2004 Acura NSX: Despite continued rumors of a redesign, the NSX may continue with small changes.

2004 Acura RL: Honda has developed a night vision system, likely to be offered on the RL first.

2004 Acura TL: Redesign. More power and styling for Acura's Accord-based bread-and-butter, near-lux sedan.

...from motrotrend...

Now how the fuck did the RL make it to 2004 and the CL didn't???? Dude, someone is making some really fucking dumb decisions at Acura of USA. Shit, even the NSX has the weakest sales average and yet it's still being made thru 2004?!?!?!?

 

They only sold 2600 this year, and they used the savings towards the TL redesign...

 

For some reason, i cant figure out how the hell to post pics anymore cause it says they cant be over 1 bit?!?...but if i could i would have to post the old hello and welcome to i dont even fucking remember pic

 

I personally think it was out too early, and was in a market almost by itself for a good year or two.

 

100% agree...

I love this car...

 

people have brought up in the past about the lapse in production of the cl in the 2000 model year. also, acura predicted the 2nd gen cl would be top of its class in sales. we all know how that went....imho, i think acura may be doing the same thing it did in the past. that is, building its 2 door coupe a year or two after the debut of the current tl. my .02

 

I also predict there will be a new middle/upper class luxury two door sports coupe from Acura in the future. It may be several years down the road, but I'm willing to wait. Right now I'm enjoying my new 2003 CL-S, and in about 4 or 5 years, who knows, I might be perusing a new 2008 Acura CL-S (or whatever it will be called!!)

 

I don't understand either...coupes are what's hot now with the 350z and the G35 . Hell they finally just made the six speed and not they cancel production!!! Stupid move Acura . Hell we got eleven and a half thousand reason's here why not to cancel the allmighty CL.

 

People are still on the SUV fever and some sport sedans lately (IMO). The 350Z was an awaiting car due to its history. The G35C variant looks really nice and thats what people usually care about. The CL / CLS is an awesome car, and maybe due to poor marketing or lack of history among coupes it was not the prefered car for most people. Maybe its still unknown for many of them.
With 260 horses, the CLS was the first coupe in its category with more power and biggest. Who knows if everyone noticed that when it launched.

I will keep mine for a while. I do not need to worry about 04 or maybe 05 CL replacing it :-)

 

Acura would probably do better to design the car for a higher volume market. Right now, it's a sporty luxury coupe with enough size to make it a practical car to seat 4 and put stuff in the trunk. Problem is, people who want a sporty coupe aren't thinking practical, they want looks and top performance, so they go G35, 350Z, or something similar. People who want practical and sporty go for 4 doors. People who want luxury want the luxo name, so they go BMW or Benz. Acura has a car in the CL that does everything well, but doesn't excel enough at any one thing to really pull buyers in, and it doesn't help that it was marketed poorly to begin with. For me it was the perfect car, since I wanted lux, practicality and sportiness, but for higher sales they might do better to base the new CL off of the S2000 (S2200 now?) and just give the TL a sportier look with an optional 6-speed.

 

Well, I say screw the basing the new (if it comes out ever) CL on the s2000. Screw the 6-speed manual transmission. All ACURA needs to focus on is GIVE CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANT. Stop trying to PRETEND to be luxurious, sporty, and inexpensive all at the same time. I think that is the major failure of ACURA's automobile..at least the NSX, RL, CL.

Look at other auto makers: BMW, MB, AUDI, ASTON MARTIN, LEXUS, even TOYOTA. ALL THEIR VEHICLES are pricey...but hey, it's all about what you pay for is what you get...performance wise, they are top notch.

Acura needs to focus on the most important concerns in a 2 door sport coupe. LUXURY, SPORTINESS (handling), and PERFORMANCE. They got 2 of them right...just the fact that the car is a boat (3500lbs+) and FWD...gimme a break if you want to compete with other big boys! Time to really put in some effort and make the damn car a real sporty car instead of using the same damn design off a sedan!

STEP THE FUCK UP and give me GOOD POWER TO WEIGHT on the car, better suspension, and really do work on your transmission! If ACURA ever releases another CL (or similar 2 door coupe), please please do think about the purpose of the 2 door coupe...I just can't believe how they can just throw away the CL when the RL is fuckin' lamer than shit and the NSX is sold once every 3 months! Oh yea...please, get rid of them stupid ass 4x4 wheel gaps...this is a luxo sport 2 door coupe...shit, at least design the car without a 3 inch wheel gap!

 

Acura most likely wanted to make production space for the TSX as well as generate more interest in the TSX and the upcoming TL. I whole heartedly agree that Acura will most likely debut with another coupe in a couple of yrs.

I would think Acura would keep producing NSXs as long as feasibly possible, even if sales were horrible, to signify Acura's (Honda) racing heritage/ lineage/spirit/image to boost the name in the public's eye/mind.

 

No point for Honda/Acura to waste more money on redesign the CL. Because there's no way they going to beat rwd 350z's performance, style and price. Why dig bigger hole for themselves?

Btw, my friend is a engineer at HONDA Motor. He told me the samething every year. That they won't make a new NSX or new engine for NSX.

 

acura may (and possibly SHOULD) bow-out of the 2 door sport luxury market.....its previous CL was supposed to be all great, and it came with a measly 4 banger or a weak 3.0 v6. additionally, its styling was less than stellar and to some, just looked odd (i never got over that weird slope of the trunk) so acura killed the CL, went back to the drawing board, and started from SCRATCH.

the 2nd gen CL was supposed to be "done right" it was supposed to be "the best in its segment" which, in many ways, it IS the best in its segment.

its got a balls to the wall 260 hp motor that up until just a few months ago was WELL above any of its competitors, it had a very stylish and well laid out interior, much better than the 1st gen CL, it had a (at the time) top of the line navigation DVD system that blew away the competition, it was one of the first, if not THE first car in its class to come stock with 17" rims. it was an incredible bang for the buck, and the addition of the 6 speed was for some people, just icing on the cake.

The 2nd Gen CL was Acura's VALIANT attempt to make its mark on the sport/luxury coupe market..and really, it was a hell of an improvement over its predecesor....yet...it still failed, just like its ill fated previous generation. The 2nd gen CL built on EVERY SINGLE shortfall of the first gen CL and quite simply, can not be beat in its segment by anything with a compareable price...yet it still FAILED.

Acura may just say fuck it and bow out of the segment because no matter what it does, a 2 door luxury/sport coupe DOES NOT SELL.

the G35C is selling like fucking hotcakes, and even at a premium price of about 5-10k more than an equally equipped CL-S. wonder why??

because its got aggressive styling (which acura doesnt do), its got alot of balls (acura comes close, but no cigar)
its got RWD (acura will never do)
its LOVED and applauded by all car mags and all reviewers everywhere (which the CL never was mostly due to the above-mentioned differences)


short of making AWD or RWD and getting VERY aggressive with the styling and engine power, (which we know acura wont do and is not known for) another acura sport lux coupe will be destined to fail. there just isnt the market for such a thing. its been proven by every month of sales reports since the very first 1st gen CL rolled off the line in 1996.

i cant beleive some people actually dont understand why the CL was cancelled? it makes perfect sense. it just was a dog that didnt sell. end of story. and the bottom line is HONDA'S PROFIT MARGIN!! thats it.