Reviving Acura
08-22-2008 | 07:34 AM
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Reviving Acura
Honda Hoping TL Can Revive Acura
Sales of luxury nameplate have dropped since last redesign in 2004
By Dan Gearino
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Specifications for the new Acura TL:
MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- The redesigned Acura TL has a smile on its face.
Or at least the chrome across the grille looks a lot like a smile, or maybe even a smirk.
Honda of America hopes the Ohio-built sedan can help breathe new life into its luxury brand.
The fourth-generation TL had its coming-out party yesterday at the Honda assembly plant in Marysville, about five weeks before customers can buy one. The new version is larger, more powerful and looks different from its predecessor inside and out.
The front grille, with the chrome and the smilelike shape spread across the negative space, is a signature of design changes across the Acura line.
The TL is also notable for its rear, which is higher and more prominent than the demure hindquarters of its predecessor.
"We know to be a successful brand, it has to be distinctive and stand out," said Mat Hargett, chief engineer for the redesign at Honda's Ohio research and development center.
The TL has been the mainstay of the Acura line since the model was introduced in 1999. Its numbers have slipped this year, with 27,642 TL models sold through July, down 23 percent from the same period last year.
The sluggish sales follow two years of declines in annual sales. A Honda spokesman said the drop is largely because so much time has passed since the previous redesign in the 2004 model year.
The brand has deeper problems, said Aaron Bragman, a Detroit-based automotive analyst for Global Insight.
"For the Acura brand, it's been a bit of a struggle. They're still trying to define what Acura is," he said.
Acura has earned a reputation for impeccable engineering but uninspired styling, he said, unlike the design successes of two other Japanese luxury brands, Lexus and Infiniti, which are owned by Toyota and Nissan, respectively.
Bragman's first impression of the new TL is that it is clearly more distinctive, but it might be a little over the top for some customers.
The retail price will range from $34,000 to $42,000, nearly 10 percent more than the previous TL.
The standard model has a 3.5-liter, 280-horsepower V-6 engine. An all-wheel-drive version has a 3.7-liter, 305-horsepower V-6.
Both versions have a five-speed automatic transmission. A manual transmission is not available.
Acura represents a small share of Honda's overall business. There have been about nine times more Honda Accords sold this year than Acura TLs.
The Marysville plant is the exclusive assembly plant for the TL, with the engines and transmissions coming from Honda plants in Anna and Russells Point.
Tom Pischel, a senior engineer at the Marysville plant, said building the new TL involved many technical challenges. He pointed to a narrow metal rectangle above each headlight, a detail so small that many customers might not notice it, but one that was handled in a way that the plant had never done before.
Honda's goal is to sell 70,000 of the model in the United States next year, which would be a return to the 2006 level, and a major rebound from the current numbers. The TL also will be exported to China.
Pischel said Honda employees, from the designers down to the assembly line, feel like they have a personal stake in the vehicle's success.
"We all know this is critical for Acura," he said.
dgearino@dispatch.com
Sales of luxury nameplate have dropped since last redesign in 2004
By Dan Gearino
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Specifications for the new Acura TL:
- Engine type: 3.5-liter V-6
- Horsepower: 280
- Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
- Length: 195.3 inches
- Width: 74.0 inches
- Weight: 3,708 pounds
- Fuel: premium unleaded
- Fuel tank: 18.5 gallons
- EPA mileage: 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway
- Transmission: Five-speed automatic
- Braking system: dual-diagonal, power-assisted, four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock braking system, electronic brake distribution and brake assist
MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- The redesigned Acura TL has a smile on its face.
Or at least the chrome across the grille looks a lot like a smile, or maybe even a smirk.
Honda of America hopes the Ohio-built sedan can help breathe new life into its luxury brand.
The fourth-generation TL had its coming-out party yesterday at the Honda assembly plant in Marysville, about five weeks before customers can buy one. The new version is larger, more powerful and looks different from its predecessor inside and out.
