Acura: RLX News
12-20-2005, 12:44 PM
#921
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Originally Posted by F23A4
So Honda has to bet whether A) V8s will go the way of turbos or B) will they have to adjust to the market in much the same manner as they did with the 5th gen Accord.
The reasons they have put forth for not building a v8 is that they can achieve with a v6 what some competitors have to use a v8 for and that v6 is more fuel efficient, less emmissions, blah blah blah.
unfortunately they haven't been able to build a v6 with TORQUE to match that of competitors. and with technology, fuel economy has improved...some v8's nowadays get better gas mileage than v6's of the past.
honestly, i think it's their corporate culture...they're acting like a "parent" or "grandma" and telling us what we want rather than gauging consumers and giving us what we want.
I think they have already succumbed to this fact which is why they started offering the tech package for the RL and the new civic is a distinct improvement from the last generation. Even the butt-lifted accord is evidence of this. in the old days they would say "no, the accord is the best out there and you take it!" Now it's "ok, you think the butt is ugly so we'll restyle it". same with the nsx...before it was like "it's the best even with the v6...you no need bigger! you buy now!" now it's like "ok, competitors are going with bigger better engines, maybe we should too?!?"
12-20-2005, 01:04 PM
#922
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by mrdeeno
my bet is B)...they will have to adjust to the market.
The reasons they have put forth for not building a v8 is that they can achieve with a v6 what some competitors have to use a v8 for and that v6 is more fuel efficient, less emmissions, blah blah blah.
unfortunately they haven't been able to build a v6 with TORQUE to match that of competitors. and with technology, fuel economy has improved...some v8's nowadays get better gas mileage than v6's of the past.
The reasons they have put forth for not building a v8 is that they can achieve with a v6 what some competitors have to use a v8 for and that v6 is more fuel efficient, less emmissions, blah blah blah.
unfortunately they haven't been able to build a v6 with TORQUE to match that of competitors. and with technology, fuel economy has improved...some v8's nowadays get better gas mileage than v6's of the past.
Originally Posted by mrdeeno
Ibefore it was like "it's the best even with the v6...you no need bigger! you buy now!" now it's like "ok, competitors are going with bigger better engines, maybe we should too?!?"
.....^^^^ reminds of:
12-20-2005, 05:15 PM
#923
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Originally Posted by SeCsTaC
I think the exterior and high entry price pretty much killed it. I mean, for a 50k car that exterior is just wow, boring to the extremes, and it resembles an accord a bit too much.
12-22-2005, 06:18 PM
#924
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Originally Posted by mrdeeno
my bet is B)...same with the nsx...before it was like "it's the best even with the v6...you no need bigger! you buy now!" now it's like "ok, competitors are going with bigger better engines, maybe we should too?!?"
12-30-2005, 12:14 AM
#925
Originally Posted by titan
THANKYOU. I was beginning to think that I was the only one that saw that. While Lexus will correct it's size issue with the next LS, this one doesn't offer the rear seat comfort as the Germans, and has never been as big or imposing as them. Lexus' brilliant marketing brilliance has lead to they're dominance. As far as the price, I won't argue with the fact that they'ver offered a great value as compared to the Germans. But they can afford to do it because they're not techo leaders like MB. MB always seems to offer some new electronic something (for better or for worse) that helps justify the S's crazy price.
yeah right ... they dont even have bluetooth wireless phone capabilities in their current models
techno leaders :pfft:
12-30-2005, 07:14 AM
#926
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by dallison
i would take a gs430 or is350 over the rl
Teh Greenmonster thinks the IS350 is hawt... No doubt in my mind that IS > RL in the mid 40 price range....
12-30-2005, 10:56 AM
#927
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Under no conditions will there ever be an RL in my driveway. For that kinda scratch I want performance and room, not an overgrown, overteched Accord that looks just as underwhelming as one BTW. Worse, I wouldn't buy another Acura of any stripe just b/c of the recent round of treatment I've received from the dealer. So long and good riddance Acura 
12-30-2005, 12:13 PM
#928
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Originally Posted by Chief F1 Fan
Under no conditions will there ever be an RL in my driveway. For that kinda scratch I want performance and room, not an overgrown, overteched Accord that looks just as underwhelming as one BTW. Worse, I wouldn't buy another Acura of any stripe just b/c of the recent round of treatment I've received from the dealer. So long and good riddance Acura
12-30-2005, 04:55 PM
#930
Drifting
I don't think Acura is going downhill at all.. maybe their are stabilizing out right now but with the RDX and the new NSX, I think it will pick up again.
