Hey Acura...BMW knows how to make a flagship! Time to step up!!!!
#41
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What can one say.
I know it's being compared...on the Internet, and by people who do not understand or appreciate the differences.
If we are creating vehicles as a place for former Honda owners to progress, then this is inevitable.
But if you've looked under an RLX (or a TLX GT) and think that there's anything under there that resembles an Accord (or production TLX), you're either blind or crazy.
If you've been in the back seat of an Accord and the back seat of an RLX and think they're the same car, you're crazy.
If your name is Acura, this kind of crap is just going to happen.
Doesn't bug me, and it shouldn't bug you or anybody else. It's just ignorance, probably just honest ignorance.
#42
Senior Moderator
Hey Acura...BMW knows how to make a flagship! Time to step up!!!!
Originally Posted by George Knighton
Doesn't bug me, and it shouldn't bug you or anybody else. It's just ignorance, probably just honest ignorance.
#44
6G TLX-S
^^^^
Dunno if you've driven an RLX, but it is definitely a largish, rather wide car despite its specs. Interior is pretty large for a "midsize" car, just like the Accord, which has an interior much larger than you would expect for its size.
If you are making an argument for RWD, Acura surely isn't going RWD in the near future. Those that argue for RWD at Honda and Acura are reaching deaf ears. I'd personally prefer all-SH-AWD but again, customer choice as noted above. FWD/AWD choices work well for Audi and Buick, which are Acura's closest competitors. Further, Acura is clearly not trying to be BMW and Mercedes.
Whether it's too late to save the RLX, whether it's worth saving, or whether there is a market for the RLX are different questions that only Honda/Acura can answer. We've seen them cancel cars with better sales than the RLX, so the only logic that sticks for keeping the RLX around is that it's a paid skunkworks project like Google Glass.
Meanwhile, enjoying my Sport Hybrid! eSH-AWD experiment is a success.
Happy 4th to the Americans in the forum! Enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! I know I will when I'm done working today....
Dunno if you've driven an RLX, but it is definitely a largish, rather wide car despite its specs. Interior is pretty large for a "midsize" car, just like the Accord, which has an interior much larger than you would expect for its size.
If you are making an argument for RWD, Acura surely isn't going RWD in the near future. Those that argue for RWD at Honda and Acura are reaching deaf ears. I'd personally prefer all-SH-AWD but again, customer choice as noted above. FWD/AWD choices work well for Audi and Buick, which are Acura's closest competitors. Further, Acura is clearly not trying to be BMW and Mercedes.
Whether it's too late to save the RLX, whether it's worth saving, or whether there is a market for the RLX are different questions that only Honda/Acura can answer. We've seen them cancel cars with better sales than the RLX, so the only logic that sticks for keeping the RLX around is that it's a paid skunkworks project like Google Glass.
Meanwhile, enjoying my Sport Hybrid! eSH-AWD experiment is a success.
Happy 4th to the Americans in the forum! Enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! I know I will when I'm done working today....
My point is that something has to justify for the premium sedan buyers to pay $55K for a FWD RLX, when many of it's high tech features are also available on the FWD Honda Accord for 10's of thousands less.
However, only the hybrid AWD RLX can justify it's high price tag, because it has no parallel in terms of it's tri-motor AWD propulsion system (NSX still not out).
The hybrid AWD RLX is the most advanced Acura product with which not even the SH-AWD TLX/MDX can match, let alone the Honda Accord.
The tri-motor AWD system gives the AWD RLX the edge to stand out.
The existence of the costly FWD RLX will only erode the reputation of the Acura flagship sedan, and that's why the FWD RLX should be axed.
#45
Senior Moderator
^^^
Fair points. I still think having the PAWS RLX is not such a bad idea simply to give choice, but it'll have to be less expensive from the start. The transaction price for the PAWS Advance is still in the upper $40's IIRC. Mayhap that's where MSRP should start since that's what people are actively paying for it.
Fair points. I still think having the PAWS RLX is not such a bad idea simply to give choice, but it'll have to be less expensive from the start. The transaction price for the PAWS Advance is still in the upper $40's IIRC. Mayhap that's where MSRP should start since that's what people are actively paying for it.
#46
6G TLX-S
^^^^^
Agree.
