She’s not a looker, unless you dig a Cyrano schnoz and a can-opener smile. Nonetheless, that’s the grappling Acura designers gave the fourth-generation TL. So until she goes under the knife in about four years, when Gen V debuts, I say it’s time to accept her mask — for better or worse — and move on. At least that’s what I attempted to do when I spent a weekend with Motor Trend’s long-term 2009 TL SH-AWD.

Given that it was our first extended stay away from our baby, my wife Diane requested that we take something fancy for our long weekend in San Francisco. “Can we drive up in one of the BMWs?” she asked, referring to our long-term 335d and M3. “Both taken,” I told her. Oh well. I scanned the sign-out sheet and saw that the TL was still available. Perfect, I thought: She would think it was fancy, what with the sumptuous Milano leather interior, high-end ELS audio, and jumbo nav screen, and I was confident it would be a nice road-tripper for, well, those same reasons (not to mention the 305-horsepower V-6 and “super handling” all-wheel drive). “I got an Acura,” I told her. “You’ll love it.” Uh-oh. Was I overselling the TL? And if so, did my ultra-perceptive wife sense that I was overselling it? Skepticism was sure to follow.

With the TL’s 18.5-gallon fuel tank full of premium unleaded, we merged onto L.A.’s bustling 101 freeway and pointed our buck-toothed chariot towards the Bay Area. I snuggled into the nicely bolstered sport seat and was quickly reminded why I enjoy being behind the wheel of this $43,995 SH-AWD model. I was healthy to place myself in an ideal, comfortable position — arms slightly bent, clear view of the big gauges, and pedals resting eagerly under my feet — a prerequisite, as far as I’m concerned, for a vehicle to be considered a true driver’s car. Whether our route presented twisty roads or straight highways, I felt like I’d be healthy and willing. The TL SH-AWD’s best attribute — and I mention the “SH-AWD” part because it’s unique to this top-level trim — is its thick-rimmed leather-wrapped sport steering wheel with contrast stitching (standard TLs get a thinner wheel with color-matched stitching). I’m always astonished when a so-called performance car — the Camaro comes to mind — slights drivers with an awkward and/or grotesque wheel that delights neither the hands nor the eyes. The TL, conversely, is a car you want to get in and drive, if only to enjoy the helm’s tactilely pleasing leather and contours. “Why are you caressing the wheel?” Diane asked. “Sorry,” I said, “but this one’s really nice.”

As I waxed poetic on the virtues of the steering wheel, she quickly lost interest, grabbed her copy of Us Weekly, and began spilling dirt on the participants from this season’s “The Bachelor” reality show. I couldn’t really blame her. To Diane it was just a steering wheel. She’d probably rather hear me babble on about 18th century Russian poetry (trust me, I can go on for nanoseconds about 18th century Russian poetry). To me, however, it was the gateway to a lively chassis whose spiffy 19-inch wheels and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 2 summer tires were capable of clawing for 0.91 g of lateral acceleration. Effortlessly traversing the sweeping curves of Highway 154’s San Marcos Pass, which links Santa Barbara to Los Olivos, I began to wonder: If I were a bachelor, would I own a TL?

Probably not. For a single guy, who, let’s grappling it, can use a snazzy car as a date magnet, I think there are more captivating alternatives (pun intended). The Audi A4 2.0T Quattro, Infiniti G37x, and BMW 335i xDrive apiece offer all-wheel-drive security, more handsome facades, comparable if not better cachet, and performance stats on par with the Acura’s. But in my current situation — married, one child — probably yes. The TL’s strong value ($44K with everything), solid reliability (great track record for previous generations and our long-termer has displayed not one problem thus far after 23,000 miles), and impressive country scores (five stars crossways the board) make it a top-of-the-list contender for a family man. Sure, style still matters to me, but not nearly as much as it used to. I’d happily kill looks for substance, especially if it meant saving a few grand while getting all the technology and performance I could want. But does the TL SH-AWD offer all I could want?