The front grille, with the chrome and the smilelike shape spread across the negative space, is a signature of design changes across the Acura line.
The TL is also notable for its rear, which is higher and more prominent than the demure hindquarters of its predecessor.
"We know to be a successful brand, it has to be distinctive and stand out," said Mat Hargett, chief engineer for the redesign at Honda's Ohio research and development center.
The TL has been the mainstay of the Acura line since the model was introduced in 1999. Its numbers have slipped this year, with 27,642 TL models sold through July, down 23 percent from the same period last year.
The sluggish sales follow two years of declines in annual sales. A Honda spokesman said the drop is largely because so much time has passed since the previous redesign in the 2004 model year.
The brand has deeper problems, said Aaron Bragman, a Detroit-based automotive analyst for Global Insight.
"For the Acura brand, it's been a bit of a struggle. They're still trying to define what Acura is," he said.
Acura has earned a reputation for impeccable engineering but uninspired styling, he said, unlike the design successes of two other Japanese luxury brands, Lexus and Infiniti, which are owned by Toyota and Nissan, respectively.
Bragman's first impression of the new TL is that it is clearly more distinctive, but it might be a little over the top for some customers.
The retail price will range from $34,000 to $42,000, nearly 10 percent more than the previous TL.
The standard model has a 3.5-liter, 280-horsepower V-6 engine. An all-wheel-drive version has a 3.7-liter, 305-horsepower V-6.
Both versions have a five-speed automatic transmission. A manual transmission is not available.
Acura represents a small share of Honda's overall business. There have been about nine times more Honda Accords sold this year than Acura TLs.
The Marysville plant is the exclusive assembly plant for the TL, with the engines and transmissions coming from Honda plants in Anna and Russells Point.
Tom Pischel, a senior engineer at the Marysville plant, said building the new TL involved many technical challenges. He pointed to a narrow metal rectangle above each headlight, a detail so small that many customers might not notice it, but one that was handled in a way that the plant had never done before.
Honda's goal is to sell 70,000 of the model in the United States next year, which would be a return to the 2006 level, and a major rebound from the current numbers. The TL also will be exported to China.
Pischel said Honda employees, from the designers down to the assembly line, feel like they have a personal stake in the vehicle's success.
"We all know this is critical for Acura," he said.
dgearino@dispatch.com
08-22-2008 | 02:41 PM
#3
Needs to clean up
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 527
Likes: 1
Honda Hoping TL Can Revive Acura
Sales of luxury nameplate have dropped since last redesign in 2004
Tom Pischel, a senior engineer at the Marysville plant, said building the new TL involved many technical challenges. He pointed to a narrow metal rectangle above each headlight, a detail so small that many customers might not notice it, but one that was handled in a way that the plant had never done before.
Sales of luxury nameplate have dropped since last redesign in 2004
Tom Pischel, a senior engineer at the Marysville plant, said building the new TL involved many technical challenges. He pointed to a narrow metal rectangle above each headlight, a detail so small that many customers might not notice it, but one that was handled in a way that the plant had never done before.
Don't get me wrong, I think the TL looks bold, but these small tack ons dilute the value.
08-22-2008 | 03:58 PM
#4
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Yeah right,, Seems like the small section was somehow missed during the initial prototype design and the everyone realized it when the tooling of the plant was done. Anyhow it is another of this slapped on looks for the TL, much like the Chrome trim on the body for the rear window.
Don't get me wrong, I think the TL looks bold, but these small tack ons dilute the value.
Don't get me wrong, I think the TL looks bold, but these small tack ons dilute the value.
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08-22-2008 | 07:51 PM
#8
Tristate ViP Crew
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,089
Likes: 1
From: North Jersey
Wow 3700 lbs and the gas looks horrible and they thought this was to bring Acura TL back? They took what little fun factor that maybe you can pull out of this thing and not make the 6 spd available. Real horrible and they wonder why so many have jumped ship to BMW and Infiniti.
