Torrance, California, August 19, 1998 - The US subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., American Honda Motor Co., Inc., issued the following News Release at noon EST on August 18 (1.00 a.m., August 19 Tokyo time).

Today American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Headquarters: Torrance, California; President: Takaichi Amemiya) announced the upcoming launch on September 3 of the new 1999 model of its luxury sedan, the Acura TL. Boasting a newly developed engine and many upgraded features, at a list price of US$ 27,950 (US$ 29,950 with navigation system included) the new Acura TL offers outstanding value for money. Honda is projecting annual sales in the United States of 40,000 vehicles.

The new Acura TL combines elegant exterior styling with a spacious and extremely comfortable interior. With a maximum output of 225ps, the performance of its 3.2-liter V6 6-cylinder engine puts it at one of the top of its class. An "S-matic" transmission offers the driver the choice of automatic or manual-like settings to suit their individual preference. It is also an ideal car for long drives: the powerful engine, high-rigidity body and firm chassis deliver perfectly balanced performance on a different plane, producing a ride that is high on quality and low on noise. Finally, a range of standard fittings that includes anti-lock brakes (ABS), Honda's traction control system (TCS) and a BOSE sound system makes the Acura TL the epitome of convenience, and a joy to drive.

Honda R&D Americas, Inc. has been responsible for all the design, development and testing done on the Acura TL. Production is the responsibility of Honda of America Mfg., Inc. - manufacturing is taking place within the US, at the Honda plant located in Marysville, Ohio. All product planning, engineering, and development for this vehicle has been consistently done within the United States - and will continue to be so. In fact, the Acura TL is truly an American vehicle. Thanks to component purchasing from a wide range of US suppliers, including the sourcing of the V6 engine and automatic transmission, the vehicle's local content is over 98% - the highest figure ever achieved for a Honda automobile.

American Honda plans to export around 30,000 vehicles of this model a year to Japan and other parts of Asia. In Japan, it will be launched this fall as the new version of the Inspire/Saber.