It’s been a while, but here’s another addition to my series of small cars with big trailers.
Curbside Outtake: Acura Coupe With Big Trailer
– Posted on February 19, 2022
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Curbside Classics Archives
It’s been a while, but here’s another addition to my series of small cars with big trailers.
Here’s one from Pat Foster’s book on the Met. A proud owner, not an advertising picture.
Man, I love that boat-
These Acuras (CLs?) from the early 90’s were great cars; I remember a C&D review which stated that it was the best-handling front driver they’d ever tested. The subsequent batmobile iterations got more attention, but I don’t think they were any better than these.
These were also long-lasting; it’s only in the past few years that they’ve started to get really thin on the ground, even here in salty New England. Peak Acura as far as I’m concerned.
I agree about the CL. I bought my son a used ’97 CL with 163,000 miles, four cylinder with five speed. I t was beautiful in and out with leather, sunroof, all power assists.It was like a little Eldorado but with 30 mpg. He put another 30,000 miles on it. It had a fold down rear seat and he used it to haul people and equipment while he was at film school. I took it back and got him a TSX, (maybe I am an indulgent parent, but he could really use a car he likes, in his early 20’s not when he’s in his Forties). I kept the CL for a couple of years. I sold it to guy that runs a tire shop. who kept it until it had mileage into the low 200,000’s. He sold it to another guy who was still driving it last time I asked about it. These older Hondas were great cars.I miss them.
From the look of that trailer, I don’t think it’s been moved in a loooong time.
Parked in front of the caravan it isnt hitched to it.
Had a supervisor who drove one of those when I started working at a supermarket back in 2001.
Ah, the first gen CL. What a random car. Was there any other 90s Honda/Acura that didn’t have a counterpart on the JDM? Plus, they only made it for 3 model years, right around when coupes started to decline in the market. I loved these. A guy I didn’t know in high school had a dark blueish green 2.3CL with the really nice later-model machined 16 inch wheels and a manual. I drooled over that car in 2001-2002, but since it was a 3 or 4 year old luxury coupe, it was far outside my first car price range (though I was extremely blessed to have ended up with a well kept 98 Maxima that wasn’t far off in age, quality and idea just a year later, thought without luxury features and badge prestige. I wouldn’t trade my Maxima ownership for anything.
But anyway, these CLs are still floating around in small numbers here in PA. The interiors didn’t wear well at all, similar to most 90s Acuras. And then the bloated second gen CL came, with its notorious self-destructing automatic, during the era of completely cratering coupe sales. Even though I would say the first gen sold a fraction of the heavily advertised second gen, there are more older ones running around in various states of disrepair. Last one I saw was a silver 3.0CL broken down on the highway just a couple weeks ago. I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw a 2nd gen.
These were based on the right-sized, well engineered 5th gen Accord, with some of the mechanicals of the 6th gen (the V6 and later 2.3l engine).
I just checked, and this car has to have the least information on Wikipedia of any generally available US market car ever made. I’m shocked, apparently it never found any enthusiast market. Even the 2nd gens seem to have a minor enthusiast following, especially the Type S/manual versions. But nobody seems to even remember the first CL.