08-22-2008 | 11:43 PM
#11
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 278
Likes: 3
From: MotorCity, MI
Honda Hoping TL Can Revive Acura
Sales of luxury nameplate have dropped since last redesign in 2004
By Dan Gearino
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Specifications for the new Acura TL:
MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- The redesigned Acura TL has a smile on its face.
Or at least the chrome across the grille looks a lot like a smile, or maybe even a smirk.
Honda of America hopes the Ohio-built sedan can help breathe new life into its luxury brand.
The fourth-generation TL had its coming-out party yesterday at the Honda assembly plant in Marysville, about five weeks before customers can buy one. The new version is larger, more powerful and looks different from its predecessor inside and out.
The front grille, with the chrome and the smilelike shape spread across the negative space, is a signature of design changes across the Acura line.
The TL is also notable for its rear, which is higher and more prominent than the demure hindquarters of its predecessor.
"We know to be a successful brand, it has to be distinctive and stand out," said Mat Hargett, chief engineer for the redesign at Honda's Ohio research and development center.
The TL has been the mainstay of the Acura line since the model was introduced in 1999. Its numbers have slipped this year, with 27,642 TL models sold through July, down 23 percent from the same period last year.
The sluggish sales follow two years of declines in annual sales. A Honda spokesman said the drop is largely because so much time has passed since the previous redesign in the 2004 model year.
The brand has deeper problems, said Aaron Bragman, a Detroit-based automotive analyst for Global Insight.
"For the Acura brand, it's been a bit of a struggle. They're still trying to define what Acura is," he said.
Acura has earned a reputation for impeccable engineering but uninspired styling, he said, unlike the design successes of two other Japanese luxury brands, Lexus and Infiniti, which are owned by Toyota and Nissan, respectively.
Bragman's first impression of the new TL is that it is clearly more distinctive, but it might be a little over the top for some customers.
The retail price will range from $34,000 to $42,000, nearly 10 percent more than the previous TL.
The standard model has a 3.5-liter, 280-horsepower V-6 engine. An all-wheel-drive version has a 3.7-liter, 305-horsepower V-6.
Both versions have a five-speed automatic transmission. A manual transmission is not available.
Acura represents a small share of Honda's overall business. There have been about nine times more Honda Accords sold this year than Acura TLs.
The Marysville plant is the exclusive assembly plant for the TL, with the engines and transmissions coming from Honda plants in Anna and Russells Point.
Tom Pischel, a senior engineer at the Marysville plant, said building the new TL involved many technical challenges. He pointed to a narrow metal rectangle above each headlight, a detail so small that many customers might not notice it, but one that was handled in a way that the plant had never done before.
Honda's goal is to sell 70,000 of the model in the United States next year, which would be a return to the 2006 level, and a major rebound from the current numbers. The TL also will be exported to China.
Pischel said Honda employees, from the designers down to the assembly line, feel like they have a personal stake in the vehicle's success.
"We all know this is critical for Acura," he said.
dgearino@dispatch.com
Sales of luxury nameplate have dropped since last redesign in 2004
By Dan Gearino
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Specifications for the new Acura TL:
- Engine type: 3.5-liter V-6
- Horsepower: 280
- Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
- Length: 195.3 inches
- Width: 74.0 inches
- Weight: 3,708 pounds
- Fuel: premium unleaded
- Fuel tank: 18.5 gallons
- EPA mileage: 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway
- Transmission: Five-speed automatic
- Braking system: dual-diagonal, power-assisted, four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock braking system, electronic brake distribution and brake assist
MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- The redesigned Acura TL has a smile on its face.
Or at least the chrome across the grille looks a lot like a smile, or maybe even a smirk.
Honda of America hopes the Ohio-built sedan can help breathe new life into its luxury brand.
The fourth-generation TL had its coming-out party yesterday at the Honda assembly plant in Marysville, about five weeks before customers can buy one. The new version is larger, more powerful and looks different from its predecessor inside and out.
