fsttyms1

If not, they might as well just quit now with the RLX or any successor.

neuronbob

blacktsxwagon posted a screenshot of the Acura Facebook page, and I visited *shudder* Facebook to verify.

https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g.../#post15413085

Dunno whether this is true, or whether Acura social media simply doesn't know anything, but if true, it's really sad.

AZuser

They still have 58 days until Spring is over.

Acura | Press Releases Article | Acura.com

neuronbob

The Acura rep is stating repeatedly in that thread that it is no longer offered. Sounds like they changed their mind.

kurtatx

I could see this if Acura showed obvious signs of going in a different direction, but why are they doing this? The SH RLX is the only remotely good RLX

Edward'TLS

Judging from the sales numbers, it is obvious that not many luxury sport sedan buyers agree so.

fsttyms1

That is the RLX in general. The SH version wasnt going to make the car sell any better but it doesnt mean that it wasnt good. It was just implemented on the wrong car. This should have been an option for the new TLX when it came out, something that was destined to sell better than the flop of a car they put it on.

hddnav

I have still yet to see a single Sport Hybrid out in the public, and this is in the busy SF Bay Area. It's quite obvious that Honda's had major problems launching this car (vaporware for the longest time, ultra small inventories and sales). Considering the complicated drivetrain (ambitious from an Engineering perspective, compared to other Hybrids) the Sport Hybrid may also probably a loss-leader (costs them most to make than to sell, especially in small quantites), and the drivetrain being attached to such an unpopular model prevents them from being able to charge a real premium for the tech.

The fault is not the Sport Hybrid itself, but is of it being attached to the RLX model line, which is sinking faster than a rock. This is sad news, but it's not hard to see it as a necessary business move to cut losses (sales-wise).

Booya4139

The RLX should top out at 45-50k in advance trim... The TLX should be somewhere in the mid 30's in advance trim...

Acura blew it again in overshooting the market and undershooting the exterior elegance/aggression... It looks like any other mass market family sedan.. there is nothing emotional or compelling about it...

You sell the extra tech only AFTER you have someone salivating over owning it... You don't sell a drab car to people by talking about advance tech.

AZuser

Aside from the dealer lot, I can't ever recall seeing an RLX in any trim out in public and I'm in SoCal.

Maybe the approx. 9,100 they've sold so far just blends in too well with all the other cars out there?

Booya4139

A guy down the street from me has an RLX, looks like a passat with jewel eyes... I don't get the design at all. way too muted.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

The sport hybrid system is really interesting. It's too bad I never get to see C&D, MT, or Edmunds doing a proper road test on a RLX Sport Hybrid. I'd just like to see how it does in those tests.

Don't think this is too much of a surprise though. As soon as the styling was revealed, and subsequently the starting price, most people thought it's DOA.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

Would be nice to have a TLX Advance for mid 30's....but that's pretty much Accord Touring pricing. Even if you treat the TLX Advance as an Accord plus, that car still has quite a few things that the Accord Touring doesn't have....namely a much better stereo system, longer warranty, memory exterior mirrors & HVAC, paddle shifters, front ventilated seats, DVD player, perimeter lighting, plus all those safety nannies etc.

Edward'TLS

My bro-in-law bought the hybrid AWD RLX a couple months ago after waited for 6 months.

I too agree that the hybrid AWD RLX is a damn good car, but unfortunately just cost way too much money for an "ACURA sedan".

If Acura had had lowered the AWD RLX price tag by $10-15K, then the flagship sedan would have all sold out, even before rolling out from the factory floor.

neuronbob

I don't think they could make any money on the RLX hybrid with that kind of discount. In fact, it probably cost more to make than they sold it for. In addition, other cars with a similar system like the i8 and 918 cost several times more, so that Acura charged $66k makes the car a bargain in that sense. Even so, without marketing, dealer support, or enough inventory to choose colors, this car was doomed from the start, and the disastrous PAWS release didn't help matters.

If the car is indeed discontinued, I'm lucky I nabbed one. It drives brilliantly and the Honda engineers did a hell of a job on the eSH-AWD system. If you have the opportunity to drive one, take it. If they can get this tech into a mass produced model (TLX), it will sell.

fsttyms1

I agree, its a great system. Its just unfortunate that it was doomed from the beginning just because RLX. If Acura had put more than a half ass'd attempt by a blind person for a design team it may have taken off better. When Everything Lexus and Toyota builds has more design flare and head turning ability you know you are doing something wrong.

Edward'TLS

However, think of it this way.

The volume-selling MDX and the mass-produced TLX already have the proven SH-AWD option.

Due to its complexity, the system cost of the eSH-AWD will always be several levels above that of the SH-AWD.

