Effectively blending high performance and personal luxury is a genuine automotive art form, one that Acura has shown an amazing talent for doing, and doing well. The arrival of its latest CL 3.2 Type-S proves that Honda's luxury division still has the magic touch. When it stormed onto the scene for 2002, the original Type-S boasted a host of meaningful powertrain and suspension upgrades in its formidable resume, including a trick SportShift sequential 5-speed automatic transmission. For '03, this understated overachiever adds several new touches to make it an even more appealing ride to the purists.
Visually, the new Type-S gets minor tweaks to its front and rear fascias, revamped wheels and bolder looking exhaust tips. However, the real news is the arrival of the 6-speed, close-ratio, manual transmission. Opting for this do-it-yourself cog-changer also brings a new helical-gear limited-slip differential in place of the stability system and traction control found in its autoshifted counterpart.
Those with higher-profile predilections are likely to find that even with the exterior changes, the CL's remarkably understated styling remains a bit too subtle for its own good. But that tastefully drawn sheetmetal—devoid of wings, flaps, flares and all other types of paste-on appendages—makes the CL Type-S a near-perfect street-sleeper. That's a good thing, because this new 6-speed variant is even more willing than its predecessor to accommodate those with a natural inclination to regularly roam in the supra-legal speed range.
The additional gearbox exactly doubles the number of "option" choices that face a potential Type-S buyer. Like the standard CL 3.2—which is still only available with the SportShift transmission—save for a yea/nay vote on the $2,150 Navigation package (now fitted with OnStar), this coupe comes fully equipped. It commands $30,550 plus $500 in destination fees regardless of transmission.
That tariff brings leather upholstery, automatic climate-control air conditioning, a gaggle of power assists, moonroof, Bose AM/FM/cassette stereo with 6-disc in-dash changer, power/heated seats, HomeLink programmable garage-door opener, dual 12V powerpoints, tilt steering column, steering-wheel-mounted audio/cruise controls and remote keyless for starters. Those comfort/convenience features are backed by dual front/front-side smart airbags, 3-point seatbelts with pretensioners/force limiters, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, HID Xenon headlamps, anti-theft/immobilizer system and rear LATCH anchors for child seats on the safety/security front.
