Filed under, “probably taking out of context, but since it wasn’t denied, AcuraBoard.com will publish it anyway in hopes of stirring a little noise”. In a recent 2009 Acura TL SH-AWD review , Ezra Dyer of the NY Times got to spend some time hanging with Mike Unger, principal engineer in charge of total vehicle performance for the TL.

If we had that opportunity, we’d probably ask all we could regarding the upcoming 2010 6 speed TL SH-AWD, since Acura hasn’t yet divulged everything. Will it be considered a TL Type-S? Will the 3.7L V6 pumping out 305 ponies remain or be increased for production? Price? Ummmm…can ya give us the keys for a few laps?

Well, apparently Ezra had one question about the 2010 TL SH-AWD 6 SPD that he managed to pull out of his exhaust, “if the (2010) 6-speed TL SH-AWD could keep up with a 1991 Acura NSX… on a racetrack???”

We haven’t found record of any such claims or rumors regarding Acura using the 1991 Acura NSX as a benchmark for the upcoming 6 speed TL SH-AWD, however, Unger didn’t fold over in laughter, or deny the question. That leads us to believe that 2010 TL SH-AWD 6 SPD, the first vehicle Acura has ever created that includes both SH-AWD and a 6 speed manual, may actually be using the sorely missed NSX as a benchmark.

The notion that a presumably, sub-$50,000 four-door, producing more power, weighing more, and having inferior weight distribution, than that of the NSX, cannot be denied racetrack opponent to the NSX, speaks to how thoroughly Acura has overhauled the TL.