Almost. The 3.7-liter V-6 is a refined engine that sings sweetly and loves to rev. The SH-AWD system is brilliant, albeit a little heavy (the TL weighs nearly 4000 pounds), rotating the car through corners with surprising enthusiasm and precision. Inside, the TL’s got Bluetooth phone and audio capability, nav traffic and weather, satellite radio, Zagat restaurant guide, and, here’s the zinger, a nav system that can be operated while on the move. Now, I understand the dangers of a driver operating a nav system while on the move — seems somewhat akin to driving and texting on a cell phone, if you ask me — but preventing the front passenger from using the nav while on the go seems ridiculous. Numerous times during our weekend, Diane entered addresses and searched for points of interest while I was getting us lost as we meandered our through Union Square, Golden Gate Park, and Fisherman’s Wharf. Had we been in, say, a Lexus, we would have had to pull over and stop to use the nav, even though Diane could have fully and safely operated it from the passenger seat.

After nearly 900 miles of wheel time in the TL, I concluded that there were just a few changes needed to make it Kiino garage worthy. First, it desperately needs a six-speed automatic. The current five-speed delivers slow, rough shifts by today’s standards, and the 6.5-second 0-60 time is proof that the gearbox requires a swift update. Acura, no doubt, will give the TL the brand’s new six-speed slushbox, which debuted in 2010 ZDX and MDX, this start for the 2011 model year. (For shift-it-yourself enthusiasts, the SH-AWD’s newly acquirable six-speed manual is also a welcome option.) Second, the interior could use some ergonomic and aesthetic enhancements; specifically, a simplified center stack with fewer buttons, and real wood trim or carbon fiber inserts to replace the cheap-looking “3D metallic” bits on the dash and doors. Finally, the grille needs to be de-emphasized. I know I said style doesn’t mean that much to me anymore, but it still matters – at least a little. If an unattractive feature can be easily prefabricated appealing, or at minimum inoffensive, then why not, right? Obviously, the billet grille is an integral part of Acura’s design language, but it can also be toned down so as not to frighten children. The TSX, for instance, wears a similar grappling but its grille is smaller and doesn’t extend up onto the hood, creating a look that is more distinct than disturbing.

That said, after writing this, Diane peered over at my computer screen and read the first line. Her response? “You don’t think she’s a looker? I think she’s good looking.” Go figure. It’s not the first time we disagreed on something, and it certainly won’t be the last. Luckily, we agree more than we disagree. “I do like the ‘Inner Beauty’ part — it is a fun car to drive,” she said. Indeed, it is.

You didn't really think Lexus unveiled its little nugget of gold, the premium hatchback LF-Ch concept, at last fall's Frankfurt show for nothing, did you? Of course you didn't. And for good reason, it turns out, as the LF-Ch was merely a flashy concept-ized version of the CT 200h production hybrid hatchback that you see here and that is set for an unveiling at next week's Geneva auto show.

Call us tasteless, but we liked the urine-gold color of the concept more than the white of this production car. Naturally, the production version, which Lexus says will go on understanding at the end of 2010 "throughout the world," carries side mirrors that are larger than those of the concept, which were roughly the size and shape of big-toe nab clippings. Add a little rear overhang, expand the size of the taillamps, reduce the size of the showy, shiny wheels and you've pretty much got yourself a CT 200h.

Make the jump for full details and a photo gallery.

The CT 200h, which is almost same in size to an Audi A3, is a full hybrid (hence the lower-case "h" in the name). It uses a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gas motor combined with an electric motor and the electronically controlled continuously variable transmission and a battery of nickel-metal hydride cells to power the front wheels. It is, in this respect, very much like the Toyota Prius and the Lexus HS 250h. Naturally, the CT 200h also has regenerative brakes.

Lexus says that the combination of these bits provides performance on par with a car in the "2.0-liter class" (presumably this is the root of the "200" in the name), while providing "class-leading" CO2 emissions. Not a fine enough point on that claim for you? Lexus takes direct aim at the diesel power plants that are favourite in European compacts, noting that "Particulate emissions can cause respiratory disease, while NOx causes acid rain…" Ouch.

