Opening the office door onto the parking lot, we shivered just a bit. It may have been the fall weather descending upon us, but the face of the Acura TL SH-AWD, it’s imposing, angular slabs of sheet metal glaring at us from under the slanted headlights and diminutive badge, probably contributed to our brief shudder. Having already seen, addressed, and come to terms with the TL’s appearance, we armed ourselves with the keys and got in.

Starting up the car, the feeling of the clutch is the first tactile sensation to grab us. The uptake is so smooth, it’s difficult to feel when the clutch is engaging. As we lift our foot, we feel for that telltale tension in the pedal that tells us something is happening. Instead, we feel nothing, and we have to listen very carefully to the engine, and feel from our seat, to know how quickly to release the clutch. Granted, all this happens in a matter of moments, but these are moments we are used to experiencing mostly through our foot. Not so with the TL.

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According to TheNewspaper, the Utah Department of Transportation, which raised speed limits to 80 miles per hour on certain stretches of I-15, reported no downside to the experimental increase.

The UDOT selected stretches of road to increase the speed limit by five miles per hour based on crash histories. After watching and evaluating these roads, they discovered very little increase in actual speed.

“With the speed limit posted at 75 MPH, 85th percentile speeds measured between 81 and 85 MPH -- barely different from the 83 to 85 MPH speeds under the higher 80 MPH limit. The 85th percentile speed represents the speed at which 85 percent of free-flowing traffic feels is the safest. Engineers have determined that the greatest safety can be achieved when speed limits match the 85th percentile speed.”

So far, the UDOT is declaring the experiment a success, and will continue to monitor the interstate, meanwhile evaluating the future of other roads.

We are also pleased by this news, and hope to see this program expand to other parts of the country that could benefit from such experiments. We also want to know what you think. Would you support this experiment on your highways? Talk about it in comments.
 

The 2010 Cadillac CTS-V is a true juggernaut, and when at the mercy of the guys at Hennessey Performance, it’s alarming. So alarming that, after pulling .99 longitudinal Gs during the launch of an 11.07-second quarter mile, OnStar was alerted to a possible vehicle emergency.

In the above video, see and hear the Hennessey Cadillac CTS-V700 (indicating its 700 horsepower) record an impressive time, and enjoy the resulting response from OnStar. They’re always so polite.

+ Autoblog: VIDEO: OnStar calls Hennessey after tuned CTS-V pulls .99 g

Getting involved in rallycross racing doesn’t have to mean being part of a factory-backed team with piles of cash. The Sports Car Club of America offers rallycross racing at very little cost to participants. To get started here are ten cars that fit the bill for $5000 or less.

In case you missed it, here’s the spectacular finish of the 2009 ALMS season at Laguna Seca.

Wow.

+YouTube: LagunaSeca09end

Winding Road presents its second Special Edition, the BMW Issue. Full to the brim with Munich’s finest, this issue includes our best coverage of the Ultimate Driving Machine, along with buyer’s guides and previews of some Bimmers yet to come.

This special issue is available only in downloadable PDF format from NextNewsStand. It’s yours for the super low price of $3.99.

CLICK HERE to download this issue.

Formula 1

Grande Premio Petrobas Do Brasil
Circuit: Sao Paolo, 2.67 miles
Qualifying: Saturday, October 17 @ 1:00 pm Eastern
Race: Sunday, October 18 @ Noon Eastern
TV: Speed (live)

Ferrari has revealed that Felipe Massa, who was struck in the helmet be a suspension spring during qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, could return to the test track as early as Monday.

During his recovery from his injury (skull fracture), Massa has returned to kart testing, and, more recently, Ferrari's F1 simulator.

Also, Massa is scheduled to wave the checkered flag at the Brazilian GP on Sunday, October 18.

+ Formula 1: Massa could be back on track on Monday