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Automotive News & Views Where is Honda taking Acura?
1045 messages, Last post on Nov 06, 2009 at 7:12 AM
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Acura, more than Infiniti, has the engineering firepower to beat BMW at it's own game, in my opinion. Instead, by leveraging Honda's FWD architecture, it chose a strategic direction that involves less risk, in the short run, but is unlikely to be as effective for achieving tier 1 status in the long run. I don't think that Acura's FWD-based SH-AWD system will be sufficient to compete with Mercedes, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, or even Hyundai RWD vehicles. I remain unclear on Acura's product plans beyond 2010. As an Acura owner and car enthusiast, that puzzles me. Will Acura replace the RL with a RWD sedan? How about the next generation TL, given that the current one seems to generate less enthusiasm than the previous two generations. I'm less concerned about whether Acura will introduce a V8 than many, because I think that direct injection and turbocharged V6s can produce more than enough power.
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Replying to: hpmctorque (Apr 01, 2009 8:24 pm) Acura deserves for this strategy to fail, but just as Toyota sells a million Camrys and half a million ES350s, Acura will probably manage to stay afloat selling the stuff they have now. You are absolutely right though, they will never get to tier 1 this way. And if they're not very careful, they will begin to lose Acura sales to Hyundai by the hundreds and thousands. O the humanity! |
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The marketplace, rather than our opinions (as brilliant as they are) and passions, will determine whether or not Acura's strategy will succeed. Acura's product strategy seems to be rather risk averse. Instead of batting for the fences, they go for singles and doubles. Well, unlike Infiniti, to cite an example, maybe they accept smaller profits in the long run as a tradeoff for increased probability that more limited profit goals will be achieved. Heck, I don't know. That's just a guess. As I said, I'm puzzled, and, I'll add, frustrated with Acura. Acura doesn't have a single vehicle that I'd buy at the moment. Nor does it have anything in the pipeline that I can look forward to. In fact, since electronic features and gadgetry are as much of a turn off as a turn on for me, my enthusiasm for many new models is luke warm. Horsepower used to be exciting, but in an era when there are virtually no more underpowered cars, brute power doesn't do it for me anymore, either. For this reason, I don't lust for cars such as the BMW M-Power, Mercedes AMGs, Lexus F models, Cadillac (can't remember what they call their Corvette-powered CTS) and Pontiac G8 GXP. They're over-the-top for me. The same doesn't apply to the Corvette. The base Corvette appeals to me, as does the Boxter. They're smaller and less ponderous than the cars mentioned previously. They're also less practical, but that hardly matters when you're dreaming. |
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Replying to: hpmctorque (Apr 01, 2009 9:13 pm) Ditto. Horsepower used to be exciting, but in an era when there are virtually no more underpowered cars, brute power doesn't do it for me anymore, either We are so in sync here it's scary. The slowest cheapest cars on the market today have more then enough power to be decently zippy off the line and maintain highway speed on hills, etc etc. Something middle of the market like a GTI 2.0 or a Civic SI is plenty fast for my needs. I have never thought Honda needed to have a V-8 for the Acura line, although it is possible a few people pass them up while they lack that "prestige" feature. The V-6s they have are more than powerful enough, but the electronics and the steering remove the driver from the driving experience, so the cars still aren't fun to drive. I don't see Acura remedying this any time soon. |
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Replying to: hpmctorque (Apr 01, 2009 9:13 pm) Honda/Acura could very well compete with and beat BMW if they chose a rwd platform for their RL, TL series. Honda usually has best vehicle for most categories they compete in, not too many failures. They can build a competent rwd car, they have done so with the S2000 roadster. Seemed like Acura was on right track with 04 TL. Wife had an 01 TL and traded it in for an 04 in Oct 2003 which I now drive. The 04 was a huge improvement in style, design, performance over the 01. Do not understand why Acura did not merely evolve the 04-08 generation with refinements for 09+. The size of the 04-08 was just right. When ready for next new car, doubt that we will seriously consider an Acura TL of the current generation. |
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Replying to: xrunner2 (Apr 02, 2009 6:28 am) |
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Name 2 hatchbacks as good as the Integra,or,GSR.The Type S ia way more car than the Civic SI. I wonder what idiot was that VTEC be printed on the SI? The TSX being the entry car is for old ladies(no diasrespect intended) Find me a 2.0 liter like the Type S. My S is a drivers car. I also have a 2001 silver Integ that people are trying to buy off me at 6K above book.(23k on it) Yup, Acura goofed big time getting away from developing a low cost entry level performance car that was bullit proof.No way a Civic is an Acura. Mazda has a better line of cars than Honda or Toyta I can't wait to see them compete in 2010. 
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| The ZDX will come out on 11.9.09. The 2010 TSX is already out. The initial allocation is 55 percent v6 and 45 percent i4. Future allocations will be 25 percent v6 and 75 percent i4. It's a rolling release so not all dealers will get it at the same time. | |
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It makes it sound like Honda has reinvented sliced bread with the new TSX V-6, when in fact it proposes to install an existing powertrain in a car that is 97% of the weight and size of the TL that powertrain comes standard in, and sell it for 97% of the price. This is some big news?! Ridiculous. Among some choice excerpts from the review: There are drawbacks. Fuel economy drops to 21 mpg combined, something you might not expect for the smallest car in the Acura line. While the four-cylinder gets a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic, the TSX V6 comes with just the slushbox. The electric steering was quick but not as communicative as we'd have liked and didn't deliver the same feel offered by, say, a 3-series. The brakes feature the same diameter discs but get a new master cylinder and new rear pads. They, too, lacked the same feel we would have liked on a performance sedan. Going into fast corners, they didn't feel like they were grabbing those discs like a sport sedan should. Stopping distances felt longer than we might have expected. http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090605/CARREVIEWS/906059995 And all that goodness for only 35-1/2 grand! :-/
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