With Acura's current attitude towards the RLX (no marketing, suspension issues, features included in the TLX and MDX, that are not in the RLX, no news on a mid cycle refresh, etc.) makes me wonder if the RLX is truly their flagship model. By definition alone (flagship-the finest, largest, or most important one of a series, network, or chain), all fingers point towards the MDX being Acura's flagship. Has Acura ever publicly referenced the RL/RLX as their flagship or was that just a perception by the general public because it was always their highest most priciest model? Just curious.

 

Great question. Inquiring minds want to know

 

I will throw my hat in the ring on this: I own both the 14 MDX and the RLX-SH, and they equally qualify as a flagship in my mind. Just as the Cayenne and the 911 can both be called Porsche's flagship cars, or the Audi A8 and the R8V10 can do the same. The MDX has its issues just like any car. There are recalls on just about every car running on the street today, so to make a blanket statement that a car model should not have "any" issues to be considered a flagship of a brand, seems unrealistic. Cars are machines and they need maintenance, have part issues from time to time, and break down. Just think about any Ferrari or even a Bugatti. Those cars have issues too. If my memory serves me, I read somewhere that at some mile marker, a Veyron (clearly a flagship) needs to be split in half to service some major aspect of the engine. As I write this response my 35 day old RLX-SH with 1900 miles on it is in the shop having the front suspension looked at for what I perceive is a minor rattle. Could I deal with it not being repaired if that is indeed what it needs, yes. Does it phase me for a second that the car is now drowning in awesomeness? No way. One of my friends has a Jeep Wrangler (could easily be a hallmark for the brand), and it is in the shop for something new just about every month. He still thinks it is cool. I don't care for it, but he does so who am I to tell him he is wrong?

Should Acura get behind the RLX and put real money into marketing it? Absafuckinglutely! They are insane not to. But I don't think they are really listening to me. So while I appreciate and respect your comment, I don't agree that the RLX should not be considered the Acura flagship. At this point I think both the NSX and the RLX occupy that status and the TLX and the MDX are the engines that fuel the corporate initiatives.

 

Yea, I don't think anyone here is saying (or has said) that a flagship has to be "issue-free". Most of the past comments, opinions, rants, rumblings, etc. have been largely based around:

1. poor (or lack of) marketing. plenty of examples throughout the last year.

2. huge product delays combined with lack of communication (poor client relations/marketing) leading up to the release of the Sport Hybrid model.

3. quality issues that are not found in the lower priced vehicles in the line-up. (meaning: if you can get it right in your lower end cars you should be able to get it right in your flagship car, particularly when the customer is paying more to expect more). Again key word here is "quality issues", not "functionality issues".

4. lack of features that are found in the lower end vehicles in the lineup, costing thousands of dollars less.

My hope is they have been listening (and there are indications that they are with examples like the upcoming 2016 ILX MMC) and we'll see a positive step forward in the 2016 RLX MMC.

 

I think even as we speak, somewhere in either Ohio or Torrance, hushed voices in conference rooms and in conference calls with Tokyo are deciding this very question.

"Do we double down on the RLX and try to make it more appealing, or do we flush this Japanese concept forced upon us and start over?"

"But that means waiting another five years to come out with a uniquely American concept."

"So what's our flagship, we won't have one during our flagship sedan reboot?"

"Well that's obvious, it's the MDX!"

"Brilliant, it's already selling like pancakes, and Americans like their SUVs anyway!"

"But what about the RLX?"

"Who's buying an RLX? Only those kooky geeks on Acurazine are buying RLXs. That bunch of Sport Hybrid owners over there is REALLY geeky. That neuronbob character in particular sounds nuts!"

*room bursts into laughter*

"Seriously guys, we have to decide whether to put more money in the RLX. We already decided to put some new tech into the MDX instead of the RLX. So do we do the same for the RLX, market it, put some incentives in the mix, and fight it out, or just wait until the designers we stole from Audi finish the new sheetmetal on the next RLX?"

"Dunno, guys. Meeting adjourned. We'll decide next month after the sales figures are out."

 

LOL! Hilarious. Nice sense of humor. I really needed that after a long stressful workday.

 

Why do we have to refer to any model as a flagship, exactly?

I think I missed that.

We're probably going to talk about the NSX Sport Hybrid like that, every once in a while.

It's mostly motor press who've referred to the RLX as a flagship, although in Tokyo semi-official press the Legend is called a flagship.

A flagship is where the flag officer sails. I'm voting on the RLX, especially after noticing some quality of materials differences today between the RLX and MDX.

And, remember, this new technology for the MDX is for the 2016 model.

We know that the 2015 Legend has this technology, so it's probably reasonable to assume the MMC 2016 of the 5G RLX will have the same technology.

That's what I think, anyway. For whatever that's worth.

And I can't believe I'm even talking about this. :-)

 

And could there ever possibly be a "flagship" Honda that is a McPherson car?

 

Thanks Bob for your humor.

I think we all know the answer.....Acura is not going to abandon the RLX -- the newest Japanese version of the RLX is already out. Honda is an international company and not going to make the RLX only for the home market. The current sad state of apparent lack of commitment to the RLX, particularly the Sport Hybrid I believe is temporary. I have been told they are working on a MMC for the Sport hybrid, but it won't be until 2017 model year. Between now and then, I suspect something new in a 2016 year model but it won't change a whole lot in terms of major changes. The new tech announce for the MDX might be what the changes are but no real design or handling changes. I do expect that the 2017 MMC will have some design or handling changes.

Just my

 

^^^^ I agree with you. Just thought a little humor was needed.

 

Dying over here. Good stuff amigo.