The front grille, with the chrome and the smilelike shape spread across the negative space, is a signature of design changes across the Acura line.
The TL is also notable for its rear, which is higher and more prominent than the demure hindquarters of its predecessor.
"We know to be a successful brand, it has to be distinctive and stand out," said Mat Hargett, chief engineer for the redesign at Honda's Ohio research and development center.
The TL has been the mainstay of the Acura line since the model was introduced in 1999. Its numbers have slipped this year, with 27,642 TL models sold through July, down 23 percent from the same period last year.
The sluggish sales follow two years of declines in annual sales. A Honda spokesman said the drop is largely because so much time has passed since the previous redesign in the 2004 model year.
The brand has deeper problems, said Aaron Bragman, a Detroit-based automotive analyst for Global Insight.
"For the Acura brand, it's been a bit of a struggle. They're still trying to define what Acura is," he said.
Acura has earned a reputation for impeccable engineering but uninspired styling, he said, unlike the design successes of two other Japanese luxury brands, Lexus and Infiniti, which are owned by Toyota and Nissan, respectively.
Bragman's first impression of the new TL is that it is clearly more distinctive, but it might be a little over the top for some customers.
The retail price will range from $34,000 to $42,000, nearly 10 percent more than the previous TL.
The standard model has a 3.5-liter, 280-horsepower V-6 engine. An all-wheel-drive version has a 3.7-liter, 305-horsepower V-6.
Both versions have a five-speed automatic transmission. A manual transmission is not available.
Acura represents a small share of Honda's overall business. There have been about nine times more Honda Accords sold this year than Acura TLs.
The Marysville plant is the exclusive assembly plant for the TL, with the engines and transmissions coming from Honda plants in Anna and Russells Point.
Tom Pischel, a senior engineer at the Marysville plant, said building the new TL involved many technical challenges. He pointed to a narrow metal rectangle above each headlight, a detail so small that many customers might not notice it, but one that was handled in a way that the plant had never done before.
Honda's goal is to sell 70,000 of the model in the United States next year, which would be a return to the 2006 level, and a major rebound from the current numbers. The TL also will be exported to China.
Pischel said Honda employees, from the designers down to the assembly line, feel like they have a personal stake in the vehicle's success.
"We all know this is critical for Acura," he said.
dgearino@dispatch.com
08-23-2008 | 12:22 AM
#14
You'll Never Walk Alone
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,525
Likes: 848
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Wow 3700 lbs and the gas looks horrible and they thought this was to bring Acura TL back? They took what little fun factor that maybe you can pull out of this thing and not make the 6 spd available. Real horrible and they wonder why so many have jumped ship to BMW and Infiniti.
Gas Mileage:
TL FWD-18/26@3708 w/5 speed Auto
TL SH-AWD-17/25 @ 3,971 w5 Speed Auto
IS250 AWD-20/26 @ 3,704 w/6 Speed Auto
IS350-18/25 @ 3,497 w/6 Speed Auto
GS350AWD-18/25 @ 3,965 w/6 Speed Auto
G35X-17/23 @ 3,704 w/5 Speed Auto
CTS-17/26 @ 4,090 w/6 Speed Auto
335iX-17/25 @ 3,825 w/6 Speed Auto
535iX-17/25 @ 3,902 w/6 Speed Auto
C300 4Matic-17/25 @ 3,560 w/7 Speed Auto
E350 4Matic-16/22 @ 4,245 w/ 5 Speed Auto
A6 Quattro-17/25 @ 4,034 w/6 Speed Auto
6MT is coming in 2010 and according to the Chief Engineer it seems like it will be for the SH-AWD model.
08-23-2008 | 02:50 AM
#17
07TL-CBP
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 617
Likes: 5
From: Maryland
Yeah right,, Seems like the small section was somehow missed during the initial prototype design and the everyone realized it when the tooling of the plant was done. Anyhow it is another of this slapped on looks for the TL, much like the Chrome trim on the body for the rear window.
