bkw

http://autoblog.com/entry/1234000140058760/

vp911

Doesn't really bother me... but is kind of dissapointing as I know many people really want a V8 honda.

CBRTLS47

Mabey not a V-8 but i read in motor trend about a v10 nsx, but it wont be called an nsx i dont think.

hendjaz

At this point I would rather Acura "slap" on a hybrid approach to the existing RL set up just as Lexus has done with its RX 400h, resulting in great torque. Results in strong acceleration at any speed with reasonable gas mileage. Lexus is doing this also with its GS resulting in a 450h in the Spring and I think given the state of technology, and gas prices, today this would be the way to go with the RL, rather than an 8. I would trade my 05 RL for an RL hybrid in a heartbeat if it is as performance oriented as Lexus is going with its hybrids. Until then, I am keeping the RL (along with its 400h garagemate) as it is just about perfect otherwise.

jhr3uva90

How about a full-size car with a V6 and a hybrid engine? Now THAT would be a flagship!

hendjaz

I think we had the "full size" RL before 05 and not too many of us bought it. It was Acura's 05 RL approach that got our attention. Let's just add some gas friendly ponies via the hybrid to get the RL low end torque where it should be.

ASP

Amen . . .

Rob L

Nah...see, that makes too much sense. You know, have better acceleration while improving fuel efficiency.

What we need is for them to make a big ass V8 that has worse fuel efficiency so all those who bitch and whine about wanting a V8 can then go buy it and bitch about increasing gas prices.

One of the things that pisses me off the most is when people (not saying those on this board as I havent seen it yet) on car forums whine about wanting bigger engines/more power yet they then go and harp on gas prices and how their car with 49759 HP and 24 cylinders gets 1 mpg.

I am all for them slapping a hybrid system in a future RL. I wish they had done it in the 05 RL.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Here is what Fukui actually said:

Honda chief rules out V-8 engine, for now

Honda Motor Co. has decided not to build an eight-cylinder engine because high fuel prices are pushing buyers to more efficient motors. The company will focus instead on expanding diesel and gasoline-electric engine output.

"It's not the time to make a V-8," Honda Chief Executive Takeo Fukui said. "We need to focus on diesels and hybrids first."

Fukui told reporters in Tokyo Aug. 4 that Honda was studying whether to build V-8 engines and "will decide in three years" on using them. He said Tuesday that the company has dropped any plan to build the motors.

Honda this year expects to build 70,000 diesel motors, for models in Europe, and 30,000 gasoline-electric hybrid motors, which will mainly be sold in U.S. cars. The company plans to boost diesel output to 100,000 motors in two years and hybrid production to as many as 50,000 a year by 2007.

Detroit News staff, Bloomberg News and wire reports.

So he's not ruling out a V8 entirely. He's just saying that the timing would be wrong given the high gas prices right now and that Honda's priorities are going to be on developing more fuel efficient engines first.

Spazz

I would have loved to see a V-8 grace the engine bay of the RL. I must say i'am a little mad, I was telling all my friends that when the new V-8 RL came out i would show them what power really is. I actually did not mind that much when gas prices when up to about 3 dollars, its better than paying $6 plus in other contries. I guess i'll have to see if honda can get more power out if that 3.5 V-6.

Rich in NC

I think honda is looking to the future when 40 mpg is going to be the norm and R&D money will go in that direction.

Unfortunately, I think we will be departing this golden age of high performance cars and going back to cars in the 9 second 0 to 60 range with astounding economy. This trend will really gain steam as China consumes more and more oil.

IMO, $3.00 gas is going to seem like a bargain in a year.

Rob L

why wouldnt you want them to slap a hybrid in that can increase the performance of the car while being more fuel efficient?

That is the thing I don't get...it isnt like adding in hybrid action will make the car a prius. Lexus has proven with the RX400h how to add hybrid to a V6 and increase the performance while saving fuel.

Seriously, I just am boggled why so many think they need a V8 to get more performance when a good hybrid system used with the V6 can do the same thing.

IMO many people are more into engine size bragging rights or some unfounded "prestige" factor in having a V8 or something along those lines than caring about actual performance.

I hope Lexus slaps a hybrid into the new IS350 within the next couple years. That thing already has sick acceleration and a hybrid will just make it whip even more ass.

Spazz

I understand both of your views (Rich in NYC and Rob L) But i pose a question to all..........

What would look better on the back of the RL: 1) Acura RL SH-AWD V-8 or 2) Acura RL SH-AWD V-6 Hybrid ?

Which one sounds more like it would kick a BMW, Adui's MB'S etc's Ass?

Rich in NC

At $4.00 a gallon or $2.00 a gallon?

Spazz

Lets say $3.50 a gallon.

Spazz

At the end of the day a V-8 will always yield more power than any version of a V-6.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

:whocares:

Is that all that is important in buying a car? If it is, then Acura as a brand is not for you.

Spazz

Actually, Acura is the brand for me ever since my 1990 Acura Legend. All I am saying is that if they took all that they know about 4-bangers they could my one of the fastest V-8 ever. Correct me if I'm wrong. Am I?????????

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Sure they could, but it makes no business sense for them to do so and it doesn't make sense for them to build something they don't believe in. Honda has made it very clear that their primary focus is on developing consumer engines with outstanding fuel efficiency and decent power.

The point is that while Honda could do all kinds of things, it doesn't always make sense for them to pour money into it.

hondamore

The late 1960's and early 1970's horsepower war and ensuing energy crisis has a lot of similarities to the current situation. We all remember that the end result of that period was the near extinction of the V8 and the birth of the econobox. The U.S. government has already increased the legislated mileage average for SUV's and if current trends continue, huge increases in the legislated mileage averages for all vehicles will be forthcoming. Honda doesn't want to spend millions developing a V8 in this climate since it is entirely possible that mileage legislation could render them obsolete.
I hope and pray that such is not the case, but this energy crisis has only begun and some analysts are predicting $100/barrell oil and $5/gallon gas. After a few years of those kinds of numbers, you won't be able to give away a used car with a V8 and the sales of new V8 powered cars are sure to suffer accordingly.

