Tuesday 27 September 2011

2008 Acura MDX

2008 Acura MDX

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD
WITH CAREY RUSS

Acura is making high-tech luxury it's specialty, and this is best exemplified by its flagship, the MDX crossover SUV. From its introduction for model year 2001 the MDX has offered comfort and convenience, with power and handling abilities near the top of the midsize luxury crossover class. When the second generation debuted last year, the MDX became more of what it always has been, with more power and more technology for engine, chassis, safety, and entertainment in a slightly larger package that showcases the latest developments in Acura's design language.

The old 3.5-liter V6 has been replaced by a new 3.7-liter V6, the largest and most powerful ever in an Acura. Its 300 horsepower bests the old model significantly, and makes it the most powerful six-cylinder SUV currently, yet it runs cleanly, rated LEV-2 by CARB and ULEV by the EPA. Power goes through a five-speed automatic with Sequential SportShift manual-mode shifting to all four wheels all of the time, with amounts varied in real time by the sophisticated electronic logic and controls of the SH-AWD(tm) all-wheel drive system.

During its development, the MDX was benchmarked against its European luxury SUV competitors, and it was even race track-tested. It has a space-efficient transverse front-engine, all-wheel drive drivetrain layout and fully-independent suspension, with adaptive damping available with the Sport package. Brakes are four-wheel disc, with the full complement of safety systems. There is also a full complement of passive safety equipment, and the new MDX has scored top ratings in crash tests. The MDX has a seven-passenger capacity, and the third row is suitable for more than small children.

2008 Acura MDX

The basic MDX can be enhanced with a number of option packages, some of which may be combined. The Technology Package is the first level, and adds a voice-recognition navigation system with rear-view camera, an upgraded audio system, the AcuraLink(tm) satellite communication system with real-time traffic information, and GPS-linked solar-sensing tri-zone automatic climate control. The Sport Package includes the Tech, and adds active damping and other suspension modifications, premium leather and interior trim, unique wheels, and auto-leveling HID headlights. Entertainment and Tech adds a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, heated outboard second-row seats, a power tailgate, and a 115VAC power outlet in the front console. And then Sport and Entertainment combines everything. ress fleet vehicle specifications being what they are, I've spent the past week with a Sport and Entertainment-equipped MDX. It has a decidedly high-tech flavor, the perfect SUV for the successful video game entrepreneur. But the cabin electronics are done right, with a good user interface, and do not overpower. It would be just as appropriate as an upscale family vehicle. Truck not spoken here. Especially with the Sport adaptive suspension, the MDX is at the sporty end of the SUV spectrum, but it's still comfortable, with plenty of room for all, even the oft-forgotten third-row passengers. The sports coupe has gone underground at Acura, disguised as the MDX.

2008 Acura MDX

APPEARANCE: All Acura styling trends of the past few years have come together on the second-generation MDX. The pointed prow, central crease, and five-sided grille have been corporate hallmarks for years. As has an angular look, but that has become more pronounced since the introduction of the smaller RDX. The new MDX looks, unsurprisingly, like a blend of the original and the RDX, especially from the rear. MDX + RDX = MDX2. The MDX is every inch a contemporary crossover, with car, not truck, styling cues, and its bold lines and well-defined fenders give it a sporty look. It's proportions, wider than high and with large wheels and tires, reinforce that. Don't look for huge chrome bumpers and body cladding, although there are textured, contrast-colored front and rear bumper caps. The plastic under the front bumper is more for aerodynamics than for use as a skid plate.