OMG, it took me a while to figure what this special thing was. Does it pop up and spit out dollar bills? Such nonsense! That's no detail - it is an afterthought... just like the rear window and that stick-on spoiler.
08-24-2008 | 09:19 AM
#19
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 305
Likes: 6
From: Ocala, FL
The sales of the TL has slumped for two reasons.
1. the economy, and 2. which is probably the more glaring reason, the TL sold a shit load of cars the first 3 years of the generation. How can anyone expect sales to continue to be as high at the end of the model run like in the begining? That's not very realistic. Yes, a MMC is supposed to help with this problem, but you can't always count on that happening. Most Acura owners are former/current Honda owners who wanted to move up-market. Acura really isn't luring any BMW, Lexus, Infiniti customers to the brand and that's the REAL problem.
The brand doesn't really need reviving, because contrary to popular belief, Acura vehicles are selling, with the exception of the RL. So Acura's situation is not as dire as some people might think. And as for the TL, for it to still consistently sell well over 3,000 vehicles per month in the last year of it's model run, is nothing to be ashamed of, especially with the economy being the way it is. It's actually quite impresive considering the large volume of 3rd gen TLs that have been sold already.
1. the economy, and 2. which is probably the more glaring reason, the TL sold a shit load of cars the first 3 years of the generation. How can anyone expect sales to continue to be as high at the end of the model run like in the begining? That's not very realistic. Yes, a MMC is supposed to help with this problem, but you can't always count on that happening. Most Acura owners are former/current Honda owners who wanted to move up-market. Acura really isn't luring any BMW, Lexus, Infiniti customers to the brand and that's the REAL problem.
The brand doesn't really need reviving, because contrary to popular belief, Acura vehicles are selling, with the exception of the RL. So Acura's situation is not as dire as some people might think. And as for the TL, for it to still consistently sell well over 3,000 vehicles per month in the last year of it's model run, is nothing to be ashamed of, especially with the economy being the way it is. It's actually quite impresive considering the large volume of 3rd gen TLs that have been sold already.
08-24-2008 | 12:52 PM
#20
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 792
Likes: 5
The sales of the TL has slumped for two reasons.
1. the economy, and 2. which is probably the more glaring reason, the TL sold a shit load of cars the first 3 years of the generation. How can anyone expect sales to continue to be as high at the end of the model run like in the begining? That's not very realistic. Yes, a MMC is supposed to help with this problem, but you can't always count on that happening. Most Acura owners are former/current Honda owners who wanted to move up-market. Acura really isn't luring any BMW, Lexus, Infiniti customers to the brand and that's the REAL problem.
The brand doesn't really need reviving, because contrary to popular belief, Acura vehicles are selling, with the exception of the RL. So Acura's situation is not as dire as some people might think. And as for the TL, for it to still consistently sell well over 3,000 vehicles per month in the last year of it's model run, is nothing to be ashamed of, especially with the economy being the way it is. It's actually quite impresive considering the large volume of 3rd gen TLs that have been sold already.
1. the economy, and 2. which is probably the more glaring reason, the TL sold a shit load of cars the first 3 years of the generation. How can anyone expect sales to continue to be as high at the end of the model run like in the begining? That's not very realistic. Yes, a MMC is supposed to help with this problem, but you can't always count on that happening. Most Acura owners are former/current Honda owners who wanted to move up-market. Acura really isn't luring any BMW, Lexus, Infiniti customers to the brand and that's the REAL problem.
The brand doesn't really need reviving, because contrary to popular belief, Acura vehicles are selling, with the exception of the RL. So Acura's situation is not as dire as some people might think. And as for the TL, for it to still consistently sell well over 3,000 vehicles per month in the last year of it's model run, is nothing to be ashamed of, especially with the economy being the way it is. It's actually quite impresive considering the large volume of 3rd gen TLs that have been sold already.
