Colin

We were discussing via PM back in July of last year. There was apparently a typo suggesting that the '10 TL AWD would come with a 6-Speed auto. Maybe this was a year too early?

thedc

A two door acura would be nice(not the zdx and more like the rsx with a more masculine design). Maybe something to compete against the G37.

phile

um

SSFTSX

Euro Accord is now closer to RL interms of tech features

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/255150/
Honda's revised version of its Accord saloon and estate, which will be shown at the Geneva motor show in March, comes complete with subtly tweaked styling, chassis tweaks and improved economy and CO2 emissions.

A reduction in internal friction losses of the Accord’s 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel unit result in a 9g/km CO2 reduction to 138g/km for manual-equipped saloons, an 11g/km reduction to 159g/km for auto-equipped saloons and a 10g/km reduction to 143g/km to manual-equipped estates.

See the official pics of the revised Honda Accord

Power and torque in the engine remains unchanged at 148bhp and 258lb ft. Aerodynamic revisions and improvements to the 2.0 i-VTEC petrol in the manual saloon also help that car achieve a CO2 figure of 159g/km, down 9g/km. These changes drop it, along with the auto-equipped 2.2 diesel saloon, below the important 160g/km Write Down Allowance threshold for the first time.

Honda engineers from Japan have also worked with those in Germany and the UK to improve the refinement levels of the Accord. Their input has resulted in changes including the addition of higher density foam under the bonnet and dashboard areas to improve NVH levels and boost refinement.

The Accord range gets new headlights, a new ‘sportier’ grille, re-profiled cooling ducts and fog lights and a new bumper at the front, while the rear also sports a new bumper, a new finish for the lights and chrome trim above the number plate for saloon models.

Read Autocar's road test of the current Honda Accord

New 17-inch alloys are offered on ES and ES-GT models, while three new colours – Alabaster Silver, Graphite Lustre metallic and Celestrial Blue Pearl – are also added to the options list.

Interior changes include new dark silver panels and a bright silver finish for the door handles and handbrake. New seat materials and door linings are offered on ES models and the ES, as well as the EX, also gets illuminated blue footwells.

New technology added to the range includes Active Cornering Lights and High Beam Support system for bi-xenon-equipped Accords.

Sales will start in the UK in July.

neuronbob

^^^^
Sigh. Let me know when the Euro Accord/TSX has 300 hp, SH-AWD, and is as big as the RL.

The RL pioneered the active lighting for Hondas and it is only natural for that to move to other Hondas/Acuras, just as SH-AWD did.

The Euro Accord is nowhere close to the RL/Legend in terms of tech features or refinement yet, and is not meant to. I know, I owned an RL and I've driven the TSX.

SSFTSX

Tech features mean things like LKAS/ACC/CMBS/AFS/Bi Xenon, Clear lens/Tinted heat reducing glass, Sport suspension, inside refrigeration, All those features are now avaliable on Euro Accord Type S on Standard 18inch and EX-Tech Pack.
Only difference is SH-AWD in Euro Accord. Infact the diesel engine in Euro Accord is more advanced than V6 in Honda Legend. Once Euro Accord get into SH-AWD/6AT price will be pretty similar like Legend as gap is too narrow with all the options.

biker

I still don't get Honda's reluctance to bring over the diesel. It's selling like gangbusters for VW.

Moog-Type-S

Honda diesels can't meet emissions?

....and/or they are in love with hybrids versus diesels.


....but I agree with you, Honda should bring diesel to the U.S.

Edward'TLS

If Honda were to FOLLOW the mainstream using urea injection to control emission, it would have no problem passing the stringent US emission regulations. But it has to do it differently than everyone else by using it's inhouse developed exotic metal catalytic conversion method.

TSX69

For Acura Dealers, the Best is Yet to Come

Jim Smail
Age: 64
Dealer since: 1976
Dealerships: Smail Auto Group (Acura, Honda, Ford, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, GMC, Mazda, Kia), Greensburg, Pa.
Average monthly Acura sales: 35 new, 25 used
Quote: "I hope I'm right, but I think the brand will take a step forward in terms of dealer confidence as the product portfolio gets stronger. There's a good sense of optimism."

