The 2005 RL was almost completely different from its predecessor, seeming to retain only the name. Acura revamped its full-size luxury sedan inside and outside, from the engine to the electronics. The result was outstanding. Acura got much-deserved press for its SH-AWD (Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive). It has a new system which divvies up the 260 lb-ft of torque produced by the 3.5-liter V6 across all tires, both front-and-back and left-and-right. The horsepower is upped to 300 horses, and the transmission is granted an extra speed (now a 5-speed Automatic Overdrive). Drivers rave about this car. They love the solid, safe driving, the rapid acceleration, and the smooth ride. They also like the luxuries, such as voice-activated navigation, XM Satellite radio, and BlueTooth link. The biggest complaints center around the lack of a V8 engine, a rumored improvement to the RL that turned out to be vaporware.