The months preceding the formal introduction has the automotive press ripe with rumors and speculation. Wild horsepower claims and overly optimistic pricing are commonplace, as are styling and feature errors. So here I am, several months before the formal introduction in September and I'm fanning the speculation flames!

The original TL was the first Acura to use our alpha-numeric naming system, and this will continue with the 1999 TL-X (the car should shed its "X" designation when it enters production). Speaking of production, this will be the second Acura designed and built in America. With CL and TL production combined, over half of all Acuras will be made in the country that buys them. We will even make a right-hand-drive model for export to Europe and Japan!

The TL-X show car at the Detroit Auto Show As you can see from these pictures of the show car, this new Acura will be a stunning design. If you have seen the CL series of luxury coupes, you may see some familiar styling cues. The sharply raked windshield and rear window give the TL-X an aggressive stance that should really stand out in a crowd. Be prepared to be noticed!

For Hawaii, there is only one trim level, and that's fully loaded! This means the car will be standard with leather, A/C, AM/ FM CD, cruise control, traction control, and an alarm system with keyless entry. For 1999 all Acuras are standard with anti-lock brakes, 4-Wheel disc brakes, dual air bags, a moonroof, and our double wishbone suspensions. Our cars have more standard equipment than any other brand!

As far as technical specifications go, many of the details are still confidential even to us. The best rumors are reported on the Internet and this is what I've managed to get so far. The items below are still not confirmed so don't hold me to it.

Engine: The New TL-X will use a larger version of the 3.O CL VTEC 6-Cylinder. It will get a displacement increase to 3.2 Liters and probably a horsepower boost to the 220-230 range, and run on regular gasoline.

Styling: The pictures of the show car you see here are going to be a 99.99 % accurate view of what the final car will look like. The most noteworthy exterior change is likely to be 16'' alloy wheels will replace the custom 18" wheels shown in the picture. Like the Integra and the NSX, the new TL-X will sport projector beam headlights to give better illumination down the road.

Interior: Like all Acuras the interior will combine award winning ergonomics with luxurious comfort There are lots of thoughtful touches throughout, for example the Bose music system will have volume controls on the steering wheel like the RL and CL. This will be a performance sedan, so Acura has included our "Sport Shift" Automatic Transmission, which will allow manual selection of the gears without a clutch! A power trunk release and accessory 12 volt outlet may see production.

I realize this only gives you a small teaser of our future plans, but at least you don’t have to wait long, the scheduled release date for the TL-X is set for early September!