- 2006.11.30
Editor's note: No, we're not turning Low End Mac
into an automotive site. But there are other things in life that
people become as passionate about as their Macs. Ted Hodges
explains why the Acura Legend has that allure. dk
I am writing about the Acura Legend
because I own one of these wonderful cars.
My family has owned over 20 cars in the last 20 years. We've had
this one for nearly four years, and we've been amazed by its
performance, handling, features, and reliability for the entire
four years and 55,000 miles.
It's turned me into a Legend fanatic, and I'd like to share with
you the history and - perhaps more amazing - the fact that they're
as good now as they were when introduced 20 years ago.
I would recommend the Legend (produced from 1986 through 1995)
to anyone, any age, simply because of it's performance and
reliability (in four years, we've put $700 in repairs into it -
that's only $175 per year!)
Econo Boxes
In the early 1980s, most of us thought of any Japanese car as a
cheap econo box that you bought for great gas milage. No one would
have considered a any Japanese car to be a "luxury" car - until
1986.
In 1986,
Honda introduced a new line of cars aimed at the luxury market. The
new line was called Acura, and the flagship model was the Acura
Legend. It was like no other Japanese car previously made: It was
much larger, heavier, and more powerful than any other Japanese car
at the time.
It's 2.5 liter 24-valve V6 with programmed fuel injection put
out 151 horsepower at 5800 RPM and 152 Foot-lbs. of torque at 4500
RPM. That's a good amount of power.
It also
had many standard features, many of which most of us take for
granted these days, including:
- Power windows
- Power locks
- Power sunroof
- Power assisted speed sensitive rack and pinion steering
- Front and rear double wishbone suspension
- Cruise control
- High power stereo tape deck with TMS and 7-band equalizer
- Tilt wheel
- Steering wheel mounted stereo and cruse controls
- Rear windshield defroster
- Adjustable intermittent speed windshield whippers
- 4-wheel disk brakes.
But in 1987 (around the same time Apple introduced the Mac II, a computer that changed the way we look
at Macs), Acura introduced the Acura Legend Coupe. The '87 Coupe
had many features that a lot of cars still don't have, such as:
A 2.7
liter 24-valve V6 engine with a slightly redesigned programmed fuel
injection system that puts out 161 horsepower at 5950 RPM and 162
Foot-lbs. of torque at 4500 RPM. That's an amazing achievement,
because the engine is only 163 cubic inches. That's almost one
horsepower for every cubic inch, making it an extremely efficient
design.
(It may not sound like a lot when you hear everyone talking
about 300 HP, but believe me, this car holds it's own against 5.0
liter Mustangs and will eat almost any V8 SUV for breakfast.)
The automatic transmission is a dual mode electronically
controlled 4-speed automatic with lockup. It has two modes, "D"
(drive), and "S" (sport). In drive, it will upshift (1st - 2nd, 2nd
- 3rd, etc.) at a casual rate, but in sport mode - woah, you'd
better hold on to your seat!
It's
makes the transmission hold the gear longer, thus taking better
advantage of the engine power that's already there. Say you have
the accelerator about 3/4 of the way down in D, it will shift to
the next gear at about 4000 RPM. In S though, it won't shift until
about 5500 RPM.
Even more amazing at the time (and even now) are the features on
the L and LS models:
- Antilock brakes (L and LS models),
- Drivers air bag (87 LS Coupe, 88 LS Coupes and Sedans, standard
on all 89 and 90 models)
- Power memory driver's seat with 3 memories (L and LS)
- Power passenger seat (LS)
- Security system (L and LS)
- Information center (87 Legend L and LS Coupe, 88 - 90 LS Coupes
and Sedans)
- Automatic climate control system (87 Legend L and LS Coupe, 88
- 90 LS Coupes and Sedans)
- Heated leather seats (leather on L, heated leather on LS)
- Heated side view mirrors (L and LS)
- Bose sound system (LS)
- Real wood trim (LS)
So how does the Legend stack up agents other luxury sports cars
of the time?
Lets have a look.
|
Test Results
|
0-60 MPH
|
0-100 MPH
|
1/4 mile
|
Top MPH
|
|
Acura Legend
|
8.5 sec.
|
23.5 sec.
|
16.7 @ 86 mph
|
137 mph
|
|
BMW 635CSi
|
7.7 sec.
|
21.1 sec.
|
16.0 @ 86 mph
|
137 mph
|
|
Lincoln Mark VII LSC
|
8.0 sec.
|
22.0 sec.
|
16.1 @ 88 mph
|
120 mph
|
|
Mercedes-Benz 300CE
|
8.7 sec.
|
26.3 sec.
|
16.5 @ 85 mph
|
137 mph
|
|
|
Vital Stats
|
Price
|
Engine
|
SAE Net Power
|
MPG C/H
|
|
Acura Legend L
|
$27,328
|
SOHC V6 2.7 L 163 cu in
|
161 HP @ 5900 RPM
|
18/23
|
|
BMW 635CSI
|
$47,520
|
SOHC I6 3.5 L 209 cu in
|
208 HP @ 5700 RPM
|
14/18
|
|
Lincoln Mark VII LSC
|
$27,607
|
V8 5.0L 302 cu in
|
225 HP @ 4000 RPM
|
17/23
|
|
Mercedes-Benz 300CE
|
$52,603
|
SOHC I6 3.0L 181 cu in
|
177 HP @ 5700 RPM
|
17/22
|
And here is what Car and Driver magazine had to say about
the Legend:
Despite the athletic abilities of the BMW and
Mercedes, it is the Acura's powertrain that, in the logbooks we
keep, logs our strongest praise: "It's shifter can be best
described as Accurate. It's lever action places it among the
world's top two or three automatic shifters. It reacts briskly but
not abruptly to your command, conducting the engine's output
smoothly to the ground, a sterling example of how an automatic
should work."
And another staffer:
The Acura's engine is a marvel of precision,
responsiveness, and all the rest that goes with a modern V6.
And another:
The Benz and BMW powertrains sometimes pause as
you apply throttle, but the Legend and the Lincoln show no such
signs of indecision, unreeling or reeling in their power proportion
to the pressure your foot brings to bear.
The Japanese coupe draws the most all-around
praise, too-amazing for a car that is $20,000 - $25,000 cheaper
than the Germans.
The Acura and the Lincoln have better headroom
than the German cars.
The Acura's rear seat provides the best
combination of comfort, headroom, and visibility. The Lincoln's is
probably more comfortable, but it's lack of visibility creates a
claustrophobic atmosphere . . . The Acura is sumptuously
smooth and very quick. Steering impervious to road irregularities.
Stable at 120 MPH, but plenty of wind noise . . . Great
seats. Good room overall . . . Steering
wonderful-tremendous feel and accuracy.
Doesn't get blown around. Everything so easy to
use. Although stiff, the Acura's suspension is supple. God, this
car is good.
What can I say? This is why I love this car - it's every bit as
good as Car and Driver says it is. You can ask anyone who
owns one, and they'll tell you the same.
If you are in the market for a car and can find a Legend for
sale, don't pass it up. You won't regret it. 