Jim Smail was into motorcycles before he was into cars. Grabbing a Yamaha franchise in 1974, he added Honda bikes in 1975, saw their engineering strengths and added Honda automobiles the year after that.

Smail Auto Group has expanded significantly since then, and it now sells 9 brands. Smail has gained such respect among his peers that, in addition to chairing the Acura Dealer Advisory Board, he also becomes chairman of the American International Automobile Dealers Association this month.

Smail spoke with Staff Reporter Mark Rechtin about what the future holds for Acura.



How was 2010 for Acura dealers?

It was a significant improvement over 2009. Not only were sales up 27%, which is right up there with the best increases in the industry, but dealer profitability made significant strides as well. We saw increases in profits, not just with new-car volume but also in the certified pre-owned brand and with service and parts contributing as well. I was at the December dealer board meeting, and that was the sentiment of all the members of the board.



What will be the big issues for Acura dealers in 2011?

The company has to continue to have the marketing, incentives and advertising to support a brand with only one new product coming this year. That's the TSX wagon, which, being realistic, the company isn't looking for significant volume. And we have a facelift on the TL. But for the whole line to continue to sell, the biggest thing is going to be keeping the incentives strong, and keeping the marketing strong.



What about beyond 2011?

Starting in 2012, in terms of product launches, it is going to be some of the best years possible for Acura coming up. They are getting back to their core values in terms of value, in terms of pricing, and adding a lot of content in these vehicles.



Are dealers satisfied with Acura?

Looking at the NADA survey last summer, Acura had made some progress. And when I was leaving our dealer meeting in October in Denver, I heard all the positive comments. Management did a great job communicating the direction of the company. They said, "We know we had some challenges, but we are sharing information with you about where the brand is going." I hope I'm right, but I think the brand will take a step forward in terms of dealer confidence as the product portfolio gets stronger. There's a good sense of optimism.



Do you get that feeling from Japanese management, too?

Earlier in his career, Mr. Ito [Honda Motor Co.'s current CEO] was instrumental in development of 1st NSX and the 1st MDX, and he met with the dealer advisory board in October. He shares a passion for the Acura brand, even though it only is here in America. There are a few vehicles exported to China and Russia, but those numbers are small. But if the brand does build back up to 200,000 units, he told us there might be consideration of putting the brand in other markets around the world.



What is your feeling about Acura styling? Does the factory ask dealers about that sort of thing, or do Acura designers not want feedback?

We have had many discussions about it. Acura was criticized for not having aggressive-enough styling. But now, quite frankly, particularly on the TL, they went too far the other way in being aggressive. We have been very robust in our conversations, saying this went way too far, it is out of hand. Customers like the car, but not the styling, particularly the front end. In seeing the 2012 enhancement of the TL, if we had that initially, we would have sold a lot more cars. I think Acura got the message loud and clear. We want highly styled cars with great content, but we don't need boy-racer looking vehicles or whatever.



Acura SUVs seem to be selling well, but what are you going to do to get car sales revved up again?

We had a minor change to the TSX this year for the 2011 model year, and as we have other products joining the portfolio, I think that's going to be the resurgence. As calendar 2013 comes around there will be additional products, which might be all-new or full-model changes. It's going to take a little bit of time, but we're not that far away from seeing a significant amount of product arriving over a 15- to 18-month period, where virtually everything in the lineup will be changed.



Should Acura get back into the compact luxury segment with a rebirth of the Integra/ RSX?

We've had discussions about that. The Integra and RSX were great vehicles, and we sold 25,000 or 30,000 units a year of them. The strategy was that the RDX crossover would replace the RSX, but we've never hit those types of numbers, even with the 2-wheel-drive version. The compact luxury segment is a great opportunity, and we would like to see that part of the market come about, and there are all indications it may happen.



Is there anything else missing in the product lineup?

A revised RL will be coming. You will see further derivatives of the vehicles that we currently have, new segments we will be entering that we have not had in the lineup in a number of years. Once the core products are re-established and put into the marketplace, that's going to give Acura the chance to explore opportunities with other derivatives. Whether that's convertibles, sports cars or coupes, that's a long way off.



What's your opinion on Acura not having rear-drive or a V-8 and trying to compete in the luxury game?

