Work on the next-generation has been completed and you can breathe a sigh of relief because it has been totally redesigned from the fugly 2007 Detroit Auto Show concept. Recently, rumors have been circulating the internet that next-generation Acura NSX will be priced to compete with Ferraris and Lamborghinis.

Being a bit skeptical like most of us, our friends over at AutoBlog, contacted Mike Spencer, an Acura press contact, who confirmed that his comments were taken out of context and that an official price on the next NSX is still yet to be determined.

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So you want to buy a luxury car but don’t want to end up spending more than $50,000? Check out Forbes list of the Top 10 best luxury cars costing $50,000 or less. Forbespoints out the luxury automakers are targeting young professionals with high-paying jobs and are looking to transition into a luxury vehicles.

“You are treating yourself with these vehicles,” says Stephanie Brinley, senior manager of product analysis at AutoPacific, a market research firm covering the auto industry. “It is reaching a level of maturity.”

Let us know what level of maturity you’ve reached and which car you’d consider purchasing on the list.

Click through for the list of Top 10 best luxury cars costing $50,000 or less.

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Last we heard Acura designers still couldn’t decide on the look for the next-generation Acura NSX supercar. According to AutoCar, Honda has finished worked on the new NSX and sources say that the front-engined V10 supercar will be unveiled at next year’s Tokyo Auto Show.

Sources have told AutoCar that the fugly looks of the NSX concept have been completely redesigned since it’s debut at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show.

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Oh yes, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for (we’re just kidding). Acura today announced pricing for the new 2009 Acura TSX which will go on sale next week on April 24th. The car will be available in two versions including a base model and a one loaded with Acura’s Technology Package. Pricing will start at $28,960 and will top out at $32,060.

Power comes from a 2.4L DOHC i-VTEC in-line 4-cylinder engine that produces 201-hp and 172 lb-ft of torque. The new in-line 4-cylinder engine gives the TSX more usable power across a much wider rpm range. Buyers have a choice of a 6-speed manual transmission or 5-speed automatic for no additional charge. Acura will add a new 2.2 liter i-DTEC diesel engine later down the road.

The 2009 Acura TSX’s technology package features Acura’s Navigation System with a rearview camera, AcuraLink Satellite Communication System, AcuraLink Real-time traffic with an all-new Traffic Rerouting function, AcuraLink weather with current and future weather information and a 10-speaker Acura/ELS Premium Sound System with multi-format 6-disc DVD-Audio changer and XM Satellite Radio.

Click through for more images and the press release.

2009 Acura TSX:

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We are very scared how Honda will handle the updated Acura TL for the 2009 model year. The current TL is probably still that best looking car that has an Acura badge on it. However, the word on the street is that the car ‘looks amazing.’

According to a source, AutoBlog says that the 2009 Acura TL will be offered in two variants. One will be a boring front-wheel-drive powered by a 3.5L V6 producing 280-hp and the other will feature SH AWD and will be powered by a 3.6L V7 producing 300-hp. The latter car is not Type-S, which will see upgrades later on.

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We were never to pleased with the design direction Acura is taking with their grilles. Joining the MDX and the RL, the 2009 Acura TSX also gets a milk mustache. Ready to go on sale in spring, we estimate that pricing will be within a grand of the current car’s.

Acura will continue using the boring 2.4 liter motor now with four less horsepower, down to 201, but with 172lb-ft. The new in-line 4-cylinder engine wil give it more usable power across a much wider rpm range. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual or an optional Sequential SportShift 5-speed automatic gearbox. Acura will also add a new 2.2 liter i-DTEC diesel engine that Honda showed at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show.

The diesel sounds econo-riffic, but where’s the 260-hp 2.3 turbo with a six-speed manual we were hoping for? How about some SH-AWD goodness for our FWD-hatin’ souls?

2009 Acura TSX:

   

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This isn’t the first time we’re reporting on the next-generation V8 powered Acura RL, however the folks at Inside Line have dug up some new info. The design of the next-generation RL will be based on the fugly Acura Advanced Sedan Concept but won’t be bas ugly since Honda has listened to the criticism. We really don’t know what they were smoking when they designed the original concept.

Instead of a 400-hp V8, InsideLine speaks of a 4.8 liter V8 engine that will produce 420-hp with class-leading fuel-economy figures. Sources are also saying that instead of the SH-AWD all-wheel-drive, the next RL will be built on a rear-wheel-drive platform.

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Honda’s ad agency, Rubin Postaer and Associates has created a separate division just for the Acura brand. Backed by Honda, the new division will take effect in mid-April following the opening of a dedicated design center for Acura in Los Angeles and r&d center in Japan.

“With the upcoming launches of the (redesigned) 2009 RL, TL and TSX, Acura begins a series of new product introductions that will further establish the brand as a major competitor in the luxury market segment,” John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda, said in a statement.

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Honda has announced two separate recalls for its luxury Acura TL sedan, one addressing potential fires under the hood and to fix issues with the windshield wipers.

The first recall affects 273,000 Acura TLs from the 2004-2008 model year. According to Honda, high-temperatures under the hood can cause the power steering hose to tear apart, which in result can leak power steering fluid onto a hot catalytic converter and lead to a possible fire. No injuries have been reported so far.

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While the 2009 Acura RL just showed up on the map at the Chicago Auto Show, Best Car is already speculating on the next-generation RL.

The magazine says that Acura may be looking to offer a 4.5 liter V8 engine that produces in the excess of 400 horsepower. The next-generation RL is also rumored to have a new rear-wheel-drive architecture. Best Car speculates that the car will arrive in Japan in 2010 and believes it is what Acura needs to go head-to-head with Lexus.

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We’re not at all impressed with the new Acura RL or the new TSX, but it seems like Acura is having dreams of a “huge shift” next year that will move the brand closer to tier 1 luxury brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus.

In a 45 minute meeting with dealers Acura said that the brand will be adding one new vehicle a year (including changes to existing models).

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A member of the VWVortex forum has published the press release for the 2009 Acura TSX. Ready to make its debut at the 2008 New York International Auto Show, the 2009 Acura TSX will go on sale in spring. Pricing will most likely be released at the auto show next month.

Acura will continue using the boring 2.3 liter 201 horsepower engine, but the new in-line 4-cylinder engine wil give it more usable power across a much wider rpm range. The engine can be mated to a six-speed manual or a Sequential SportShift 5-speed automatic gearbox. As we’ve told you before it will feature the new 2.2 liter i-DTEC engine that Honda showed at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show. We’ll get more powertrain info at the auto show.

The new redesigned interior of the 2009 Acura TSX features a premium 7-speaker sound system, dual-zone automatic climate control and Bluetooth connectivity as standard. Also standard is power  passenger seat, a USB port music interface and a HomeLink. The Technology Package includes Acura’s Navigation System with Voice RecognitionTM, AcuraLink Real-time traffic, AcuraLink weather and the highly useful AcuraLink Satellite Communication System.

Click through for the press release to learn more.

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Honda has just released the first image of its new 2009 Acura TSX that it will be the first to get Honda’s new 2.2 liter i-DTEC diesel engine in North America. The Acura RDX and the Honda Accord will be next in line to use that very engine, but Honda engineers are also working on a V6 version of the super-clean diesel for the U.S. market.

The second largest Japanese auto maker is developing a 3.5 liter V6 diesel engine that will be 30 percent more fuel efficient than its gasoline counterparts.

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