Acura introduces 2007 TL Type-S

Acura has a new member in its TL luxury sedan family – the Type-S high performance model for 2007. And for the same model year, Acura has done some cosmetic retouching to the TL sedan’s exterior and interior.

The new Type-S will draw its get-up-and-go from a 3.5 litre V-6 power plant that will let loose 286 horses at  6200 rpm and 255-lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. That energy will work its way through either of two transmissions: a new 5-speed automatic with F1-style paddle shifters or a close-ratio 6-speed manual.

Enhanced suspension for the Type-S complements 4-piston Brembo front brakes for improved stopping. Designers have given the Type-S firmer front and rear anti-roll bars, stiffer springs and shocks, and other refinements to deliver sportier handling and ride.

To give it a more aggressive look, the Type-S receives exclusive front and rear fascias with unique bumpers, dark chrome trim, wider side sills, 10-spoke alloy wheels and quad tailpipes. And there are special sport front seats with additional lateral support.

Look for the Type-S logo embossed on the steering wheel and seat backs.

For its part, the base TL powers up with a 3.2-litre VTEC V-6 engine that produces a healthy 258 hp at 6200 rpm and a broad torque curve that peaks with 233 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. It is mated exclusively to the new 5-speed Sequential SportShift automatic transmission.

For 2007, the TL exterior features numerous refinements. The new front fascia has a larger grille, the bumper has been redesigned, there is a new headlight assembly and fog lights are located in the lower bumper. The tail lights, rear bumper and alloy wheels have been re-designed.

While each model has its unique characteristics, they also have much in common, including XM Satellite Radio which comes with each model.

Both the 3.2-litre V-6 in the TL and the 3.5-litre V-6 in the Type-S meet Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions requirements. TL fuel economy is 11.6/7.5 L 100km (city/highway), while the Type-S is 12.3/7.8 L/100 km (automatic transmission) and 11.6/7.3 L/100 km (manual transmission).

The models offer double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspensions to maximize driver control without sacrificing
ride quality or comfort.  All TL models feature door mirror with integrated turn signals.

For the TL and Type-S there is a new 3-spoke steering wheel, new gauges with a “spun metal” look with laser-etched numerals, and model-specific ambient lighting that is blue for the TL and red for the Type-S.

For your listening enjoyment, the 225-watt Acura/ELS SurroundT premium 8-speaker sound system with 6-disc CD, DVD-Audio, DTS® and Dolby® Pro Logic® II is standard. But the system has been updated to play discs encoded with WMA and MP3 music files.

A standard HandsFreeLinkT lets the driver link and dial a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone by voice.  A new, higher-resolution Multi-Information Display (MID) shows mobile phone data, tracks the car’s maintenance needs, displays warnings and offers an array of driver preference settings.

Safety features for 2007 include front and side airbags.

And you’re wondering about price. The MSRP for the TL is $42,500. Add the TL Navigation package and it’s is $45,600. The Type-S shows $46,300 (with 6-speed manual transmission) and $47,600 (with 5-speed automatic transmission).