Why did they stop making CL's? Was there no market for them?

 

:padlock:

 

They were making them too fast for the competion.
I believe they discuntinued them because they saw how members from ACL were getting their
pantys all bunched up, so for safety reasons they discuntinued them.

 

low sale numbers maybe. Don't really know the official word.

 

Is this a rhetorical question?

I think they just didn't have the sales figures that they wanted.

 

Of course, sales were low, but the reasons sales were low...The lux/sport coupe market is small anyway, hard to make money in it, and along with that, Acura damaged their coupe buyer following by dropping the Legend line in 95 that made Acura famous, including the Legend Coupe. Then sold the new 1997 CL as a 'replacement' for the Legend Coupe. The 'CL' nameplate never overcame the first CL car, a low featured Accord clone. Most of the Acura line in the late 90's was forgettable and undistinguished, Vigor, first TLs, CL.etc. Buyers were bored with Acura, sales were down.

The 01 CLS was a vast improvement over the first CL, but the damage to the line had been done, still no manual shift and understyled for a sport coupe. New rival coupes overtook the market by offering what the CLS didn't, and BMW coupes continued their success.
I love my CLS 6 speed, but the CLS (esp the automatic) was not distinctive enough to compete in the sport coupe market.

Acura needed sales $$ and (smartly) focused on 3 new sedans, TSX, TL, and RL, and has set sales records, that's where the money is. I don't blame them for their re-focus, gotta make money.

The real question is why did Acura stop making the Legend (for US). and offer the 1st CL.
They stopped the Legend because the Legend name was more famous and successful than the Acura brand itself. So to save Acura they ditched the successful Legend name. As for the 1G CL and Vigor, mistakes happen.

 

bottom line - profits lacking. Greedy bastards in Japan too ! Not just the white house !

 

I'm not happy with the White house either but you can't be in business if no one buys your products. The new TL and TSX are great for Acura. more $$ to develop a great new coupe IMO.

 

low sales was the primary reason.

Then low and behold the following year, the 30K-40K market for a sports coupe was rocked by the addition of the 350Z and G series coupe and Acura had nothing to compete with it anymore.

 

I would also say poor marketing

 

plus "mature" style and FWD.

 

well true but when the 02 TL type S came out, it sold fast. BUt then again they always market the TL nicely.