Edward'TLS

Agree. But the Acura slogan is "Precision crafted performance", not "Never follow".

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

maybe audi will change the slogan to "Never follow, too close"

Edward'TLS

Or may be "Occasionally follow".

Maximized

It's not like Acura desinged and built this technology; Borg Warner did.

phile

Although it's fixable. Superior Handling AWD has a nicer ring, IMO.

Edward'TLS

(1) So Borg Warner did, Audi still "follows".
(2) Acura is the world's first auto maker to apply this technology into not just one, but several of its mass production car model lines.

Maximized

You are taking the slogan literally. Who cares?

I don't think Audi is looking over their shoulders at Acura.

VTEC Racer

Maybe they should be considering the fact that Acura has been outselling them in North America, the largest car market in the world, for a while now.

Borg co-developed SH-AWD with Honda. SH-AWD wouldn't exist without the cooperation of both companies. Clearly, the idea of SH-AWD was thought of by Honda but they went to BW for the engineering assistance. There is no innovation with this technology on Audi's part. They are introducing the same technology as Acura. It would have been nicer if Audi could have done the SH-AWD with something else innovative to add to the mix but it is essentially the same thing.

gocubsgo55

Guys, regardless of whether Honda came out with this stuff first, recent designs have been "inspired" by others. Take a look at the TSX and TL, for example. Clear resemblances to Fiat. All I'm saying is that in order to stay competative, you need to do a better impression of the same segment than the competition.

And copying is the most sincere form of flattering.

Ken1997TL

Actually with the TL and TSX, I see more Alfa Romeo..

biker

They should since it looks like Acura will use the Audi business model (AWD for almost everyone) and the system Acura uses is more advanced the Audi Quattro system - never mind the general reliability issue.

Crazy Bimmer

I dont see whats so wrong about this. At least audi will know how to market it way better.

Black Tire

or "Copy and Paste"

dom

I don't see a problem with it either. I think its great that the technology spreads. That means it works. Acura should be credited with being the first to bring it to market.

Instead we yet again have to find ways to discredit Acura and praise the competition.

phile

F23A4

.....maybe Acura should return Audi's flattery by putting SH-AWD in their high end (hopefully much higher powered) models "such as a performance Type S and Type R variant of its TSX, TL and RL."

gocubsgo55

oops that's what it was

Edward'TLS

But not when Audi is spending hundreds of millions of marketing dollar promoting this slogan, and now getting laughed at. Just like Ford now no longer promotes the "Quality is job 1" slogan.

Maximized

Again, who cares? It's just a marketing slogan. Acura uses "Advance". Acura's cars are far from advanced when it comes to the competition.

VTEC Racer

Give me a break.

In 2003 when the 3rd generation TL went on sale, what cars had Bluetooth technology? Acura had it standard in the TL before the S-class or even 7-Series had it as an option. Bluetooth may not seem like a big deal, but look where it is now compared to 2003. Not to mention that it has standard bi-xenons, surround-sound DVD-A audio etc... Most importanly, aside for the VERY limited number of high-end cars that offered some of these features, what car in the same class as the TL offered these as standard, let alone even an option? To me, that would sound like an "Advanced" car.

What about the 2005 RL. SH-AWD, real-time traffic, noise cancellation, etc...

Acura offers some awesome technology. They just need to learn how to market it. What does the majority of the competition have over Acura that is so much more advanced? Keep in mind that competition means cars of the same class, not a Maybach vs. TSX.

Animagix

Audi's quattro system died when they retired from rallying.

Crazy Bimmer

I tend to agree but Audi has still been able to market quattro system using the rally history. Goes along with the prestige of ownership which of course helps sales. IMO


Most of you guys are looking into this way too much. BMW says they are the ultimate driving machine but im pretty sure a Z06 would be more ultimate than a X3....

hrj

iTrader: (1)

BMW have lost its soul. Audi? never liked it now, the designs look bored and old.

This is really a good timing for Japanese auto makers to step in and beat Europeans.

I think the next TSX should be equipped with "real" luxurious stuff if they really want to compete in Luxury Car League, Lexus and Infiniti have done it, now its Acura's turn.

Animagix

I used to own an audi a4. While the build quality felt solid as a brick and handled great... reliability is still a major issue with the majority of german cars. I used to pray on a weekly basis that nothing went wrong because i dread visiting the stealership.

After that 5 year experience with a german (also hearing lots of other horror stories from other owners) I went back to japanese cars. My Rx8, surprisingly had 0 issues in the two years of ownership. Go figure, a car with an engine known to blow apex seals and such held up really well under lots of pressure.

phile

I think the general mood was light-hearted fun of Audi's motto. It's maximized who seems to be taking it more seriously.

mrdeeno

Audi uses "rally history" to market it's quattro system because there is an obvious relationship between its rally history experience and it's current AWD system.

