2007 Acura RDX First Drive Oklahoma

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Introduction

Acura RDX -- 2007 First Drive: This is what happens when you give automotive engineers too much caffeine. You get a Picasso on wheels, a technological marvel that answers a burning question, opens our eyes, but in doing so raises issues and weaknesses that we probably were not even aware of.

Ah, art. It is so imperfect in its perfection, no? Consider the 2007 Acura RDX. Here sits the first-ever Honda turbocharger, the answer to the question many an enthusiast has pondered: when is Honda gonna build a turbocharger? They are, now, and it's a good one too: no noticeable lag, sweet and smooth power - just thinking about driving it makes us want to steal an RDX off the truck here in San Francisco and drive it home. A chance, yes. A risk -- certainly. But a colleague says that PR folks don't do math very well, and many don't even count the cars - or they forget - so maybe...Besides, just think of the stories, the drama my new pinstriped bunkmates would appreciate. And just imagine the headlines. "Crazed Journalist Steals Acura RDX."

They'd be calling me "Fat Chee" in no time. Those hillbilly cops out there would not expect to see an Acura get 240 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The film would be great, racing down the 5, whizzing by all those cows, hitting corners hard -- thanks to that wonderful SH-AWD. That would buy me some time, and make Sgt. Wilbur smack his head and call for help. We got ourselves a custom import crossover here, get me some back up. There ain't no way a crossover is making that turn... It would be exhilarating, a great ride right up to the moment I run out of gas - the RDX doesn't get great mileage - and get slammed inside the back of Wilbur's cop car.

Heck. It would be fun anyway. And fun is what the RDX is all about, with sleek lines and an aggressive snout that tells people you mean business about a good time. It's the new luxury, the new thing people will soon be focusing on as a full time pursuit. After eight long years spent thinking about families, terror, wars, and religion, it's time to have some fun, darn it, so climb on in and crack open this turbocharger. It's better than a six-pack in the parking lot of a NASCAR race, and goes almost as fast, too. Built in Marysville, Ohio, on an all-new dedicated truck platform, Acura takes a little of the TSX sport sedan - the 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine - and a little of the Acura RL - namely a revised version of its Super Handling AWD system and its five-speed automatic transmission - to create a crossover with a peppy engine, and five-speed automatic transmission with paddles, a thing that thinks it's really a car when it sees a corner...but looks suspiciously like an SUV.

That sounds like some pretty serious fun to us. For a price tag between $32,000 and $38,000, the 2007 Acura RDX proves that fun can be had at an entry-luxury price, while the new 2007 Mazda CX-7 - a very similar vehicle - shows that fun can be had for even less. Imagine - sensible fun - as if there were such a thing. Of course, Acura would rather you not consider the less expensive CX-7. The nearest luxury competitor is the BMW X3, but that's slower, making it not so...fun. We all know how well the X3 sold, after all. But that was then, when we were serious. This is now, and now is Fun Time - forget stupid serious stuff like cargo room - with few things as enjoyable for 30 grand as a turbocharged luxury crossover with F1-style paddle shifters and your favorite Bruce song blaring over the surround sound system. Yes. It's time to party.

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Sävy Strategic Creative

The Finest in European Automotive in Bend.

1.541.359.3068
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Bend, OK
http://www.getsavy.com/

The Finest in European Automotive in Bend.
The moment one walks through the doors at German Master Tech in Bend, Oregon, its meticulously kept, white floored shop currently home to an impressive lineup of detail and restoration in progress: the bright silver Porsche spec racer being built in the center of the room, the Porsche 911 S undergoing a full restoration and the variant of others, from BMWs to Ferraris, it is quickly understood why German Master Tech, with some of the finest European auto technicians and restoration specialists in the country, supports some of the finest European cars on the West Coast. This German-apprenticed, master-trained company, that refers to its work as “a craft”, is known to many by the unmatched service and support they provide their racing and restoration clients across the country, to others by the niche expedition preparation service they provide all-terrain vehicles, and still to their most dedicated customer, the fine European car enthusiast, German Master Tech is truly the one to many in this town.
German Master Tech’s President, a BMW Master Technician, Tim Morris, brings with him over 25 years experience in the industry and has been awarded several achievement and master technician status awards though BMW specialized factory schools. Tim has also achieved BMW’s Center of Excellence Award twice and is a seven-time BMW President’s Club Technician. German Master Tech’s co-founder and past partner, Jay Audia, won the 07 SCCA Regional Championships for GT2 in his German Master Tech-prepared Panoz. The company’s third founder is one of Bend’s most passionate Porsche enthusiasts, John Audette.

“Restorations have been a large part of our focus,” said Morris, describing some of his company’s award winning roots. “From our very first restoration, a 58’ BMW Isetta 300, which we took to the Forest Grove Concours d’ Elegance in 05 and won our class, in addition to taking home the President’s Award, which was judged by Pacific College’s President as “the car the college student would most want to drive,” said Morris. “I drew on my past car show and restoration experience to pull off a surprise win. It was a good deal of timing and the right car, with the right colors. We stole the show with a micro car, it was great!” Morris said standing next to his red Porsche hot rod parked inside his shop. “Car shows and racing are my passions,” he said with a smile.
“Our tuning business is the best around,” continued Morris of the company’s capabilities. “The application of our developed performance packages to already great cars really creates a ‘wow’.” German Master Tech provides full warranty BMW performance upgrades as a Dinan-authorized dealer, and Porsche performance programs that take the 911 to the next level. “Our tuning business has led us to organized racing, which has been a life-long dream of mine.” Included in German Master Tech’s list of champion racing cars are a 64’ BMW 1800 TISA owned by Steve Walker of Salem. The 1800 TISA is BMW’s first post-war racer based on a production car in regional vintage racing. A 911 Porsche racer owned by Bend’s Mark Powell will be racing in one of the West Coast’s fastest growing amateur racing classes, Spec 911. “Mark’s car is special as it ties together the whole business: a restoration with an extreme tuning package.”

“German Master Tech has worked on all my cars, including a Range Rover, BMW, three Ferraris and a Porsche,” said Ervin Richards, a long-time German Master Tech customer. “I bring my cars here because they consistently do it better and because they’ve always gone way beyond the call of duty in their service and support of my vehicles.” “If I can bring it to German Master Tech,” said Richards, “I will.”
To learn more about German Master Tech, contact them directly at 541.322.9647.