2008 Acura MDX

COMFORT: Inside, the MDX has all of the positive attributes of a crossover - space, versatility, and comfort, plus its own style. Call it high-tech contemporary mid-luxury. For the driver, control layout is very good, with complete power seat and steering wheel adjustment, easily visible backlit LED instruments and good visibility. The driver's seat has two memory position, and the front passenger seat is also power-adjustable. With the Technology Package, or any of the others which include it, comes an easy-to-use navigation system with a simple, intuitive interface. The centrally-mounted screen doubles for the backup camera, a useful addition for safety and convenience. Acura calls the seating arrangement "4+3", meaning that the front and outboard second-row positions, the ones most used, get major attention. Unlike some 2+2 coupes, in which the "+2" part is apparently not designed for humans, the three remaining positions, center second and third row, can comfortably hold at least medium-sized adults. Access to the 50/50-split third row is better than average, as the each section of the 60/40 second row slides forward. Luggage capacity varies with seating, but there is a useful amount even with all seats up. Cabin electronics are first-rate, with standard Bluetooth hands-free phone compatibility, a high-quality audio system that can play all current formats including MP3 and WMA CDs, with a jack for a personal audio player - and that's only the base system. The rear-seat entertainment system features a bright TFT display. Real-time traffic information is available, although it currently is functional only in the 48 contiguous states.

2008 Acura MDX(Interior)

SAFETY: The new MDX uses Advanced Compatibility Engineering(tm) (ACE) body structure and design. ACE distributes frontal collision forces in a way to preserve the integrity of the passenger cabin. It also ensures compatibility with bumpers of smaller vehicles. The hood was designed to minimize pedestrian injury. Dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags, driver and front passenger knee bolsters, front active head restraints, front seat-mounted side airbags, and side curtain airbags offer further protection. Four-wheel disc brakes with antilock, electronic brake-force distribution, and brake assist plus Vehicle Stability Assist(tm) (VSA) and traction control help to improve active safety. The second-generation MDX has scored very high ratings in all crash tests.

2008 Acura MDX

PERFORMANCE: Even with its weight - which is light for an SUV - the MDX has plenty of power. As in 300 horsepower (at 6000 rpm), with a torque peak of 275 lb-ft at 5000 rpm. That's 47 hp and 25 lb-ft more than the first generation, and the engine is lighter and runs cleaner. The power increase comes from the increased displacement, a higher compression ratio, and better breathing through intake and exhaust system improvements. It's a single overhead cam design with Acura's VTEC variable valve timing and lift system, which has separate cam lobes for low-speed and high-speed operation. Below 4500 rpm - in most daily use - the engine is tuned for efficiency. Above that point, maximum performance is the goal. The changeover is undetectable. The transmission is a five-speed electronically-controlled automatic with Sequential SportShift manual mode, but Grade Logic and smooth, efficient shifting relegate manual shifting to entertainment, not necessity. Power gets to the ground in all weather and road conditions thanks to the SH-AWD system, which not only variably apportions torque from the front to the rear but also from side to side. Compared to the system in the old MDS, SH-AWD can transfer more torque to the rear for improved traction and is lighter.

2008 Acura MDX

RIDE AND HANDLING: All examples of the second-generation MDX have a strong, rigid unibody structure with fully-independent MacPherson strut front, multilink rear suspension and the "Super Handling All-Wheel Drive"(tm) (SH-AWD) system. Aluminum suspension pieces reduce unsprung weight for better suspension response. MDXes with the Sport package get active damping and larger stabilizer bars. The dampers are magneto-rheological, which means filled with magnetic fluid that changes viscosity with the application of an electric current. They are computer-controlled and can adjust from minimum to maximum damping force in as little as five milliseconds. This reduces body roll in corners without the need for stiff springs, which would cause a harsh ride. There are two driver-selectable modes, "Comfort" and "Sport".

2008 Acura MDX

2007 Acura MDX

Extra-strength crossover. This new ute crosses more lines than a Sunday-afternoon quarterback on a run to the Super Bowl.

Tall-box SUVs have been done to death. What if, for a change, you wrapped one in a jelly-bean shape? Would anyone buy it?

More what-ifs: Let's say you then pulled the trucky SUV soul out of the jelly bean and replaced it with the DNA of an all-weather grand tourer. Would anyone step up to that counter?

