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Acura is again tossing enthusiasts a bone with a new six-speed manual transmission option for their 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD model. While the 2009 model is only available with a five-speed automatic with paddle shifters, next year will mark the return of the stick shift — and the first time Acura has paired their SH-AWD with a manual transmission. The six-speed is all-new, and stronger than the manual last used in the 2008 model. It features a more rigid aluminum case and heavy-duty internals. New gear synchronizers improve accuracy while a standard short-throw shifter improves feel. In addition to the six-speed manual, the TL SH-AWD receives “Hill Start Assistant” to hold the vehicle on hills during a start, and special enthusiast-oriented suspension tuning for flatter cornering. The manual transmission also comes with stiffer engine and transmission bushings, heavy-duty front driveshafts, and stronger CV joints. Best of all, the manual transmission weighs 88 lbs. less than the automatic, moving the TL’s weight distribution even further rearward.

It’s not for us, but Volkswagen’s moving ahead steadily with readying their new coupe. Heading a car for the showroom means that all the ancillary materials need to be created, too. They’re likely shooting pictures of some preproduction model in an exotic locale as we write this, and the mundane things like owner’s manuals need to get done so they can be lovingly tucked into gloveboxes. Some quick thinking with a digital camera has netted the interweb some closeups of a Scirocco’s instruction booklet, which coincidentally carries closeups of an uncamoflaged Scirocco. The shots are small, out of focus, and not terribly informative, so we studied them for hours, naturally. You can see the final shape of the headlamp and down the flank, some fuzzy images of the interior and details like the rims, HVAC controls, and switchgear. We wish there was a shot or two of the rear, but at least we now know that the headlights are going to have an underbite that reminds us of the early ’70s 412.

[Source: LLN]