ON SPEC; Acura RL gets the A-Spec treatment, but is it enough?

Byline: MARK VAUGHN

** It could be argued-and it was-that this is the most significant car introduced at SEMA this year. That's quite an argument, considering all the cars shown at SEMA. But with the RL A-Spec, this once-pedestrian Acura can now be thrown in with the BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG, Cadillac CTS-V and a few other serious heavy hitters in the luxury performance sedan segment. Right?

Depends how you define "thrown in with.'' The debut of the Acura RL A-Spec is a step toward bringing this once also-ran sedan into the realm of the great performance sedans from Europe and, lately, the United States. But does the RL A-Spec really mean Acura competes in that heady realm? Not quite, but it can compete in the realm next door.

See, the serious runners in that class all have beastly strong engine modifications to add to their suspension kits and bodywork. Acura could easily be a player in that segment, what with all its engineers and with the racing heritage of its Honda sibling. All it would need is an engine boost to go with the A-Spec suspension and body kit it was given.

But Acura is proud of its emissions and mileage achievements. As such, it doesn't want to mess up a perfect attendance record in the EPA gold star club by dropping a V10 and rear-wheel drive into its flagship four-door, even in limited numbers.

Besides, the 300 hp and all-wheel drive that now come standard in the new RL are significant improvements, and are not to be dismissed. And they aren't. They are to be celebrated, and we do. As you'll recall, the new RL, entering showrooms about the time you read this, took a huge leap in the "cool'' department with the 2005 model.

The new RL got a 75-hp boost, from 225 hp to 300, while still maintaining ULEV emissions standards. And while the engine is still "just a V6,'' it now drives the rear wheels in addition ...