The Acura RL may well be the easiest flagship sedan in the world to overlook. The direct successor to one of the original Acura models, the Legend sedan, the RL is technologically advanced, drives well and is supremely comfortable. But no one seems to know about it. The Acura RL is the perfect luxury car to buy, if you want everyone to continue wondering what it is you bought.
Why the Acura RL name exists is still a bit mystifying. Back in 1986 when the Legend sedan was introduced, it was an instant hit, and through its second generation it was still winning new buyers. In fact, the story goes, the Legend name was so well respected and famed that it was in danger of overshadowing the Acura name. In order to save Acura from the success of its own cars, the Legend name was dropped and the Acura RL was created for 1997.
The first front-drive Acura RL was technically named the 3.5 RL, indicating the displacement in liters of its 210-horsepower V6 engine. It's tough to imagine a more boring-looking car than that first RL. It was so conservatively styled that it could have been mistaken for a blank sheet of copy paper. It drove a bit anonymously, too. The first Acura RL was the perfect car for anyone in the witness protection program.
In late 2004 the second Acura RL arrived in time for the 2005 model year. Far more sharply styled, the new Acura RL still had a 3.5-liter V6 under its hood, but dispensed with the "3.5" in its name. And the 290-hp V6 was supported by a five-speed automatic transmission that included a manual sequential shifting feature. An advanced "Super Handling All-Wheel Drive" (SH-AWD) system was also part of the package, adding an element of secure traction and all-weather ability to the Acura RL's portfolio of talents.
There's nothing else quite like the Acura RL on the market, but that hasn't made it a luxury car icon like the flagships of other makers. And for that matter, the Acura RL still isn't an icon on the order of the old Acura Legend.
