After the first wheel was invented it was probably not long until someone came up with the idea of bolting two wheels together and putting something on top. The wheel was first used most likely Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) but it was the Chinese that made the most drastic improvement through the invention of the differential. Let me explain:
When you run a race around a circular race track you know that it is best to run on the inside lane, why? Because running on the inside lane is the shortest distance around the track. The same can be said for your tires when you go around a corner. The two tires closest to the curve do not have to go as far as the tires on the outside of the curve. When you hear tires on a car squealing while it goes around a corner you are hearing the inside tires losing rubber because they are moving too far. The Chinese fixed this problem by inventing the differential, a device that allows two connected wheels to spin at different rates while turning. This made their chariots much better handling and made turning a lot more predictable. The one problem with differentials is that they essentially work by decreasing the speed of the inside tires, thus resulting in slowing down the entire vehicle. Honda however, developed technology called ATTS in 1997 and revolutionized the way cars operate.
ATTS works not by slowing down the inside wheel, but by speeding up the outside wheel. Think about it, you are going around a corner, the wheels start squealing, so the computer on the car decides that the best solution is to turn the car more quickly with the wheels that need to go farther, thus whipping the car around the corner in no time. Honda first used this technology in the Prelude, and Honda now uses it in their Acura line of cars, including the TL Type S.
Now the first thing that must be said of Acura, and Honda in general, is that this is a company that does not take many risks, especially when it comes to design. The last Honda worth talking about with regards to looks was the NSX, and that car has not been built since 2005. An S2000 is scarcely different from a Mazda Miata in terms of looks, which is a shame because the S2000 is a much better car from a mechanical standpoint. The TL if put into a lineup with an Accord, Camry, Mazda 6 and any other average sedan, would be difficult to pick out for the average observer. Compare that to say, a BMW 3 series or a Jaguar X-Type, whether you like them or not, both cars have a distinctive look that separates them from the crowd unlike the Acura.
Where the Acura beats the competition is technology. The Acura TL was the first car with bluetooth integration built in, as mentioned before the ATTS system was revolutionary, and Acura beat many other car companies to the punch when it came to MP3 player integration. The inside of the cabin feels like an electronics store, with lights and brushed aluminum everywhere. Everything looks and feels solid, good Honda engineering all around.
Now it must be said that when you drive the TL, or any Acura with the ATTS system for that matter, you are not usually going to feel the effects of the ATTS system. In fact, you really need to go to a track to experience that ATTS. But the TL feels like a solid and capable car from the beginning. It has great power and the computer does a good job of keeping the tires from spinning out of control without losing too much power. Acura offers an A-Spec package, which gives you larger wheels and a stiffer, lower suspension. With the A-Spec package the TL can keep up with the best performance luxury sedans on the market. There really is nothing negative to say about driving a TL and that is the problem, the TL is just too perfect. It is perfect to the point that it is forgettable.
When you drive an Infiniti G35 the rear wheel drive setup gives you the feel that you are riding an untamed horse that likes to buck every now and then. When you walk out to your driveway and see the distinct kidney grill of the BMW 3 series you are reminded that you are about to get into a car that handles like a free-spirited sports car. If you have a Jaguar you know that when you pull up to your friends house for dinner nobody else will have a Jag parked out front. The Acura seems like a plain Jane around its competition.
All that said the Acura is a GREAT car, it is just not a distinctive car. For some people the Acura is perfect. If you want a great car without any of the attention then the Acura is for you. If you like to look at your reflection in the glass of a building you are driving by and admire your car, perhaps you should get something a little more daring than a Honda.
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