We'll soon find out. Acura's new MDX has broken out of the pseudo-truck box and into fresh territory. It combines the control-tower outlook of an SUV with the interior space of a three-row wagon and the chassis muscles of a sporting sedan. The larger V-8 Audi Q7 offers this blend of virtues, too, at a significantly higher price.

2007 Acura MDX

Unlike the traditional SUV, which has no sport and too little utility, the MDX is a roadgoing athlete clad in extreme-sports attire. The cockpit is completely divided, sports-car style, into separate spaces for the driver and passenger. The plush leather front buckets — and the second row as well — have enveloping shapes with plenty of side support. The large, round instruments have legible and unfussy numbers in the manner of classic sportsters. And the panoramic windshield showcases an exhilarating view of the world around. The curve of its pillars and the sweeping arcs of the dash strike up such a sporting mood as you drive that, when you're done, you expect to step up when you step out.

But no, this is a much taller machine than it drives, so much so that our feet hit the pavement like dropped potatoes on the first few exits. The roofline, at 68.2, is about 10 inches taller than the typical full-size sedan

2007 Acura MDX

Forget the ponderous moves you associate with tall vehicles. The MDX is quick on its Michelins (18-inch wheels are standard), accelerating to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds at 90 mph. Braking from 70 mph takes 177 feet, a performance in the top half of its class. Grip, as measured on the skidpad, is 0.84 g, exceptional for a tall car on four-season tires.

2007 Acura MDX

Acura credits several miracle ingredients for the superb handling. All MDXs have what's called Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, a clever system of varying the driving inputs to each wheel according to computer sensibilities. A dashboard icon lets you watch it in action. For handling on dry pavement, the system drives the outside rear wheel 1.7 percent faster than the front wheels. The effect here should be rather like the "stagger" used in circle-track racing, where a larger-diameter tire is fitted to the outside rear as a way of counteracting understeer.

We'd suggest one improvement in the torque-allocation software. When driving straight and using more than half-throttle on worn blacktops, the steering gets weavy, a symptom of torque steer that would surely disappear if more of the driving force were distributed to the rear.

2007 Acura MDX (Interior)

The test car was equipped with the optional Sport and Entertainment package, which includes Acura's take on "smart shocks," another miracle ingredient, this one to control two things: suspension motions and also the dynamic forces into the tire contact patches. A console-mounted switch lets you choose comfort (read "just right") or sport (masochists only). Maybe at Germany's Nürburgring — final suspension tuning was done there — the firmer setting would be helpful, but we'd never select it for road driving.

2007 Acura MDX

2009 Acura RL

With the 2009 model, Acura's RL has finally been refreshed. Are the changes enough to make a difference on the sales charts?

For the most positive change in the refresh of the 2009 Acura RL, the flagging flagship of Honda 's luxury division that's making its production debut at the 2008 Chicago show, you'll need to look beyond its odd chrome snout and under the blow-formed aluminum hood. New for 2009 is the 3.7-liter, 300-horsepower VTEC V-6 that also powers the MDX , with 275 lb-ft of torque (up from 256 lb-ft on the 2008 RLon tap.

In the "if it ain't broke, let's just make minor improvements" category, the engine is mated to an upgraded version of theAcura 's Sequential SportShift five-speed automatic transmission that you can shift two ways: via F1-style steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters or the new straight-gate console-mounted gear selector. While adequate, we hope Acura is developing a six- or seven-speed transmission to better keep it inline with today's luxury competition. The RL's fuel-economy ratings check in a bit lower for 2009 at 15 city/22 highway.

2009 Acura RL

Also updated for the 2009 RL is the automaker's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system, which is now "quicker-responding and better-performing," according to the automaker. The SH-AWD system employs torque vectoring to increase the rotation speed of the outside rear wheel during aggressive cornering maneuvers, enabling the car to turn more effectively under power, while reducing understeer and improving overall handling and cornering grip. While SH-AWD is by all accounts a solid system, most of the RL's main competition is rear drive. The system is rumored to be more rear-biased than before in an effort to play up more of a rear-drive angle.

