Engine’s
flexibility
impresses

From pase 52

Fegend in 1YSS, fb was awed
by its smooth, quitct. tree
TOVVINE tray ersely mounted
VO engine. At the time, che
Legend was a wake-up call
tor North American Juxtry
cars, many of Which were just
cedressed mid sized sedans.

Since then, Acura
(Honda) has continually
\retined their V6 powerplants,
giving them more harsepaw:
er, more flexibility, and
smoother operation. The cur-
rent aluminum alloy 3.5-litre
overhead cam V6 engine with
four valves per evlinder devel-
ops up to 210 horsepower at
5,200 rp.m. and 224 ihs.-tt.
of torque at a very low 2,800
rp.m. This gives the engine
the feel ofa V8 engine —
instant low-end response with
no hesitation or rev build-up.
And the ride to the redline is
continuous, smooth aud satis-
fying. In case the froat wheels
begin to spin, traction control
is standard equipment.

Fuel consumption ain't
bad for a big car: 12.6 litres
per 100 kilometres (22
m.p.g.) in the city and 8.6
litres per 100 kilometres (33
m.p.g.) on the highway.

Honda and Acura have
also refined their automatic
transtnissions over the years.
The RL’s four-speed auto-
matic features computer-con-
trolled grade-logic control
which holds the transmission
in gear when ascending or
descending slight grades to
prevent hunting back and
forth benween gears. But
unlike the TL, the RL is nor
available with the
“Sportshift” transmission
which can also be shifted
manually.

As Acura’s top-of-the-line
car, the RI. comes with just
about everything as standard
equipment. A partial list of

Technical data

Base price: $52,000
Type: four-door, five-pas-
senger luxury sedan
Layout: transverse front
engine /front-wheel-drive
Engine: 3.5-litre V6,
SOHC X 2, 24 valves
Horsepower: 210 @ 5,200
p.m,

Torque: 224 I[bs.-ft. @
2,800 p.m.
Transmission: four-speed
automatic
Curb weight:
(3,648 Ibs.)
Wheelbase:
(114.6 in.)
Length: 4,995 mm (196.6
in.)
Width:
in.)
Height: 1,435 mm (56.5
in.)

Trunk: 419 litres (14.8
cu. ft.)

Fuel consumption: city,
12.6 [/100-km (22 mpg.)
hwy , 861/100 km (32
mpg)

Warranty: Basic — three
years /60,000 km.
Powertrain — tive

| years/100,000 kin |

1,655 kg
29100 mm

1820 mm (717

Friday. April 23. 1999 — North Shore News ~ 53

RESTYLED for 1999, Acura's largest luxury sedan, the 3.5RL, has a spacious five-passenger interior with new safety features like side

airbags.

these niceties includes leather
upholstery and heated power
front seats, automatic climate
control, electric cilt and tele-
scoping stecring wheel, mem-
ory functions for the seats,

steering wheel and outside
mirrors, Bose AM/FM/
stereo casserte with 225
watts, cight speakers and six
dise CD changer, keyless
entry and anti-theft system,

.

power windows and locks,
ower moonroof with sun-
shade, speed-sensing variable
intermittent wipers — and
the list goes on.
Acura’s have a good repu-

ration for reliability, and with
a standard three year/60,000
kilometre warranty and a five
year/120,000 km powertrain
warranty, owners are well-
covered.

“We've gota
Spring offer that

—_— you're sure to
warm up to.”

CARTER CHEVROLET-OLDSMOBILE 987-5231
REGENCY PONTIAC-BUICK-CADILLAC-GMC 985-6333

The 3.5RL is a conserva-
tively-styled luxury car that
emphasizes luxury rather than
performance — and benefits
from the mighty reputation
of Honda behind it.