Where we are today, with more powerful V-6s, I like to call Honda Motor Co. with the emphasis on "Motor." They have the ability to create anything they want to. Whether it's through direct injection or turbo, Honda has done things with engines that no one else has done.

Rear-drive has its advantages, but as a Mercedes dealer outside Pittsburgh, I don't stock rear-drive. All my customers want all-wheel drive. Acura will be a solid player. Not that the TL and TSX are bad cars, but to get back to 200,000 units, we're going to have to offer cars that the consumer is looking for.



What is the best way for Acura vehicles to be more than just Honda-plus?

We're getting away from that, to a great extent. The content of the vehicles is different. There will be further separation in styling, for both divisions. I see more familiarity between Lexus and Toyota than between Honda and Acura. I realize the Europeans are different in that regard. But I think we'll have enough differentiation in our products.



How much real contact do you dealers have with factory management?

I have a good rapport with John Mendel, Jeff Conrad in sales, Chuck Kendig in service, Bruce Smith in parts, Richard Kent in marketing. These fellows really do reach out. We have their numbers and they like to talk to us. I've been in this business for 40 years, and the Acura and Honda advisory process is the best in the industry, from a grass-roots, district, zone level, gathering that information up and meeting as a group to discuss the issues that are a national concern to dealers. When we sit down with John and other American management, they really pay attention. There's lots of note-taking and questions back.



What about talking to the Japanese leadership at American Honda?

Mr. Iwamura and the Japanese staff really want to know what's on our minds. They tell us what they can and can't do, what the costs and benefits are, and they get back to us with answers. After representing GM, Ford, Mazda, Kia and so forth, I think Honda and Acura really have the best process for dealers. Sure, the last few years have been challenging for Acura, but things are changing as quickly as we could expect at this moment.



What are Acura dealers doing to attract more service business?

They have developed some of the most forward-thinking programs in direct-marketing and digital formats. Our service departments are going to be wireless, instead of having to go to a dedicated computer. An adviser can take a laptop or service tool and get all his information wirelessly. It lets the technician stay with the vehicle. It's a great enhancement for how service departments are going to work in the future. He'll have service codes at his fingertips. He won't have to look it up.



You mentioned Acura's certified pre-owned program. How goes it?

I think we have a great opportunity with certified used cars. Companies are looking to establish a certified brand, but it's now going to be the entry-level for those who are competing the in the luxury segment. The research we see for Acura is that 70% of those who buy a certified pre-owned Acura end up buying a new Acura later on. So there's a lot of upside there.



Should Acura get more involved in leasing? Your residuals are so strong, it would seem like a no-brainer.

I think the whole industry is going to be more aggressive in leasing. I see a real upside for Acura. As long as you have great products, the residuals should be there. By not playing in the fleet business, that has helped our residuals dramatically. There's a tremendous amount of leasing in the Northeast, but not so much in other areas. It's a matter of educating the customer. We are growing our lease portfolio because we want that customer to come back in 3 years, and for us to have that certified used car. As we hit the 4th quarter of this year, the industry is going to have some difficulties acquiring used cars.



What do you think of Acura's advertising?

After hearing the presentations in October, I get the "Advance" message. It's simple. It's saying, "Advance your thinking." But the consumer can interpret it however they would like to. Is Acura advancing the value, the styling, the features? But we also want Acura to keep the theme that Acura is where you will find the most innovative thinking.



Is Acura ahead of the game, behind the game or in the game when it comes to social media?

It's getting better. Acura is taking their time to make sure they get it right. Our dealership is involved in social media. It's where marketing has gone in the past year. I think it's less of a factor with luxury brands than mass-market brands.



You also are chairing AIADA. What are the issues there?

The international nameplates have 54% of the market. There are a lot of opportunities for the international manufacturers to work together, to make sure there aren't moves within the Beltway to make it more difficult on us. When the U.S. government still owns a significant amount of GM, and has significant interest in Chrysler, and the UAW has a significant stake in both, we need to watch for actions being taken.

We dealers are all local businessmen, and the international players have spent billions of dollars on plants here, employing tens of thousands of workers. You can't favor 1 set of manufacturers over another.

biker

biker

Legend2TL

Honest interview

VTEC Racer

I don't think he meant replace the RSX as a successor, but replace the lost sales of the discontinued RSX.

pttl

We can only hope something comes from this thought.