A number of other changes also have been made to the car's fully independent suspension in an effort to improve the RL's handling, including the use of larger-diameter stabilizer bars, stiffer subframe mount bushings, higher-rate coil springs, and improved steering-rack components.

2009 Acura RL

Eight colors are now offered for the RL, which has been restyled both front and rear. Acura says the sheetmetal changes lend the car a more athletic stance -- we're not so sure yet based on the photo we've seen so far (we'll have more shortly). Seven-spoke 18-inch rims shod with more aggressive Michelin Pilot HX P245/45R18 rubber are now standard equipment. Five of the colors are new and feature a pearl pigment process that Acura says improves luster and shine.
In the cabin, some much-needed room has been added for the rear-seat passengers, but Acura has not yet said how much. The front passenger seat has 10-way power adjustability and is ventilated, as is the driver's seat. Both driver and passenger are treated to softer armrests, redesigned air vents, and what Acura says is a more intuitive climate-control system. The steering wheel is fitted with a better quality wood and "metal-like" accents, with the latter also used on the new gauge cluster.

2009 Acura RL

Joining Acura's Real-time traffic on the navigation system is Real-time weather. The 10-speaker Bose sound system with DVD-audio is upgraded, and as with the other interior controls, Acura assures us it has more readable buttons and is, thus, easier to use. You will hear the sound system better thanks to additional insulation, Active Sound Control noise abatement system, and a more advanced acoustic windshield. A new high-directional array microphone has been designed to better hear the 100,000 commands you can use with the HandsFreeLink system. Other new or updated features include a keyless entry and start system, a USB port and a dynamic route guidance feature for the nav system.

2009 Acura RL

While we're not sold on the exterior changes, the new engine, better technology, improved handling, along with the revised interior, combine to create a solid argument for the revised RL on paper. But despite the considerable improvements, the majority of its competition is available with V-8 power and/or rear drive -- two significant issues Acura has yet to address for its flagship.
With just 383 RLs sold in January 2008 and sales down 45.7 percent in 2007 compared with 2006, Acura salesmen are going to need all the help they can get to turn those figures around. The 2009 model should aid their cause, though we're not sure by how much.

2009 Acura RL

2007 Acura RL

The 2007 Acura RL is neither fast nor flashy, but it is comprehensively competent and absolutely confident in its manners and performance. It may not get noticed, but it's a stalwart winner no matter what Mother Nature or a deteriorating freeway throws at it.

Entering its third year of production, the second generation of Acura's range-topping RL receives a few feature-oriented changes. The navigation system is no longer standard and is now part of the Technology package. There's also a new Technology package combined with Acura's Collision Mitigating Braking System (CMBS) and Michelin PAX run-flat tires.

2007 Acura RL

Introduction

Based strictly on the long list of technologies stuffed into it, the 2007 Acura RL should be one of the world's most exciting luxury sedans. This is, after all, a car that has a "Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive" system distributing power to each wheel only when each particular wheel can effectively use it; paddles on the steering wheel that let the driver shift the five-speed automatic transmission manually when the road beckons; a multizone climate control system blowing filtered air; a stability system so sophisticated it should be able to keep tectonic plates from moving; front xenon headlamps that illuminate where the car is headed instead of only where it's pointed; and a rearview camera that means you'll only back over the cat if you really want to back over the cat. But exciting is the one thing the RL isn't.

The main culprit for that lack of thrills is the 290-horsepower 3.5-liter SOHC 24-valve V6 powering the RL. By any standard this is a sweet-natured engine that builds power seamlessly, with no apparent transition when the VTEC variable valve timing system engages and it operates in virtual silence, but the RL weighs in at just over 2 tons and there's no way 256-pound feet of peak torque is going to shove that much mass around with authority. Also, unlike many direct competitors in this segment that have moved on to six- or even seven-speed automatic transmissions, the RL still makes due with five and the paddle shifters are more a distraction than a performance enhancement. It could use those additional gears even more than its V8-engorged competitors.

