From the outside, you’ll find a larger car than the original CL. This is because this is the latest car to be built off of the Global Mid-Size platform that also spawned the successful ’99 3.2 TL. In many respects, this is a "TL coupe!" There is a family resemblance to the TL and RL with the bold pentagram grill that dips into a matching space in the bumper. The sides have a chiseled look similar to the TL, and a strong character line visually ties the two bumpers together. The "bobtailed" look of the previous generation produced mixed emotions from everybody. There was little middle ground, you either loved the tapered look of the tail or you were aghast with the styling direction Acura had taken. You need not worry with this new CL. The rear has a neat, clean tail, very similar to the TL’s rear treatment and recalls the trunk line of the second generation Legend Coupe. Like our other large cars, this luxury coupe uses Xenon High Intensity Discharge headlights for a clearer view down the road. Matching fog lights are integrated under the bumper.

Inside, the CL owner will be greeted with luxurious leather trimmed seats with 8-way power adjustment for the drivers seat and 4-way adjustments for the passenger seat with drivers-side memory seat positions. To ease access for the rear seat passengers, there is a power walk-in feature that moves the seat forward in one easy motion. Both front seat occupants benefit from our sophisticated dual-stage front air bag system and side impact air bags. Seat position sensors like those in the TL and RL monitor the position of passenger to determine if it is safe to deploy the side airbags.

For those of you who need an introduction to the S2000, it’s an all new 2 seat roadster built to celebrate Honda’s 50^th anniversary as a car manufacturer. It has an amazing 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine, that produces an impressive 240 horsepower at 9000 RPM. The new rear wheel drive chassis uses many new technologies to save weight and provide a rigid, stiff body for the fully independent double wishbone suspension to mount to. Suffice to say, all the mechanical bits and pieces have been seamlessly blended into a wonderful little 2800 pound convertible.

I’ve had the car for three months now and this is the best car I’ve ever owned! The driving experience is wonderful, every control seems to be an extension of your body. Flick your wrist, it changes gear, twist the wheel and it changes lanes. The clutch is light, and engagement is very quick but easy to modulate. Braking performance is so stunning, I’m always worried about the car behind me not being able to stop as fast as me. When I put my right foot down…

The digital speedometer counts off the numbers very quickly and the tachometer arches across the top of the display, the engine passes 6000 RPM and the VTEC switches to the "hot cam" and then the excitement begins. Within about 2.8 seconds I’m at about 40 mph and need to shift to 2^nd gear. Flick. Another 2.5 seconds and I’m passing 60 mph, and a split second later I shift to 3^rd. Another Flick. 3^rd gear tops out at 90 mph and I’ll need 4 gears to get through the ¼ mile on my way to a mid-14 second run.

On the road, if I’m not using all the 9000 RPM Honda has given me, I’ve been getting about 25-27 miles per gallon! The ride in the car is stiff, but not uncomfortably so, but maybe a bit stiffer than I expected. One thing I never expected was the reaction I get from everybody. Everyone is enthusiastic, "shakas," "howzits" and "thumbs up" all the time. Unfortunately, there a few guys who want to race, and I prefer to do my racing on the track (so come on out to our Autocross, you know who you are!).

The close ratio 6-speed manual transmission allows the driver to keep the engine in the powerband, between 6,000 and 8,700 RPM.

My first three months of ownership have been very trouble free, the only problems I’ve had are a rattle in the roof latch, and the scratched rear window. The roof latch should be easy to fix, it only requires a tension adjustment. The scratches on the rear window are another story. There is no doubt in my mind that it is simply a poor design on Honda’s part. The window folds into a tray that is made of a hard plastic, dust and vibrations cause this surface to seriously scratch the rear window. I’ve fashioned a towel to line the tray, but unfortunately the scratches are already there. I’m waiting for my Zymol Screen Clean kit to arrive, this should enable me to polish out the scratches.

The CD player hides behind a cover in the dash, this keeps dust out of the internals of the CD. Auxiliary audio controls are located on the instrument pod right at your fingertips. So far so good, but Honda seems to have forgotten the car is a roadster! Roadsters have a lot of road, wind and engine noise. These conspire to overpower the stock audio systems ability to put out sound that can be heard with the top down. In addition to the lack of power, the sound quality from the skimpy 6.5 inch speakers would have been poor by 1980’s standards much less 2000! I’ve already replaced the speakers with separate component speakers (click here for pictures of the installation in progress) and an amplifier is planned soon.

These few "problems" are so minor, they all fade when the top in down and the tachometer is showing 9000 RPM! Please remember I can sell Honda’s at our Pflueger Honda store so if you’re interested in learning more or acquiring this stunning car, please give me a call!