comes with a 24-valve, SOHC, 3.2-liter V6, rated at 258 hp at 6,200 rpm. A number of key features enhance this engine's all-around performance, and it has a broad torque curve that peaks at 233 pound-feet @ 5000 rpm.
An all-new five-speed automatic transmission for the 2007 TL is derived from that in the Acura RL sedan, and it has a manual-shifting feature with a console-mounted lever. When this transmission is matched with the Type-S, shift paddles are mounted on the steering wheel. The Acura TL Type-S is also available with a six-speed manual transmission, and it's matched with a limited-slip differential for improved traction.
The addition of the high-performance TL Type-S to the model line has enabled Acura to relax the standard model's chassis calibration significantly with notably softer springs, dampers, and suspension bushings.
The standard Acura TL is now more comfortable and easy-going. The five-speed automatic offers a sequential, manual-shift mode for high-performance driving, but it's likely that most drivers will leave it in Drive and forget about the rest. (That's what we do most of the time.) Meanwhile, the standard 235/45 WR17 all-season tires furnish a reassuring amount of cornering grip, yet also improve ride quality, as this car tends to transmit a bit more road noise to the interior than we'd prefer.
The new Acura TL Type-S incorporates the 24-valve, SOHC, 3.5-liter V6 already familiar to us from the luxury-oriented Acura RL sedan. Special tuning helps this V6 deliver 286 hp, and it also has special features to improve its torque output to 257 pound-feet at 5,000 rpm.
The 3.5-liter V6 engine of the TL Type-S has only 11 percent more horsepower and 10 percent more torque than the 3.2-liter V6 of the standard TL, so it's no surprise the personality of the two engines is virtually identical. The Type-S fun factor comes from a capable suspension calibration, with significantly less roll and far firmer damping than before, plus dramatically quicker steering response. The short-stroke brake pedal allows you to expertly modulate the large front disc brakes with their four-piston Brembo-calipers. Even on narrow, winding roads, this car rarely loses its composure, and the car feels evenly balanced on all four tires while the suspension rarely bottoms.
Although the Acura TL Type-S is available with a six-speed manual transmission, this choice makes it more likely that clumsy throttle inputs can upset the car's balance, especially as the TL is distinctly nose heavy, with 62 percent of its weight resting on the front tires. The sequential-shift five-speed automatic, featuring shift paddles on the steering wheel, is a far more sensible choice for the Type-S.
If ultimate performance fascinates you, then Acura's optional A-SPEC package is a good choice, as the firmer suspension dampers and big 18-inch tires of the optional kit substantially increase the car's cornering grip. With the chassis dynamics of the front-drive package under control, the six-speed manual transmission becomes a far more reasonable choice, and the standard limited-slip differential helps compensate for any clumsy throttle inputs, although you'll still feel a wriggle of torque steer if you press on with too much enthusiasm. In this configuration, the Acura TL even acquits itself well on a race track, something that few large, front-wheel-drive cars can claim.
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