That aside, there's a lot to like about the 2007 Acura RL. The overall design is outstanding, the quality of the leather used is exemplary and there's room enough for four full-sized adults (five in a pinch). The Bose sound system is so vivid it sounds like Frank Sinatra is singing while riding shotgun and Nelson Riddle and his orchestra are playing from the backseat. The ride is compliant and controlled, road noise is minimal and the all-wheel-drive system is effective. For luxury sedan buyers self-confident enough to never draw attention to themselves, the RL is a car that matches their personalities perfectly.

2007 Acura RL

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2007 Acura RL is a large luxury sedan. There are three trim levels: RL, RL with Technology Package and RL with Technology Package plus CMBS and PAX run-flat tires. The base RL comes with 17-inch wheels, power and heated front seats, leather seating, real wood trim, power operation for virtually all accessories, a moonroof, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, satellite radio and an auxiliary jack for MP3 players integrated into the standard Bose audio system. To this the Technology Package adds 18-inch wheels, a navigation system with real-time traffic and a rearview camera, and adaptive xenon headlights. Obviously, the Technology Package plus CMBS and PAX run-flats is pretty self-explanatory

2007 Acura RL

Powertrains and Performance

The sole engine available in the RL consists of a 3.5-liter V6 that provides 290 hp and 256 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission sends power to the Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system. SH-AWD can send varying degrees of torque to each individual wheel to improve wet-weather traction and handling.

Safety

Standard safety features include antilock disc brakes with brake assist, front seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and a stability control system. The optional CMBS uses a millimeter-wave radar unit inside the front grille to monitor the distance and closing rate between the RL and any object in front of it. With that information a computer continuously calculates the likelihood of a frontal collision. If the system determines that that likelihood has grown beyond an acceptable level, audible, visual and tactile warnings warn the driver. After that stage two kicks in and applies light braking. If all that fails and the CMBS concludes that a collision is inevitable, it activates its third stage and retracts the driver's and front passenger's seatbelts while braking to reduce the speed of impact. The 2007 Acura RL gets a five-star rating from NHTSA for rollover resistance, frontal impact and side impact safety. The IIHS awarded the RL a "Good" rating (the highest possible) in all its offset frontal collision tests.

2007 Acura RL

Interior Design and Special Features

The RL's interior is lavishly equipped, but the heated front seats are too flat and the dramatically designed dash is overrun by a vast number of buttons and controls. If you don't like blue LEDs, you won't like how the dash is lit. However, the perforated leather upholstery is top quality and the rear seat offers generous legroom.

2007 Acura RL

Driving Impressions

It might not be quick, but the 2007 Acura RL gets better the harder it's driven. The SH-AWD system works transparently but very effectively to maintain traction under the silliest of circumstances, and when the stability control is also engaged it would take a bulldozer to push the RL off course. But with the stability control off, the RL will corner with a touch of understeer and pull hard out of the corners, with no wheelspin whatsoever. The steering is a bit numb and slow, but precise, and the cushy ride gets downright mushy as the RL's independent, double-wishbone front and multilink rear suspension approaches its handling limits. It's not exciting, but it's absolutely competent.

2007 Acura RL

Sunday 25 September 2011

BMW X8 2012

We are thankful to you for taking interest in BMW X8 2012, But sorry unfortunately even the international (official website) BMW doesn’t have news, reviews, pros about

this model yet. We are waiting for the BMW X8 launches.

BMW X8 2012

As soon as we get information about BMW X8. We will update our post and share it with our visitors. In my opinion it will be the most innovative concept vehicle we have seen in ages until now. I think the new BMW X8 stands out with some outclass styling, better than X5, X6(M) SUVs.