http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4353853/

I have to agree to some extent that the niche market cars are becoming the 'trend' of the year. But without sufficient mass market sales, there is no way a company can propel itself further in the black.

The Taurus example was great. The Solstice experiment will also be interesting.

Which brings me to the relevance of this article to this forum:
Is the TSX a niche car that should be expanded? I mean, 15~20k of cars sold can't be great for the profit margins.

Junkster, who is bored at work.

 

The TSX platform is not niche. Honda makes over 100k JDM and Euro Accords. Further, it's still a variant of the global mid-size platform used for the USDM Accord, TL and Inspire. There's a lot of shared engineering here.

Is Honda making money on the S2000?

 

I thought I read (from Justin?) that 15,000 was just a starting point. If the car sold well, the plan was to keep making them.

There doesn't seem to be a shortage of TSXs so I figure Honda's WELL past 15K by now.

 

captainjack, you're right. The final numbers for 2003 were posted here a while ago, the USA TSX sales were close to 19,000 for the year.

 

While there is quite a bit of shared tech, correct me if I'm wrong but isnt the US/Canada dash/interior only in the US/Can?

 

Actually, if you check out the Honda Japan website, you'll see that the new Inspire actually has the TSX interior.

 

I thought the Inspire/NA Accord is just the same as one another. That's what I remember, I better look again.

Yea, the euro dash and NA dash are different, I think it's just the line of faux-aluminum running horizontally.

Junkster, who now has to check the japanese site.

 

Here, I'll make it easier for you.



It's virtually identical except for the shifter and the fact that the hash marks on the dash gauges are blue instead of white.

 

CGTSX, You're right.

http://www.honda.co.jp/auto-lineup/a...oto-index.html

http://www.honda.co.jp/auto-lineup/i...oto-index.html

And did you notice that the two cars swap interior dashes as they cross the Pacific? I wonder why they did that?

Junkster, who wonders if the dimensions change due to the interior change.

 

To answer your question, yes, I noticed and it's probably because it is cheap for them to reuse parts they've already developed.

As for the dimensions, I'd have to venture a guess of yes since the USDM Accord is wider than the TSX. Of course, since the two cars are so similar, and the only real change is to the center console, it may be possible for them to have simply changed the center console and gauges without changing the dash pad and cowl.

 

I liketh the dark "wood" - the "wood" in the TSX looks like someone vomited and they sealed it up and turned it into car decor.

There is something else that's different about that car... I can't ever remembering shifting with my left hand...

hehe

 

Good point CGTSX.

But, why would they swap interiors as they export?

Junkster, who wonders about the percentage of components shared.

 

Market positioning.

Inspire, TSX = Entry-Lux
Accord (all markets) = family car

The TSX would be a lot less appealing if it had the same interior as the V6 Accord (and costs more). Plus, it would really have a hard time wearing the Acura badge. Even if the interior sizes are different, it's fairly easy (and cheap) to redesign and tweak non-structural components like interior fittings.

 

No, I mean why did they SWITCH the interior from one market to another?

Junkster, who wishes this discussion was on IM.

 

Actually, I think that kiteboy put it pretty well. The whole point is that the Inspire, in Japan, is a more upscale vehicle and thus needs the more upscale interior we get in the TSX. The Accord is more targeted at families and thus doesn't require the nicer interior. However, since for us, the JDM Accord is our TSX and our Accord is the JDM Inspire, the interiors needed to be swapped.

 

Ahh, your explanation is much more clearer than Kiteboy... although now that I read his point, I see what he was trying to say.

Junkster, whose totally clear now... well not really.

 

Thanks CG - that's exactly what I meant.

Kiteboy, who is learning brevity is not always better.