For what it's worth, the 2008's seem to be selling pretty well at the dealer I got mine from. I went back yesterday to see if the car I traded in was still there, they only have 1 Type S left, they had 5 or 6 a few weeks ago.
08-24-2008 | 06:54 PM
#22
6G TLX-S
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 10,202
Likes: 1,162
From: YVR
.....
The brand doesn't really need reviving, because contrary to popular belief, Acura vehicles are selling, with the exception of the RL. So Acura's situation is not as dire as some people might think. And as for the TL, for it to still consistently sell well over 3,000 vehicles per month in the last year of it's model run, is nothing to be ashamed of, especially with the economy being the way it is. It's actually quite impresive considering the large volume of 3rd gen TLs that have been sold already.
It is a well known fact that the profit margin is huge by selling expensive cars. The higher the price, the more profit margin there is. But Acura is seriously handicapped in selling even a $50K car. Plus the fact that the Honda factories are all running near capacity right now, churning out cheap cars.
The only way to increase profit is to assemble more expensive cars rather than more cheap cars, so as to push the overall profit figure to another new level.
08-24-2008 | 10:01 PM
#23
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 305
Likes: 6
From: Ocala, FL
Yes, Acura is doing extremely well as a "luxury-wanna-be" brand, but fall short at selling cars above the $50K price which is the true-luxury brand territory. This is not Honda want Acura to be - as another Honda brand parallel. Honda has explicitly stated it's intention to elevate Acura to be among the Tier-1 brands.
It is a well known fact that the profit margin is huge by selling expensive cars. The higher the price, the more profit margin there is. But Acura is seriously handicapped in selling even a $50K car. Plus the fact that the Honda factories are all running near capacity right now, churning out cheap cars.
The only way to increase profit is to assemble more expensive cars rather than more cheap cars, so as to push the overall profit figure to another new level.
It is a well known fact that the profit margin is huge by selling expensive cars. The higher the price, the more profit margin there is. But Acura is seriously handicapped in selling even a $50K car. Plus the fact that the Honda factories are all running near capacity right now, churning out cheap cars.
The only way to increase profit is to assemble more expensive cars rather than more cheap cars, so as to push the overall profit figure to another new level.
08-25-2008 | 12:07 PM
#24
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 389
Likes: 1
From: Ft Lauderdale Fl
Well the reason why Acura has a hard time selling $50K cars is because they never took the time build up the prestige of the brand. When people spend that much money on a car, it has to make a certain statement and right now, no Acura vehicle makes a big enough statement to justify that price.
08-25-2008 | 03:41 PM
#26
Swift 3 B-A-N-G-E-R
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,819
Likes: 0
From: Salinas, CA ~to~ Yuma, AZ
that 3 times the weight of my 1st Gen...
08-25-2008 | 05:58 PM
#27
6G TLX-S
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 10,202
Likes: 1,162
From: YVR
Well the reason why Acura has a hard time selling $50K cars is because they never took the time build up the prestige of the brand. When people spend that much money on a car, it has to make a certain statement and right now, no Acura vehicle makes a big enough statement to justify that price.
08-25-2008 | 08:02 PM
#28
I'm not exactly sure why 3700lbs is scaring most of you... that's about average for this vehicle class.
I've owned and loved my '04 TL Aspec for 4 great years... and loved my '02 TL-S prior to that... however.. I really wish Acura would have been more conservative with the ext. styling of the '09 TL ... I have nearly 90,000 trouble-free miles on my TL and it would have been nice to consider another TL in the future with more power, AWD, tech features, etc.
I'm just not buying the exterior.. the majority of it really does look like the Lexus GS.. but the front and back are . ... Q@#$@#$
Sorry Acura.. i guess this is where it ends.
