Some 35 cars more than the RL.

 

wow, is that the new record for lowest CL sales???? thats low!!!

 

nice, where did you get this?

 

www.hondanews.com

 

Wow almost 50% less than last year. Well it is on its way out and all.

 

Actually, I thought the CL sales spiked up in April or May due to the announcement. I thought I saw 950 sold or so for one of those months. Average month in 03 I think was 600.

 

there are a lot less cls on the lot this year than there were at this time last year

 

Yeah the real question 565 CLs out of how many on the lot were sold?

 

Porsche sold more 911s than Acura sold CL in June.

911: 790
Boxster: 520
CL: 595
S2000: 732
G35 coupe: 2,375
350Z: 2,720
3-series coupe(hardtop): 1,802(325Ci:744; 330Ci:637; M3:421)

Too bad I couldn't get the independent numbers for STI and EVO, since their sales figures are combined with Impreza and Lancer, respectively.

 

Dang, at least NSX YTD sales are up.

 

Wow, the Z and the G coupe sales are thru the roof! At least compared to other cars in their segment.

That sucks though, because its keeping the average selling price near MSRP.

 

I would have throught the G35c would be selling better as it's more practical, but I do love my Z so I can see why many are buying it

 

From what I've read, the G35 is pretty much selling as fast as possible. Seems that they're not making enough of them. Many dealers don't have any on their lots. And the ones that do seem to sell them really fast.

Most of the forums are still reporting a lot of MSRP sales for the G35 Coupe.

 

With the sales of the current TL as strong as they are, Acura should just introduce the new TL as an entirely different model and keep the old TL on the floor as well! (J/K)

 

Uh, of course there's less than 600 sold, considering it's no longer being produced and supplies are limited. Don't have the color combo you want? Want TypeS? with Navi? 6speed too?

So many combinations and so little inventory = much lower sales.

Welcome to Common Sense 101.

 

I was thinking the same thing.

Look!!! They didn't sell any Integras this year and last year they sold 19 YTD. Sales are way down. What is Acura to do?

 

Now,

Had they turned the engine sideways, made the 03-6spd a RWD platform, improved the suspension, they would :

a- still be selling them like mad.
b- have beat the G35Coupe to the market by almost two years!


Honda does not understand that to effectively compete in the true sports coupe market you must be RWD, offer a stick or smg tranny, and you must handle well.

I would love to have a G35C with our interior in it.

Dont get me wrong, I love my CL-S, but it could have been SOOOO much more. Acura just settled for 75% (and so did I )

 

You forgot one.........

c- Lost ME and thousands of other buyers who DEMAND a FWD car for winter driving.

Shawn S

 

Hmmmm.... you bring up an interesting point: I wonder how the sales numbers would have looked over the last 3 years in the CL-S was the same exact car it is today, with the exception of FWD. Leave it exactly as is (or as close as possible), but make it RWD, and what would the numbers look like?

Considering that the G35C is a similar car, it will be interesting to see how it fares 3 years from now. (yes, I know it's not an exact science because it's not the same car as the CL-S)

 

I HAD to get a six speed CLS in anthricite, have navi and have the spoiler (which was added later at the dealer.) I located three through the dealer in the entire 48 lower states. Two in California and one in Columbus Ohio, and I bought the Ohio car.

So yes, they are getting rare. I traded a 7.5 month old 03 CLS6 that was silver and no navi. The new anthricite compliments my custom powder coated wheel finish that nicky pass is getting in a few days also. My old wheels are on my new car. See Dfreder370s new ride if you want to see it posted by Smitty.

 

I think that the cls would have survived, had it been rwd/awd from the start. thats the key to bimmer success. give rwd for customers in warm climates(or those who don't car and want to brave the snow with winter tires), and give awd for those who are worried about the snow.

oh yeah, and it wouldn't hurt for acura to slap on some decent tranny's!

 

I usually don't post much now, but TOM2 made a good point. Most of us say we wouldn't have bought the cls if it were a rear drive platform but, look at the sales of the BMW 3 series, G35c-350z, and other cars with rwd. They all sale and stay selling. We are probably the minority compared to the cls sales since 2000 till now. The volvo C70 died the same as the CLS. Beautiful sporty looking car with no rwd platform. Most states don't even get snow, even if they do, I know for a fact the BMW 3series are all over the place. I don't think any of their owners are complaining about winter driving. In a coupe with over 260hp awd or rwd should have been thought of. If they can put 290 hp in the NSX and give it rwd they should have done that with CLS. Anyway, I too would have like to know how would the cls fair in the market now if it were rwd. just my

-thoro

 

Just RWD alone would not have done it--the car would have to have a fresh and unique styling completely different from its Accord cousion.