From a luxury vehicle buyer's perspective, is the eSH-AWD so much better than the SH-AWD that warrant the extra premium and future maintenance/reliability issues for the eSH-AWD over the SH-AWD ? I highly doubt it.

The majority of luxury AWD vehicle buyers only need the basic AWD capability (meaning better traction and not getting stuck in the snow/ice).

This is exactly the reason why buyers are still going for the plain-O AWD BMW's and MB's in doves. They don't need some fancy AWD systems, they only want an AWD that can get them out of trouble.

A fancy AWD system (such as the hybrid multi-motor electronic AWD system) will only push up the price point of the vehicle, but not making the vehicle more appealing to these buyers.

Lastly, a hypothetical question.

Would the RLX sedan be more successful if the RLX was all AWD ? The mechanical SH-AWD came standard with the RLX, while adhering to the same FWD RLX pricing. The hybrid eSH-AWD RLX could become the test bed to find out how willing the consumers were to go for the eSH-AWD over the proven SH-AWD.

fsttyms1

I dint think it would be a good test bed 1 single bit. The car all by itself was selling terribly, If by adding this they did this to see how it would sell would over the standard sh-awd i think it would be one of the dumber ideas they came up with.

If Acura wants to be value luxury they should be offering the eSH-AWD at the normal SH-AWD price (maybe a very small price increase) and the SH-AWD at base pricing. This is the type of system they should be offering across the lineup at current top level pricing to help distinguish themselves from the rest. They could start to recapture design costs of the system if it was offered on all their vehicles instead of just the one that isnt selling to begin with.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

I think this is where a good marketing team is needed and obviously Honda marketing team is not up to standard at all...

We know even the mechanical SH-AWD system is superior to many AWD systems, but people don't really know or understand about it. I feel that a whole lot more effort is needed to promote SH-AWD and its performance capability.

As for eSH-AWD, it's such a capable system but it's a shame that people don't even know what it is or why it's better. It's Honda's job to make this system look appealing to people. Obviously this won't happen overnight. It will take years of effort.

AZuser

You mean to tell us that these award winning commercials don't make you want to run out and get an RLX?



Comes in 3 new exciting interior colors too

oonowindoo

How is PAWS different from let's say other All Wheel steering cars? like um... Prelude, G35s, and i think even 5 series have that as an option (Integral Active Steering), yet no one really made a big deal about it...

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

I haven't seen a RLX in person yet, I think.

oonowindoo

You sure? maybe you thought they were TLX or Accord but they were really RLX.

mattyloudness

Thought you might enjoy a pic of our RLX with a 20" set of Vossens

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

Acura claims that PAWS is the "first system that enables the rear wheels to adjust toe angles independently of each other."

I'm not sure if other systems can do the bolded part? Perhaps other systems turn both rear wheels the same amount all the time? I don't know..just a guess.

oonowindoo

Who knows.

But i do know that it is not something that most of the people really care about anyways since every major manufacturers has their own version of PAWS, whether they are identical or similar, but they pretty much do the same thing.

Acura probably ran out of ideas to advertise the RLX with, and they came up with the PAWS, so maybe consumers will forget that it is FWD? :don't know

Really should have introduced Sport Hybrid first.

Mugen.Justice

So much for the "dark horse" ad campaign. Sad.

Edward'TLS

To hell with all these acronyms such as PAWS, eSH-AWD, etc.

Most auto buyers, except car enthusiasts, simply treat them as a front-wheel-drive sedan, and a hybrid all-wheel-drive sedan.

jwong77

Shouldn't the title of this thread be changed now that the hybrid is gone?

fsttyms1

Fixed

MTEAZY

I doubt they know what they're talking about. A delay is more likely.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

If it can adjust the toe angle of each rear wheel independently, that it can do extra stuff like stabilizing the car under high speed braking. Then again there are other systems like EBD that sort of do that. And also, a well tuned car should be able to solve this issue.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Looks good!

Mugen.Justice

Acura RLX Earns Top 5-Star Overall Safety Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - Honda.com


Then again...maybe not so dead?

neuronbob

Looks like the intern running social media for Acura was talking out of his butt after all.

Mugen.Justice

On that social media / marketing note...I still have yet to see a single commercial for the Sport Hybrid. Online, or on TV.

Edward'TLS

One dynamic thread title :

"released" -> "dead" -> "released"

neuronbob

It's that marketing yo. People who know about it know how to find it. And if you don't know how to find it, you can't afford it.

Tonyware

Didn't big boss Mike Accavitti recently said that social media isn't selling cars? Maybe he is right that the promise of social media helping dealers is all hoopla hoopla. These guys have seen the real data backed up by hard core research and concluded that social media is only selling... social media, cute cats and dog videos, transgender monkeys on oprah...

fsttyms1

Hummmmmm Following in the foot steps of its brother, the NSX