spyder5786

The wallstreet journal today reported that Honda will be discontinuing its Acura luxury line for 2005. All Acura vechicles will be incorporated back into the Honda line. Honda executives cite the main reason is to save cost by additional sharing of parts. They say they have been overwhelmed by complaints on their tacky letter designations, and are now responding to this. In case you haven't figured out what this is all about...look at the date =)

AegeanTypeS

April Fools right?

CBS

Do you have a link to this article? I can't believe this!!!!:wow:

Eternal TL2k3

cbs... its an april fools prank

CBS

Good one! Just checked honda news and wallstreet and found nothing plus i forgot it's april fools day!

spyder5786

LOL =) got someone..haha

JayDawgs2000TL

Throw out good bait... you are always bound to catch a couple...

sparky57

Acura is a North America only marketing badge. In addition to my TL, I have two other Hondas, an S2000 and a VF750C Magna. Hondas are still Hondas whatever the nameplate.

rw

Got_3.2?

iTrader: (2)

not tryng to argue,

but would u say lexus will always be a toyota, and infiniti will always be a nissan?

rhizopod

Yes, got_3.2? .. they are all the same. Look at what Lexus, Infinitis, and Acuras are called in Japan.. the Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura gimmick just happens to work well in the U.S. market because we Americans are so concerned with class and image.

sparky57

Yeeaah, because that's what they are. The fancy nameplates are irrelevant! For me the value in an automobile lies in it's substance, not it's hype. That in no way degrades the overall goodness of the product. Do you think that any of the Honda engine supplied racing teams in Formula One, CART, or IRL are concerned that their SOTA 18,000 RPM wonder motors don't bear the Acura nameplate? Get real.

rw

hzm82

You tell them sparky. I feel the same way.

AcuraTLFan

It's probably april fools. No one in there right mind will discontinue the Acura label...if anything they should cancel the honda label and rebage everything as Acuras. In the US, ppl MUST have "social status"...Acura being better then Honda, and Lexus being better then Toyota. The japanese and europeans don't really care. If honda labeled everything Acura they could tag on another 1-2K.

Honda and Acura parts are almost all the same already, i don't know how you are gonna cut more cost.

2ONPAR5

Honda is following in GM and Ford's footsteps with the tier system. They are designed to target buyers as the get older and their income increases (first a Ford, mid 20's/30's then a Mercury, 50 to 60 year olds then a Lincoln).

Honda has an incredible repeat buyer rate. However, the demographics for repeat buyers don't come close to being 60 years old yet (Honda has not enough time in the market yet).

I suspect within the next 10 years, Honda will come out with another name line with models ranging from about $50K to over $100k. At that point they'll have a lock on all income levels with a Honda brand, Acura brand, and a top-level brand.

Any ideas for a name for a top-level brand?

MotionEffects

Precisiona

Gilgamesh

Even all the cars sold here under the luxury marques are sold under the original comany's badging in the JDM they still cost more...I am pretty sure that the Inspire/Saber costs more than the Accord, and that the Integra (still called that in Japan I think, our RSX) sells for more than a Civic.