Lowering the price tag will definitely help moving the FWD RLX sedans, but, as a side effect, will also ruin Acura's strategy to use the high price tags to position the flagship sedan and the Acura brand, more upmarket/upscale/premium towards the BMW/MB territory.
Agree.
Lowering the price tag will definitely help moving the FWD RLX sedans, but, as a side effect, will also ruin Acura's strategy to use the high price tags to position the flagship sedan and the Acura brand, more upmarket/upscale/premium towards the BMW/MB territory.
#47
how about just appreciating the car for what its worth? you can get a RLX FWD Tech for 45k right now at your local dealership. you can barely get a slightly loaded 3 series for that. i could careless how it stacks up to a 80k bmw or mercedes.
#48
6G TLX-S
^^^^^
But unfortunately, even at those prices, less than 300 buyers (per month) are willing to dip in.
In comparison, 3-series/5-series/C-class/E-class sedans are moving out from dealerships in more than a thousand units per month, with minimal discounts.
The FWD RLX price tag needs to go even lower than it is now, in order to attract more RLX buyers.
But unfortunately, even at those prices, less than 300 buyers (per month) are willing to dip in.
In comparison, 3-series/5-series/C-class/E-class sedans are moving out from dealerships in more than a thousand units per month, with minimal discounts.
The FWD RLX price tag needs to go even lower than it is now, in order to attract more RLX buyers.
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bronx1480 (08-12-2015)
#50
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Dear good sir,
I concur with your statement, referenced above.
It has been my asertation that Acura should position the RLX as the pinnacle of its line and treat it as such by limiting its availability to only those connoisseurs that meet a rigorous approval. Imagine the Ferrari FXX, but for the truly discerning individual.
I think we all agree this would greatly increase the prestige of this automobile to the level it deserves. If Acura would limit production of the RLX to say, 300 units worldwide, then they could tightly control who is actually worthy of caretaking for the vehicle. And then they could offer a boutique purchasing experience, allowing the approved caretakers to personalize the materials that are use in the construction of the automobile.
For the RLX to be a true success, it needs to be the "stuff of dreams" for children. Middle-class children all over the world should have RLX posters on their bedroom walls and "Joe Six-Pack" should have the same poster in his grungy garage. The RLX needs to be a true fantasy car: out of reach of the majority and available only to the Crème de la Crème. The RLX should not be seen at every stoplight in town, rather only in the garage of the worthy elite.
It is my sincere hope that Acura comes to their senses and realizes this soon. Why, the last time I was at the Acura dealer, I was appalled by the vagabond appearance presented by some of the clientele! If those people are the future of Acura, I'm not sure that the marque will be long for this world.
In conclusion, I agree with your assessment and also believe Acura needa to be more selective with the production of their automobile. There are very good stewards of the marque here and I hope Acura is listening to what they're saying.
Thank you and good day,
P. Earnest Goodman
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teh CL (07-07-2015)
#51
Senior Moderator
^^^^^
ROFLMAO! I almost shot water out my nose reading that.
ROFLMAO! I almost shot water out my nose reading that.
#53
6G TLX-S
The more RLX's (in fact, this applies to all Honda/Acura products) Acura is able to sell, the more profit Honda will make, and the more R&D resources can Honda make available to develop/build better future vehicles.
In addition, the more Acura flagship sedans on the road, the more exposure the successful flagship car and the Acura brand will get, and the better the chance that Acura is to become as highly regarded and as highly desirable as Audi/BMW/Lexus/MB.
#54
The whole RWD as luxury is as absurd as it is comical. The Model T Ford is RWD yet no one will consider that a luxury vehicle. In the upper end of the vehicle market its really more about fashion than the technical aspects of the products. Its like a ladies handbag made from red alligator skin. Mucho dinero but functionally equivalent to a nice leather bag that cost 20x less. The Audi, BMW and MB all fall into that fashion category but with the following caveat - incredibly bad engineering decisions! ie Water cooled alternators, inferior bearings, crappy coils (multiple coils in the same assembly, one goes bad - dump em all). Its like a bag where the buckle fall out or the stiches come apart after some use. Hubris at its finest... sometimes you have to speak up when the emperor has no clothes.
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