Aman

Wouldn't bringing back the RSX do that job better than a completely different car?

YetiTL

Everybody will have their opinion but here's my point of view:

No, Acura shouldn't raise the RSX from the dead. It was a nice car for the era it has been sold but its time has passed. Do we need a SH-AWD 3.7 V6 TSX and a coupe ? Yes. A revised RL with RWD platform and SH-AWD? Yes. A NSX hybrid supercar with 400 hp, RWD SH-AWD and a dual-clutch tranny? Yes. But a boy-racerish coupe with a low profit margin? I doubt it.

Acura has spent the last 5 years trying to kill the image of boy-racerish cars, I doubt it'll bring it back.

My , you might very well disagree though.

black label

That seems like the same idea Dodge had. They replaced the Neon with the Caliber. It may not have mattered to most people but for those who wanted a SRT-4 it was a completely different animal.

neuronbob

Glad Acura saw the light even if it took a collapse of TL sales (atop a bad economy) to figure that out.

Aman

No, I think you're right. Maybe it'd be better suited for Honda, but they've already got the one-size-fits-all Civic Si.

It's just confusing logic, building a car that competes in a completely different class to "replace lost sales" from the RSX.

I think Acura needs a coupe of some sort, though. Maybe a TSX-based one with a sportier bend, and its own name. I think the TL is too big a platform for a coupe

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I've always said they need to bring the CL back...

Invisible

Agreed. Acura needs a Coupe.
I don't care if it is close to the Accord Coupe. Put the 3.7 liter motor and SH-AWD.

How about a convertible version.

Colin

Nooooooooooo! Be logical, such a car would be blasted on this forum. (or everybody's a hypocrite)

jwong77

Bring back a car that never met expectations sales wise? I used to own a CL, it was never an aspirational vehicle, but thats what a coupe should be. I'll be straight up honest, I bought the CL because I knew it was a honda accord underneath thus being reliable, and also because I couldn't afford a BMW 3 series coupe at the time.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I think the CL nameplate works perfectly with their current naming convention. Thats assuming of course that its closely related to the TL instead of the TSX.

fsttyms1

As long as it was RWD and V8 we would all welcome it

dom

Funny, because the only car that we know for certain Acura will be producing in the near future is a car based off the Civic. Which will probably become an RSX replacement.

Moog-Type-S

ACURA DEVELOPING NEW SPORTS CAR, NOT TO BE CALLED NSX
http://www.leftlanenews.com/acura-de...alled-nsx.html

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

I will believe it when I see the real car.

Crazy Bimmer

Has promise.

Colin

Remember the discussion of the Accord running gear but arranged mid-ship? Hopefully this is true, but I'm hoping for hybrid much like the DualNote concept from so many years ago. (wanna bet that was Accord based too?)

TRIOD3SIGNS

HRMMMMM... new CL?

TSX69

I ponder if affordable means entry level luxury - which I equate w/ a price range mainly in the 30 thousands. If so, I hope that it is more on the level of a TL than a TSX as there is already a sub-TSX car coming (assuming that this is not the same car) ... Acura really does not need more vehicles in the lower end of luxury (unless sales is what they are after).

Moog-Type-S

When was the CL anything close to a sports car?!?!?!

Colin

This would not be the same as the sub-TSX car. (which I thing we do need). I think that 'affordable' is a relative term meaning NOT (original) NSX priced. For years AHM execs wanted a Corvette priced car not a Ferrari priced one. Maybe they're finally getting their wish.

visuelz

If it's not a V8, it's boringggggg.....at least to me it is. I've heard too many Honda promises. They like to make things sounds really good at first, but then disappoint in the end.

biker

More vaporware?

Colin

^^ It doesn't take a genius to realize that if it's going to use Accord bits that it won't have a V-8. Traditional Honda values should mean that they won't use a V-8 if they can make the V-6 do the same work.

charliemike

Honda/Acura doesn't even have a force-induction V6 so how is this anything but hot air from a flack?

No, not Aflac ... And not Affleck either. A flack. A Publicist/PR donkey.

Colin

^^ Which is why the new dual motor IMA is a more likely choice.