I've owned and loved my '04 TL Aspec for 4 great years... and loved my '02 TL-S prior to that... however.. I really wish Acura would have been more conservative with the ext. styling of the '09 TL ... I have nearly 90,000 trouble-free miles on my TL and it would have been nice to consider another TL in the future with more power, AWD, tech features, etc.
I'm just not buying the exterior.. the majority of it really does look like the Lexus GS.. but the front and back are . ... Q@#$@#$
Sorry Acura.. i guess this is where it ends.
08-25-2008 | 08:18 PM
#30
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 305
Likes: 6
From: Ocala, FL
I think Acura is crazy with that Tier 1 talk, because Tier 1 automakers push the envelope, they are not conservative. I'm not sure if Honda is holding Acura back with all this conservative shit or what, but if they want to be taken seriously and become major players in the upper luxury market, they're gonna have to man up and start taking some risks. It's comical how they tout the '09 TL as having the most powerful Acura engine ever, but it comes up short or equals the competition, but beats the RL and MDX engines by only 5 HP! Yeah technically it's the most powerful Acura engine, but that's not saying much, and to brag about a difference of 5 HP is silly. I doubt you would see BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Lexus do some shit like that. Acura doesn't need to revive their lineup or brand, they need to revive their way of thinking!
08-25-2008 | 08:22 PM
#31
My only car is a Bus
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 1
From: Republik of Kalifornia
If you saw how the 09 TL looks then you'd think Acura was taking chances... big ones!
I think Acura is crazy with that Tier 1 talk, because Tier 1 automakers push the envelope, they are not conservative. I'm not sure if Honda is holding Acura back with all this conservative shit or what, but if they want to be taken seriously and become major players in the upper luxury market, they're gonna have to man up and start taking some risks. It's comical how they tout the '09 TL as having the most powerful Acura engine ever, but it comes up short or equals the competition, but beats the RL and MDX engines by only 5 HP! Yeah technically it's the most powerful Acura engine, but that's not saying much, and to brag about a difference of 5 HP is silly. I doubt you would see BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Lexus do some shit like that. Acura doesn't need to revive their lineup or brand, they need to revive their way of thinking!
08-25-2008 | 08:36 PM
#32
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 305
Likes: 6
From: Ocala, FL
Well you know what? I'll give Acura credit for trying to be bold with the design of the '09 TL, that's what they did with the design of the 3rd gen TL, which was a hugh styling departure from the 2nd gen TL. People would've bashed them if the TL had a conservative design too, so they're damed if they do, damned if they don't. I like the design of the car, does it look better than the 3rd gen? no, but I would be lying if I said it was butt ugly like so many people has stated. The TL might get away with it's styling, because the competition doesn't have great looking vehicles either. So performance, features, price and value is where Acura needs to be better than the competition in this generation. Acura can't rely on killer looks this time around. Even though I will be buying a 4th gen TL, Acura might have lost some of it's customers with the '09 TL and the overall direction of the brand (Style wise).
Last edited by Ac Man; 08-25-2008 at 08:41 PM.
08-25-2008 | 09:00 PM
#33
Be kind to us truckers !
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: New Albany,IN
"ACURA ADVANCED"..has been recently changed to "ACURA DOOMED"....when the wheels fall off my 07'TL-S....I'm "PULLING THE RIP CORD MYSELF"...and diving into a BMW or an INFINITY...12+ years of faithfullness are gone...."JACKED DESIGNS"..and yesteryear powertrain improvements are killing me!.....ACURA DYING is more like it!
08-25-2008 | 09:03 PM
#34
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 389
Likes: 1
From: Ft Lauderdale Fl
"ACURA ADVANCED"..has been recently changed to "ACURA DOOMED"....when the wheels fall off my 07'TL-S....I'm "PULLING THE RIP CORD MYSELF"...and diving into a BMW or an INFINITY...12+ years of faithfullness are gone...."JACKED DESIGNS"..and yesteryear powertrain improvements are killing me!.....ACURA DYING is more like it!