Hell, a lot of people who buy the G35 do so becasue of the styling and might not even know it has RWD. The CL does not have anywhere near the styling appeal of the G35.

Simply stated, the CL is the jack of all trades, master of none, which, in the car world, makes you a bastard child.

 

well I definitely think the car is dead more because of fwd only, than bland styling! I mean look a the 3-series. Its been the same since the 80's basically, with very mild refreshning carrying it over the last decades. It will soon be chris "bangelized" though. The G does have sharp looks, and I hear there is an awd version already in japan, which is headed to the states.

 

I like front wheel drive, cheaper to produce and buy (people forget that), more room inside. When I got my Legend Coupe I test drove a Lexus coupe and I felt claustrophobic in there compared to the Legend.
The CLS styling is just not distinctive or sporty enough to be a big seller in this segment. It looks too much like an Accord or generic Honda. For this price most sport coupe buyers looked elsewhere for more looks. Us Acura loyalists will overlook the more superficial things. With the 6 speed tho, the CLS hits my mark at about 85% (engine,tranny,features) of what I wanted, and I'd be driving an 01 if it had had a 6 speed! so I waited. If it had more looks and more (better) color choices I'd rate it 100%!

 

The notion that you must have FWD to drive in winter...is just that, a notion.

BMW, Mercedes .....RWD platforms and quess what, It snows like a bear in Germany and all over Europe. You want to see nuts...try the autobahn or any major italian highway in a snowy winter.

A FWD car at best, makes a horrible snow driver into a slightly less horrible snow driver.

Items like traction control and yaw control and ABS help far more than where the drive axles are. Put a couple hundred lbs in the back of a Vette, and some good snow tires/chains/studs and you will do just fine.

I will take a good snow driver in any platform over an idiot "I got me abs and traction control...watch me go 100" FWD driver anyday.

You either know how to drive in the snow or you dont. You really feel you need a car for the snow go buy an AWD audi, Volvo or Subaru.

All that being said, I think that being RWD wouldnt have hurt the CL-S sales. I do think that in the end, the g35 coupe will sell more

But when our babies first came out, our cars were 6-8k less than the 328-330s, and far more roomier. That is what sold me over BMW.

If you asked me today what would I take over a 330ci, G35Coupe and a 6sp CL-S, I would buy them in exactly that order.

I love my CL-S (even after some fucker nailed and creased my quarter panel in the parking lot while I was watching T3 ), its just that as everyone managed to move forward and adjust, acura fell behind and seems not to care

But lets please not make this a snow issue.

 

To drive in the snow.. all you need a good set of winter tires... problem solved.. unless you are an idiot and drive like mad max on the snow...

 

100% on target.

 

Yeah--go ahead JRock.

 

I wouldn't have bought it if had been rwd. I've driven rwd enough in snow that I know what I prefer. It's not that it's safer, it's that it's more predictable. I don't want to worry about spinning out rounding a blind corner. I have to worry enough about the other idios going too fast in their suv's

So, is there an official count for 6 speed CL's made? Ay color/ nav option breakdown?

 

I actually sent a letter to Acura/Honda of America corporate a month or two ago asking:

1. Were 2700 actually produced as they stated in their initial press release in early 2002?
2. What was the breakdown of these 2700 on color and navigation options?

It was a legit letter with my letterhead and real name. I told them I was an Acura enthusiast (which I guess I am, the CL-S is not my first Acura). I did get a reply letter (non-form letter; hand signed) a week or two later that stated they regard the build number as proprietary information and will not release it.

 

Population driving in snow is FAR < than people who dont. And i doubt majority of them even know the difference between RWD and FWD and how it effect during winter times. If snow was such a big issue then why bother buying a "sports coupe"? And those who do buy CL end up changing their tires and whatnot for colder season. Guess FWD alone isnt a savior after all.

And if snow were to play a role in the sales of acura CLs (which is plain nutty to even think about) then how come BMW has absolutely NO problem selling their RWD regardless of the part of the country?

 

That sucks, but at least you gave it a try. I really don't know whay H/A has to be so secretive. I can see not wanting to devulge info on upcoming cars, but on a car that's discontinued

I guess that no one showed Acura how to share when it was growing up

 

Yes. They probably have the same poster that I have on my wall.
or maybe

 

0 preludes sold?

 

^ they're discontinued (in '02?) ^

 

doh

me so out of it... ahahah... dang... hee