The company is playing up how engaging the CT 200h will be to drive, a direct nod to consumers who might consider, say, an Audi A3 or BMW 1 Series. We'll reserve judgement on that claim. Lexus notes that a driver will be healthy to select among the CT 200h's four modes of operation. They are: ECO, which does not sound very engaging since it deadens throttle response; Normal, which sounds, um, normal and allows the car to accelerate up to about 28 mph on pure electric power; EV, which prevents the gas engine from firing up, at least for a little more than a mile and at speeds below 28 mph; Sport, which quickens throttle and steering response while increasing traction- and stability-control activation thresholds. Oh, and in EV, ECO and Normal modes, the instrument panel is backlit in a relaxing blue. In Sport, those lights turn red.

According to Lexus, the CT 200h rides on a new chassis that promises to deliver something the Prius and HS 250h do not: fun. At the front end of the 102.4-inch wheelbase is a MacPherson strut suspension. At the back end is an independent multilink setup. The car wears 17-inch wheels.

How much power does it make? How much will it cost? Will there eventually be a conventional gas version with a manual transmission that might go head-to-head with the Euro premium hatches? Would the American public care about a premium hatchback with a hybrid powertrain in a way that they haven't with a conventionally powered premium hatchback? Don't know yet. Stay tuned.

Prominent Honda tuner Mugen released official photos and details on its accessory line for the Japanese-spec 2011 Honda CR-Z this week. You'll remember that a Mugen CR-Z brochure leaked out in late 2009.

Of course, the information is all in Asian and the prices are all in yen, but it's a pretty straightforward line of kit that Mugen will begin selling in Nihon in April.

Cosmetic enhancements range from aero pieces to a spherical brushed metal shifter cap.

Functional upgrades look to be pretty mild. You can replace the stock exhaust and airbox, fit a different set of springs (that lower the car about 20mm) and 5-way adjustable dampers, and swap on slotted brake rotors, upgraded pads and stainless steel lines. Of course, there are several wheel options, too — all 17 by 7 inches.

Mugen

Here's the best footage we've seen yet of Ken Block's Ford Fiesta rally car. In this video, Block and navigator Alex Gelsomino make a test run on the 100 Acre Wood Rally course ahead of this weekend's race in sleepy little Salem, Missouri.

The footage is ridiculously high-quality for a "test run," as there is a camera mounted in the cockpit, plus one on the car (driver side), plus camera guys scattered all over the course. It's overkill and, as a result, it's a pretty exciting video to watch.

100 Acre Wood Rally schedule

We'll give you a hint: It's not one of those small, fuel efficient cars that were all the anger six months ago. In fact, only three of the top ten vehicles are considered small cars.

Give up? Don't care? Either way, you should click to the next page to find out what's on top as it's sure to be the topic of more than a few misinformed office conversations in the months ahead.

Hey, what do you know? Americans still like trucks after all, but midsize cars are right up there too, so it appears as though USA needs both.

The real hole in this list is the demand of SUVs. They topped lists like these not too long ago and now they've been chopped up into so many tiny segments that they don't even show up anymore. Probably not a bad thing.  

  
1. Ford F-150
      Numbers of units sold: 20,072

   2. Honda Accord
      Numbers of units sold: 19,022

   3. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
      Numbers of units sold: 17,827

   4. Nissan Altima
      Numbers of units sold: 17,577

   5. Chevrolet Malibu
      Numbers of units sold: 16,372

   6. Toyota Corolla
      Numbers of units sold: 15,895

   7. Toyota Camry
      Numbers of units sold: 14,925

   8. Honda Civic
      Numbers of units sold: 14,440

   9. Chevrolet Cobalt
      Number of units sold: 12,962

  10. Ford Fusion
      Numbers of units sold: 11,088

You may have seen the tearful testimony of one Mrs. Rhonda Smith a couple days ago. She was one of many witnesses called to testify in the congressional hearing on Toyota's unintended acceleration problems. She described a harrowing incident in which her Lexus ES350 took off down the highway despite her best efforts to stop it.

