Yup, 08 was the last year for that body style IIRC. It is more similar to an M5 (yes I know stretch, but only b/c it was mentioned) than an RX8. It is a sporty (quasi) luxury car. It is intended to be comfortable, nice, yet quick and nimble compared to the regular TL, and not a sports car.

This really shouldn't be much of a discussion, just tell him to go to Acura's website and see if they call it a sports car; I would put money on the site not calling it a sports car.


Having said that, if I had to choose a new car and the 8 and TL-s were my choices, I would go with the TL-s. It's so much more refined in a practical way, yet still fun to drive in a completely different way than the 8.

 

your buddy is definitely smoking something

 

It is safe to say that your buddy is a moron. Tell him to GTFO with his Honda Accord. You should proceed to smack him across the face and unfriend him.

 

I don't know about the TL-S, but the stock TL wasn't so great. Sure it was faster than the average sedan, but the handling wasn't as refined and understeered too much. My Mazda 6 actually felt better in terms of handling and everyday driving, but interior was far worse.

The new one is just a PIG. Sorry, 4000 pounds for a car like that is a bit much. The C&D review said that it was alright, but it lacked a couple things.

Im not going to argue with you here, but personally, TL's were only good from 2001 to the TL-s. They should've made the TSX the TL and the TL a new version.

 

sports car
 
Use sports car in a Sentence
–noun
a small, high-powered automobile with long, low lines, usually seating two persons

or

sports car
n. An automobile equipped for racing, especially an aerodynamically shaped one-passenger or two-passenger vehicle having a low center of gravity and steering and suspension designed for precise control at high speeds.

 

In its truest sense sports cars were small a lightweight cars geared towards handling and not 0-60.
True sports cars came from Europe [mostly England and Italy].


Once we Americans got our hands on the concept it started to become more about how fast can you go in a straight line. And as someone dubiously noted ~trucks and SUV's are faster~ hence the flaws of 0 to 60 think....


Anyho
I prefer the classic idea of a sports car being light and more about handling.

But then again the Chevy Cobalt has fast 0-60 times so it's a better sports car.....

 

Sports Car


Not Sports Car.


End of Discussion.

 

The definition of what is a sports car has been argued on miata.net until people were blue in their face and honestly no progress has been made. While most everybody here doesn't consider a TL a sports car, a surprising number over there don't consider the RX-8 a sports car.

The TL still isn't a sports car though! Maybe try "sports sedan".

 

It could be argued that neither the RX8 or the TL are sportscars. They are grand touring cars. Sporty yet have a backseat & 4 doors. Some say that a sportscar cant have more than 2 seats. Others will add that it must also be a convertible. But then, rear wheel drive is a must.

 

RWD is a must! FWD is just a family sedan

 

You guys shouldn't assume every TL is FWD. The SH-AWD system is actually quite good and is now being copied by others. 70% of the torque can go to the rear wheels and 100% of the rear wheel torque can go to the outside wheel when turning. This can do a lot to reducing understeer.

 

^yes an AWD drive car is more a sports car than a FWD...take the evo, sti, wrx, skyline R34 all great sports cars and AWD

 

I wasn't talking about the new ones when I said that.

And the TL-S has decent handling for that big of a car. Not sure about the regular TL

 

I don't know if an RX-8 is a sports car due to its uniqueness but the TL is definitely not.

 

As someone said above, it's all gray, at least when you start factoring in 4-seats and 3,000+ lbs. Given those compromises, I would definitely call the MT RX-8 a sports car, at least it's the best 4-seater sports car I could find anyway, but a lighter weight, new 2-seater RX-7 would be a much better sports car without these compromises. You can't drive the 8 without appreciating how well Mazda designed perhaps the first true 4-seater sports car. But it was never supposed to be the flagship sports car for Mazda. According to excellent inside sources, the new RX-7 was supposed to have been introduced prior to the NC Miata. Of course that never happened.

TL, no way, but when it gets a MT next year, and maybe if it ever comes as a coupe with a sport suspension and turbo like the RDX, maybe then it'll be worth another look.

 

Previous years already came with a MT option and even a sport tuned version (type S).

On a side not, there have been rumors that there will be a TSX-s with the RDX engine.

 

I don't think they ever sold the TL in the UK as they don't have Acura and people aren't ******* over there about cars like they are in the US. Kind of a moot comment.

So true, look at this non-sporty FWD family car that was rate EVO's Car of the Year in 2008. I don't know though, maybe a car magazine with the moniker 'The Thrill of Driving', just doesn't understand what a sporty fun car is...or more likely, you're some of the previously mentioned American *****.

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evoc...gane_r26r.html

http://www.autoebid.com/autoenews/ne...php?artID=1248

 

Ok. I am in something of an uncommon position since I have BOTH the 8 and the TL sitting in my garage.

The RX is a sports car with sedan-like attributes. Mind you, it's not a high end sports car, but it's still a sports car nonetheless.

The TL is a sporty sedan. The TL Type-S is closer to a sports car considering the tighter suspension and added horsepower, but it's not a sports car.

Remember that the TL is an Accord on steroids. IIRC, it shares the same platform and a number of parts. It has the typical soft Honda steering and suspension, which disqualifies it from being considered a sports car.

When I drive my 8, I feel the road and can zip around like nobody's business. The TL is like driving a cloud. It's soft, quiet, and comfortable. A true sports car has none of these attributes.

 

my boy got an '04 TL and he could outgun my 8...once we're already going like 80 or so. I dont think a small jap car is made for quarter miles...but some people think this means our cars are not sport cars. 8's do what they do well...If he wants to argue take him out on a track.

 

The Miata doesn't have much hp. Does your friend consider the Miata a sports car? And what about a Porsche 911—it has 4 seats. Is the 911 a sports car??

 

The answer to the question nobody asked. Sweet.

The comment wasn't that FWD does not have inadequacies, it's that it can most certainly be fun and sporty.

 

I was only talking about the current model--I think a MT coupe are minimal standards to be considered as a sports car. More power in a heavy car is always good, especially if it ever hopes to compete agaist the G37.

 

If the Miata had 4-seats and no more power, it wouldn't be a sports car IMHO, and the 911 is not a really true 4-seater.