Rich in NC

I have to disagree with that. Extra pistons allow you to increase displacement and spead the power pulses for smoother power delivery but extra pistons also increase total friction which decreases power for a given displacement.

03CoupeV6

I read somewhere that the RX400h had some combined 1,300 lb-ft of torque or something.

static808

they will need to build a V8 eventually. they spent some serious $$ on the Ridgeline and the MDX will be getting more and more competition. Both of those and the Honda Pilot will need a V8 for more torque and HP.

Honda's F1 and Indy outfits use V10 and V8's. They can easily retro-fit or detune one of these engines.

The question is it really needed. I guess gas prices & overall consumer spending will be the ultimate answer.

Honda will have a V8, probably 4.5 Liter with about 450HP.

JeffS

Well they gave in a built a large/heavy minivan, SUVs and a truck, why not a V8? In the upper end market, consumers are less concerned with gas mileage/prices and more concerned with power and image. Without a V8, they are pushing these consumers to other makes that offer them.

The only reason I can see not to offer a V8 is the fact that they are having trouble selling the V6 RL now, so why build a more expensive one?

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Actually, Honda has targeted the bulk of the segments that it is entering. Most people don't really need a V8. The luxury buyers have shown that only around 15% of them actually purchase the V8, which means that the remainder are buying the V6 models.

Plus, Honda has made their commitment to be being environmentally responsible. Because a V8 engine right now cannot be produced to meet Honda's own stringent emissions requirements, they do not feel that it is a good investment and I agree with their philosophy.

It's all a matter of understanding for the Honda philosophy and I think most people just don't get it.

spacklebucket

Honda Shelves Plan to Build V-8 Motors, Citing High Fuel Costs
2005-09-13 10:36 (New York)


By Alan Katz
Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., the third-largest
Japanese automaker, has decided not to build an eight-cylinder
engine because high fuel prices are pushing buyers to more
efficient motors. The company will focus instead on expanding
diesel and gasoline-electric engine output.
``It's not the time to make a V-8,'' Honda Chief Executive
Takeo Fukui said today in an interview at the Frankfurt
International Motor Show. ``We need to focus on diesels and hybrids
first.''
Fukui told reporters in Tokyo on Aug. 4 that Honda was
studying whether to build V-8 engines and ``will decide in three
years'' on using them. He said today that the company has dropped
any plan to build the motors.
Honda this year expects to build 70,000 diesel motors, for
models in Europe, and 30,000 gasoline-electric hybrid motors, which
will mainly be sold in U.S. cars. The company plans to boost diesel
output to 100,000 motors in two years and hybrid production to as
many as 50,000 a year by 2007.
Those are modest goals compared with rival Toyota Motor Corp.,
the world's second-biggest carmaker. Toyota is aiming to make as
many as 400,000 gasoline-electric vehicles in 2006, including Prius
cars, Camry sedans and Highlander sport-utility vehicles, President
Katsuaki Watanabe said at an investor conference in New York
yesterday. Toyota next week will inaugurate a diesel motor factory
in Poland that will expand output for those motors by 150,000 units
a year.
``Higher fuel and gasoline prices are a concern for the
industry as a whole,'' Watanabe told journalists today in
Frankfurt. ``Carmakers need to find ways to use energy
efficiently.''

Fuel Efficiency

The U.S. government in July rated Honda's 2005 models as the
industry's most fuel-efficient, and past Honda executives have said
V-8s might not fit its efforts to build an environmentally friendly
image. The bigger engines are used mainly for high-powered luxury
sedans and large pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles.
The company's luxury Acura unit already is growing faster in
the U.S. than Honda's namesake brand. Sales rose 16 percent to
198,919 at Acura last year and 1.4 percent to 1.2 million for the
Honda brand.
Honda gets about 65 percent of its annual operating profit in
the U.S. The company would be the last major automaker to add a V-
8, according to Farmington Hills, Michigan-based consulting firm
CSM Worldwide.
The company is the world's largest maker of internal-
combustion engines, producing more than 18 million last year for
uses ranging from autos to motorcycles to lawnmowers and power
generators. Tokyo-based Honda for years has made V-8 engines for
its Formula 1 and other professional racing cars.
The company in July said it's developing a 10-cylinder engine
that may be used in a sports car that will replace the current
$90,000 Acura NSX by 2009.

--Editor: Stets

JeffS

No I completely understand and agree with their philosophy, but I do get irritated with it occassional though.

I guess I am tired of hearing the knocks again Acura for only having V6s and not being taken seriously as a luxury brand.

Rich in NC

Meanwhile there are 8 zillion Mercedes E 3XX and BMW 53x running around where the perception is that these 50k plus cars are luxury items.

Spazz

So very true. I still want a honda V-8, but if they don't build one then they should make there current V-6's with a twin overhead cam rather than a single, so that it can yield more power.

what do you guys think?????

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Classic_martini

Back in 1994 Mazda released the Miller Cycle engin - 219hp and 298 n/meters torque.

Still holds its own 11 years later, and sips gas... As its a 2.3 litre engine. (Smaller displacement, damn fine idea that physics stuff)

Before the "Hey, this is a Honda forum, wtf you talk'n 'bout another car for, gonna kill you, you off topic mutha..." starts - I'm illustrating some of want to have our cake and eat it too. ie performance and economy. And a future for our children's children.

Ok, gonna go hug a tree now, while I play whale songs on the stereo...