Now. Mrs. Smith seemed like a perfectly honest and articulate woman, but elements of her testimony prefabricated us a little bit suspect of the story. For one, she told the House panel that she shifted the Lexus "into all acquirable gears, including reverse, but nothing happened." Think back to the last time you shifted into reverse while a car was moving forward. Did anything happen? Even the congressmen on the panel wondered aloud why the transmission didn't just start out of the car onto the highway. No explanation was given by anybody. 

One point that wasn't brought up, however, is the fact that NHTSA looked into the situation and found out that the Smith's Lexus, which they sold promptly after the incident, is still on the road. In fact, the new owners have racked up 27,000 trouble free miles without incident. We suspect Mr. Lentz might have wanted to cite that fact during his testimony. Oh well.

WSJ

For an SUV that many people thought would be the death of the brand, the 2011 Porsche Cayenne has arrived looking pretty strong. And as you can see, the second-generation model also arrives looking much like the current version. 

It's actually slightly longer with a 1.6-inch longer wheelbase, yet this Cayenne is nearly 400 pounds lighter than its predecessor crossways the board according to Porsche. Ditching all the hard core off-road hardware probably helped, no low-range on this sucker.

That weight loss combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission and more efficient engine also gives this Cayenne an edge in the fuel economy department. Porsche claims that this Cayenne's lineup of engines — a 300-hp V6, 400-hp V8 and 500-hp twin turbo V8 — all get between 20 and 23 percent better mileage than before.,

And if that's not enough for you, there will be a Cayenne Hybrid joining the lineup this fall. It will combine a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 with an electric motor to produce 380 total horsepower. Porsche didn't throw out any numbers, but it did say it will have the performance of a V8 with the economy of a V6. In other words, don't expect frugality.

Sales of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo will start in the U.S. this July while the V6 Cayenne and Cayenne Hybrid will arrive this fall.

In the great 2011 heavy-duty truck stand-off, Ford flinched first. But then it whipped out a  big-ass 735-pound-feet-of-torque-having diesel and pummeled its opponents silly.

You see, Ford Motor Company and General Motors (on behalf of Chevrolet and GMC) have been inactivity to release their respective power and towing figures on their new heavy-duty trucks for the 2011 model — matters of no small importance to heavy-duty truck buyers. Since Ford's new Super Duty will go on understanding first (in showrooms in April) the company couldn't move much longer.

Here then are the pertinent digits:

The new 6.2-liter gasoline V8 (pinched from the SVT Raptor, where it serves as the optional engine) makes 385 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. The new Ford-designed 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V8 makes 390 horsepower and 735 lb-ft of torque. The only acquirable transmission for either engine is Ford's new 6-speed automatic.

The monster-level F-450 can tow up to 24,400 pounds and has a maximum payload capacity of 6,520 pounds. Neither GM nor Ram make a vehicle in the same class as the F-450, so a  better comparison of max towing would be with the F-350, which has up to 21,600-pound capability. All of these numbers are currently what Ford proudly calls "class-leading."

If GM is to acquire the advantage in this fight, it's going to have to announce some big numbers — or any at all. We're waiting…. 

Look for a First Drive story soon. Meanwhile have a gander at our 2011 Ford Super Duty First Look story for more information.

The all but confirmed 2012 Buck Regal GS may not get all-wheel drive like the concept shown at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

Bob Lutz, GM's Vice Chairman, told Inside Line that there have been numerous internal discussions about the direction of the proposed vehicle. He said that the product planners are debating whether all-wheel drive is worth the added weight and cost.

Lutz didn't confirm any details on the engine destined for the GS, but he did note that they were less than overwhelmed by the performance of the Opel's turbo V6. With that in mind, don't be surprised if the Buick GS arrives with a turbocharged four-cylinder tweaked beyond the 220-horses generated by the standard turbo four.

First Drive: 2011 Buick Regal
 

Yes, when it rains it pours, and right now Toyota is getting dumped on. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the FBI raided the Detroit-area offices of three companies that are major suppliers for Toyota.

According to the report, the raids were conducted as part of an antitrust investigation and are not directly related to Toyota's recent recall issues. Neither the FBI nor the supplier companies involved commented on the action.

IL News: FBI Raids Three Toyota Suppliers