Under the hood of the standard 2007 Acura TL is a 3.2-liter V6 with 258 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 233 lb.-ft. torque at 6,000 rpm. According to the EPA, this model is rated to get 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, but everyone knows the EPA is smoking crack when it comes to its fuel economy numbers. The sportier Acura TL Type-S gets a larger 3.5-liter V6 good for 286 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 256 lb.-ft. torque at 5,000 rpm. Acura says the power gain comes from the increase in displacement, exhaust system modifications, and an increase in intake flow. EPA estimates peg the TL Type-S at 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. We got much worse than this – about 15.5 mpg – but we spent plenty of time hammering the car at high revs. The TL’s five-speed automatic with SportShift is brand new for 2007, featuring increased torque capacity, improved responsiveness in manual mode, and a transmission fluid cooler for the Type-S. Type-S models also get different shift logic, producing quick and firm upshifts and smooth rev-matched downshifts. Manual mode on both TLs requires the driver to upshift out of first gear and downshift into first gear – the car won’t do so automatically – so don’t forget you chose to select your own gears or you’re gonna look like a ninny.

If you still think a car without a clutch should never have the word “sport” attached to its description, the TL Type-S can be equipped with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission like the one on last year’s car, modified for use with the 3.5-liter V6. Acura has revised the clutch to provide a wider range of operation in an effort to make engagement less abrupt, and selecting the manual transmission also adds a helical limited-slip differential to get power from the front wheels and to the ground more efficiently when accelerating out of corners.

Yep, the power still flows to the front end of the car, through 17” x 8” alloys of unique design on each model. Standard TLs get all-season Bridgestone rubber sized 235/45, while the TL with navigation and the Type-S receive Michelin all-seasons. Buyers planning some aggressive driving in the Type-S can opt for 235/45 Bridgestone summer performance tires. The rubber stays planted to the road thanks to a double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. Standard TLs get reduced front spring rates, more compliant bushings, hollow stabilizer bars, and revised damper valve tuning to produce a softer ride quality than last year – remember: this is the luxury version now that the Type-S has arrived. Type-S models get damper mounts that are 400 times stiffer than before, 20 percent stiffer front shocks, 40 percent stiffer rear shocks, 32 percent stiffer rear spring rates, and stiffer stabilizer bars front and rear. You could say that the Type-S is, uh, stiffer than the regular TL.

Bigger brake strakes keep the Acura TL’s brakes cooler and free of fade for 2007. Additionally, the TL Type-S gets larger four-piston front Brembo brakes with increased pedal stiffness, a unique pad compound for improved fade performance, and its own master cylinder design for greater durability. For the Type-S, the steering is modified to increase effort characteristics at higher speeds. Standard TLs get lower effort levels at slower speeds for easier parking and maneuvering, well serving its role as the more luxurious version.