Just like how Honda uses it's history in motorsports to market it's vehicles, because there is an obvious relationship between F1 cars/V8 engines experience and front heavy FWD sedans, econo cars, SUVs, robots, and jet engines.

Edward'TLS

You still don't get it. Acura use "Advance" but not "Most advance" because it leaves itself room to back down. Acura may not be the most advance comparing with the competitions, but it is ADVANCE (other posts have already listed all the first-in-class advance features), adhering to its marketing slogan.

In this technologically advanced auto world, one day auto maker X is the leader, but next day it could be Y. So when one auto maker has the gut to spent hundreds of millions of $$$ to market the "Never follows" slogan, it should not follow others, or become a stupid laughing stock.

Maximized

You have way too much time on your hands....

Crazy Bimmer

True, no one laughs at the name "Super Handling awd"

Crazy Bimmer

^ speaking of which. Like SH-AWD name, the general public will not even notice that Audi is using the same technology as Acura. From what i can tell most people wouldnt even know what SH-AWD even stands for.

So it really doesnt matter. Laugh it up because it wont matter in sales.

phile

That's probably a good thing. Once you tell them it stands for super handling, this is probably going to be the result:

F23A4

...I think the reaction would be more like

Too bad the 'SH' designation did little for Prelude and RL sales.

TMQ

'SH' doesn't do much because
1) it's not applied across all Acura cars
2) the cars that have it haven't hit the right market segment (targeted people who buy RL generally won't care too much about handling)
3) it doesn't show up in measurable outcomes, for example 0-60 time

If 'SH' came out on a hot rod version of TL or TSX, or on a sub NSX level type of coupe, it could have been totally different. Acura's business planning people aren't researching the market or listening very hard.

biker

I think the plan is to do just that and make Acura into a reliable Audi (with SH-AWD replacing Quatro).

cp3117

I dont think that will happen any time soon. It only took Honda/Acura 25+ years and outside help to finally develop theirs. I also agree good for acura, SH-AWD is a great feature but I doubt Audi copied Borg warners design completly as im sure there would be some patent problems. Either way im sure you will see this area get better now that someone has awaken audi back into this arena.

Audi announced a few days ago they are the first again to develop full LED headlights on a production car. Which in the future will make xenons a thing of the past....Once again "lead never follow".

This whole argument about slogans is funny as they are just marketing tools but at least the "the ultimate driving machine" and "lead never follow" slogans have lived up to and past the test of time....What is Acuras slogan again this week?.."true definition of luxury" "Precision crafted performance"..no its "Advance". oh well it doesnt really matter as it will probably change again in the spring.

F23A4

.....just hope they can massage the 'Type S' models into their version of Audi's S/RS lineup.

Edward'TLS

Audi is getting its hands full trying to fend off direct competitions from BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Infiniti, Volvo and even VW which are extending the AWD option to more and more model lines. So the S/RS lineup is Audi's effort to differentiate Quattro Audi's and other imitators. Even Ford offers AWD in the 500 sedan, and Jaguar in the X-type.

heyitsme

Since when are cars articles always 100% correct.

Acura: "Torque vectoring takes all-wheel drive to another level by varying drive torque not just between front and rear axles but also between wheels on the same axle."

EVO: "Active Yaw Control, first incorporated into the Evo IV, was developed by Mitsubishi to improve a vehicle's cornering and acceleration performance, and consequently its safety, under a wide range of operating conditions.

This is achieved by utilising a torque transfer differential which is controlled by various sensors and an electronic control unit (ECU) to enable a difference in torque to go to each of the rear wheels. "

Its the same thing, different names. You're proved wrong.

See above and I found it funny he used the term "steal" so I used it, like other companies aren't able to develop new technology which other companies already have.

I see a roll eyes when Acura is mentioned as stealing but not when Audi is?

.

VTEC Racer

Sorry, you haven't proved me wrong in anyway. I can type a bunch of stuff and put quotes around it also.

"Acura owns Mitsubishi."

You're proved wrong.

Give me some REAL facts with support, not your middle-school stuff.

Yes, magazines can be wrong, but not when EVERY SINGLE MAGAZINE says that Acura's technology is a world-first.

Maximized

Actually he is correct. Read up on Mitsubishi's SAYC system.

"SAYC (Super Active Yaw Control) is a computerized system that varies the ACD (Active Centre Differential) and provides dynamic amounts of power to each wheel. A natural instinct is to correct oversteer in any car. With the Evo, the computer takes care of it, you can feel the back end stepping out but, the Evo corrects it for you and thanks you for your meagre attempt to throw it out of control. Switch the ACD to the ‘Gravel’ setting and be prepared to be amazed. Drop the back end out on a dirt road and add power, with ease, the SAYC manages to help you out significantly, it’s simply astonishing."