Acura Goes Sensible Route

[TSX69]

Acura No Longer Gunning for Tier 1 Luxury;
Will Offer Sensible Luxury Vehicles

After dropping plans to produce an Acura NSX along with the cancellation of a V8 engine and a rear-wheel-drive program, Acura is reversing its direction in North America.

There is “a certain level of confusion” about Acura in the marketplace, Honda Motor Co. CEO Takanobu Ito told Automotive News. “We are in the midst of big changes. We’ve changed the direction of research and development.”

Ito said that he sees the “future of Acura as a merger of BMW and Audi–something between high technology and high performance.” But until Acura gets everything sorted out, it will be in a “low-growth period of developing new products,” Ito said.

Dealers who invested a lot of money in upgrading their showrooms are understandably angry. Dealer Dave Contant, who owns an Acura store in Mission Viejo, California, said dealers may not be able to wait out the transition.

“The direction of product will be completely different from where it was a few years ago,” Conant said. “The previous direction of shooting for being a Tier 1 luxury brand is not going to be the same.”

New products in the pipeline include the Acura ZDX crossover, which will be available later this winter, and the wagon version of the TSX, which will arrive next fall. Officials are also said to be hinting at an entry-level model that will compete with the BMW 1-Series and the Audi A1 (think of it as the revival of the RSX).

At a recent, dealership meeting, executives told dealers that they will introduces a new product every year, however, there is a delay in the pipeline.

[MMsTSX]

they were never close to "tier 1" to start with really nor were they
even headed in that direction, glad they can finally admit it.

[northbridge]

all they need is a real rwd platform or make SHAWD a staple like subaru does with their AWD.

i think that would get them in the door with many more people... Nissan / Infinti is a great example of how this can work.

[xxJDxx]

Originally Posted by northbridge

i think that would get them in the door with many more people... Nissan / Infinti is a great example of how this can work.

LOL how many infiniti models can you name without looking it up??

[bluefang08]

“We are in the midst of big changes. We’ve changed the direction of research and development.”

Does this mean they will get rid of that nasty grill.....

[ethankz750]

A new entry model? Why? Are you so obsessed with your buck tooth grill that you have to curse yet another potentially wonderful car with it? Lord say it wont be so.

[tsxtasy]

Haha "Dealer Dave Contant, who owns an Acura store in Mission Viejo, California, said dealers may not be able to wait out the transition."
That is the dealership near me. They just built a new dealership and made it really nice. It will be interesting to see if they go under now.

[TSX8sian]

I'm pretty sure I won't buy an Acura in the near future.

[lokman]

Acura needs to sort out its identity crisis and figure out what it wants to be when it's grown up. It's never been a star running back, but it's been solid, dependable and consistent. Lately though, it's been playing up the bling without bringing the goods. I love Hondas, but I can't see myself buying another one based on what's in their lineup right now.

[mclovintsx]

Slowly steering away from Acura................

[ExclusiveTSX]

I would gladly stick with Acura if they would produce a sport/luxury sedan like the TSX with a turbo 4 cylinder and AWD. Something to compete with BMW's 335xi. The new STI and Evo just feel kind of cheap to me on the inside, and the BMW doesn't have the reliability of Japanese cars. I really think that they would be able to appeal to a significant amount of the market with a sport/luxury sedan with a turbo 4 cylinder and AWD.

[2K6TSX]

Originally Posted by ExclusiveTSX

I would gladly stick with Acura if they would produce a sport/luxury sedan like the TSX with a turbo 4 cylinder and AWD. Something to compete with BMW's 335xi. The new STI and Evo just feel kind of cheap to me on the inside, and the BMW doesn't have the reliability of Japanese cars. I really think that they would be able to appeal a significant amount of the market with a sport/luxury sedan with a turbo 4 cylinder and AWD.

+1...thats the only way i'll truly be tempted to trade in my car.until something like that comes out (with a nice body)..i'm sticking with this and will probably look at other manufacturers for a car like that in like 5 years

[dedeman]

"Acura Goes Sensible Route"? WTF?

I haven't known Acura to not go a sensible route, ever. That may be leading to their downfall in market share.

I've posted this before, but I'll post it again. For a long time, Acura has been a well regarded car in the minds of many buyers. I remember when they first came out, and lots of people had a Legend, or a Vigor. Hell, I still love the design of the last model Legend.

In the mid to late 90s, I really took notice of what I'll call an entry level luxury market, probably the mid $30ks to mid $40ks, and I remember that Audi had that market locked down. I saw A4s and A6s like birdshit. I think they changed the body style of the then popular A4 in 02, made it larger, round, and bland. They fell out of favor.

Then the TL came in big. Again, like birdshit. It wasn't quite expensive as comparable BMWs and Mercedes, and it had one thing, a pleasing design. It wasn't too outrageous, it was luxurious (sort of) without being hard to look at, and it was distinctive. It seemed like everyone had a TL or a 3 series. Kind of like the Jetta doing quite well between 02 and 06 (or so). It looked good, it was distinctive, and people could afford it.

So I think Acura ****ed up when it took this "Advance" campaign on. People don't like Honda/Acura because they're cutting edge, they like them because (mostly) they make good cars, that look good. I think they saw how well they did with the TL, and mistook their namesake for why people bought their cars.

Well, that market dominance is gone. I can't much tell the difference between the TL, Camry, or Maxima. I'm pretty sure that Mercedes again has the corner on the entry level luxury line, because now I see the C230/240, and E300/350 everywhere.

So to what ExclusiveTSX said, they need a small yet powerful car. If they offered the new TSX with SH, I would consider it, but they don't. It's only on the S-type TL or RL (in sedan land). Hell, they don't even make a coupe anymore, not even as an option.

I really don't think/know if Honda pays attention to their fan base/modder community, but they damn well should. They are mistaken to take what the design team says will work in the outside world without taking into consideration the opinion of their consumer base. I really wish they could find a hook, kind of like BMW and it's grille. You can always tell when it's a BMW.

I'm not buying another Acura unless it's used, and that is because of their outrageous designs. Angular lights and ugly one piece grills do not make a good looking car. I think I'll be going german next.

[fanbanlo]

The new TSX ain't too bad now. I guess the design will grow into ppl.

[Jeremiah]

So... the horse has been dead for a few months now... want to keep wacking it with that baseball bat still?