When Acura first introduced its CL-series sport/luxury coupe in '96, the car's character definitely leaned toward the luxury side of the equation. Classy, comfortable, and refined, it had no problem drawing buyers-accounting for about a quarter of all Acura sales-but its lack of sport appeal left many enthusiasts unimpressed. Since then, the luxury coupe market has heated up with the likes of Mercedes-Benz' CLK Class, Volvo's C70, and BMW's redesigned 3 Series, and onlookers wondered if the next-generation CL-rumored to be based on Acura's 3.2TL sedan-would be up to the challenge. After our initial outing with the car, one thing is now perfectly clear: Acura is serious about going head-to-head with its European rivals.