Loud and clear
08-25-2008 | 09:05 PM
#35
Be kind to us truckers !
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: New Albany,IN
I think Acura is crazy with that Tier 1 talk, because Tier 1 automakers push the envelope, they are not conservative. I'm not sure if Honda is holding Acura back with all this conservative shit or what, but if they want to be taken seriously and become major players in the upper luxury market, they're gonna have to man up and start taking some risks. It's comical how they tout the '09 TL as having the most powerful Acura engine ever, but it comes up short or equals the competition, but beats the RL and MDX engines by only 5 HP! Yeah technically it's the most powerful Acura engine, but that's not saying much, and to brag about a difference of 5 HP is silly. I doubt you would see BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Lexus do some shit like that. Acura doesn't need to revive their lineup or brand, they need to revive their way of thinking!
08-25-2008 | 11:06 PM
#36
My only car is a Bus
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 1
From: Republik of Kalifornia
There's bold and beautiful then there's just ugly. Most of the car is good but I'd change the grille, taillights, and trunk line. What's up with the orange seats and black seatbelts? Tacky.
I'd say the Lexus IS, G35, C350, 3-Series, and A4 are all great looking rides. Audi was bold with their top to bottom grille but it looks good! Acura should be copying the successful designs because I doubt few will be copying them.
I left the brand because I lost faith in the company. I see I made the correct decision.
I'd say the Lexus IS, G35, C350, 3-Series, and A4 are all great looking rides. Audi was bold with their top to bottom grille but it looks good! Acura should be copying the successful designs because I doubt few will be copying them.
I left the brand because I lost faith in the company. I see I made the correct decision.
Well you know what? I'll give Acura credit for trying to be bold with the design of the '09 TL, that's what they did with the design of the 3rd gen TL, which was a hugh styling departure from the 2nd gen TL. People would've bashed them if the TL had a conservative design too, so they're damed if they do, damned if they don't. I like the design of the car, does it look better than the 3rd gen? no, but I would be lying if I said it was butt ugly like so many people has stated. The TL might get away with it's styling, because the competition doesn't have great looking vehicles either. So performance, features, price and value is where Acura needs to be better than the competition in this generation. Acura can't rely on killer looks this time around. Even though I will be buying a 4th gen TL, Acura might have lost some of it's customers with the '09 TL and the overall direction of the brand (Style wise).
08-26-2008 | 01:48 AM
#37
"...a detail so small that many customers might not notice it..."
OMG, it took me a while to figure what this special thing was. Does it pop up and spit out dollar bills? Such nonsense! That's no detail - it is an afterthought... just like the rear window and that stick-on spoiler.
OMG, it took me a while to figure what this special thing was. Does it pop up and spit out dollar bills? Such nonsense! That's no detail - it is an afterthought... just like the rear window and that stick-on spoiler.
08-26-2008 | 06:42 AM
#38
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,796
Likes: 1,400
From: NC
Pic
It is the sheet metal just above the headlight ... I could not find it either bc I was looking for some decorative rectangle so someone else had to point it out to me. I can see how they would have a hard time w/this as it is so narrow & curvy.
08-26-2008 | 09:11 AM
#39
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 305
Likes: 6
From: Ocala, FL
There's bold and beautiful then there's just ugly. Most of the car is good but I'd change the grille, taillights, and trunk line. What's up with the orange seats and black seatbelts? Tacky.
I'd say the Lexus IS, G35, C350, 3-Series, and A4 are all great looking rides. Audi was bold with their top to bottom grille but it looks good! Acura should be copying the successful designs because I doubt few will be copying them.
I left the brand because I lost faith in the company. I see I made the correct decision.
I'd say the Lexus IS, G35, C350, 3-Series, and A4 are all great looking rides. Audi was bold with their top to bottom grille but it looks good! Acura should be copying the successful designs because I doubt few will be copying them.
I left the brand because I lost faith in the company. I see I made the correct decision.