Acura's new alphanumeric nomenclature is
starting to feel familiar. When the Honda's luxury division first proposed
dropping a name full of history and meaning like Legend for a series of
letters and numbers, it seemed lunacy.
But familiarity breeds recognition. As the new names sweep through the
Acura lineup, they have begun to create their own identities. The Vigor
has become the TL, the CL coupes have arrived, and when the Integra is
redesigned for '98, the cycle will be complete.
One defense of 3.5RL versus Legend is that the 3.5RL is a thoroughly
different car. The Legend had a sporty edginess under a layer of luxury,
while the 3.5RL takes its name very seriously. The initials stand for Refined
Luxury, and the car is an exquisitely refined piece of work--smooth, cossetting,
and deeply luxurious rather than sporting. Introduced in mid-'96 as an
all-new model, it continues into 1997 unchanged.