Anyone think Acura will ever come out with a model that will compete with the S-Class or 7-Series, etc.??
Anyone think Acura will ever come out with a model that will compete with the S-Class or 7-Series, etc.??
12-30-2005, 05:24 PM
#931
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by Sclass88
I don't think Acura is going downhill at all.. maybe their are stabilizing out right now but with the RDX and the new NSX, I think it will pick up again.
Anyone think Acura will ever come out with a model that will compete with the S-Class or 7-Series, etc.??
Anyone think Acura will ever come out with a model that will compete with the S-Class or 7-Series, etc.??
Acura is a niche brand.For Acura to truly be in the top 3 lux/sport lines it needs V8 engines, RWD platforms...AWD won't cut it, and great designs penned from designers that work for Acura only, and not Honda & Acura.
12-30-2005, 05:48 PM
#932
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Originally Posted by Sclass88
I don't think Acura is going downhill at all.. maybe their are stabilizing out right now but with the RDX and the new NSX, I think it will pick up again.
Anyone think Acura will ever come out with a model that will compete with the S-Class or 7-Series, etc.??
Anyone think Acura will ever come out with a model that will compete with the S-Class or 7-Series, etc.??
After the poor RL sales, I don't think so, or not for a long time. If they can't get people to buy their brand new 50k sedan @ 8k discounts, what makes you think people would buy a 70k+ sedan?
01-01-2006, 03:24 PM
#933
Originally Posted by SeCsTaC
After the poor RL sales, I don't think so, or not for a long time. If they can't get people to buy their brand new 50k sedan @ 8k discounts, what makes you think people would buy a 70k+ sedan?
01-01-2006, 03:51 PM
#934
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by phile
That would really depend on the car itself, not its price tag.
If the car had a unique design (not the bigger Accord look), a V8 with RWD...and add to that all the Acura techno-gadgets, then Acura could have a winner.
01-01-2006, 04:23 PM
#936
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Well the rumor has it (its been building up for 2 years) that it would be a unique platform with either RWD or AWD and a V8.
01-01-2006, 04:25 PM
#937
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Originally Posted by Sclass88
Anyone think Acura will ever come out with a model that will compete with the S-Class or 7-Series, etc.??
They have been considering such a thing since the mid 90's.
Originally, the '96 RL was going to be a V8, it was going to have RWD and be quite a bit bigger that it later turned out to be.
For whatever reason, it got rejected and a 2nd gen Legend with a Lexus suspension was the result.
01-01-2006, 04:27 PM
#938
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Originally Posted by Ken1997TL
Well the rumor has it (its been building up for 2 years) that it would be a unique platform with either RWD or AWD and a V8.
01-01-2006, 04:28 PM
#939
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Originally Posted by Ken1997TL
They have been considering such a thing since the mid 90's.
Originally, the '96 RL was going to be a V8, it was going to have RWD and be quite a bit bigger that it later turned out to be.
For whatever reason, it got rejected and a 2nd gen Legend with a Lexus suspension was the result.
01-12-2006, 02:37 PM
#940
Safety Car
Tech Car of the Year
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-10846_7...-1.html?tag=fs
The 2005 Acura RL wins CNET's first annual Tech Car of the Year award. Our judges, including the voting public in our online poll, came down unanimously for the 2005 Acura RL as the best expression of technology in a car. We chose the 2005 Acura RL partly because it led the way by offering a number of technologies before any of its competitors and partly because it did such a seamless job of implementing them. It has live traffic information integrated with its navigation system, and it connects to Bluetooth phones. It has a Bose DVD audio system with a road-noise-canceling feature. Its power train isn't as sophisticated as a hybrid system, but it comes close with some very fine engineering. Congratulations to the 2005 Acura RL and the forward-thinking team that designed it.
The 2005 Acura RL wins CNET's first annual Tech Car of the Year award. Our judges, including the voting public in our online poll, came down unanimously for the 2005 Acura RL as the best expression of technology in a car. We chose the 2005 Acura RL partly because it led the way by offering a number of technologies before any of its competitors and partly because it did such a seamless job of implementing them. It has live traffic information integrated with its navigation system, and it connects to Bluetooth phones. It has a Bose DVD audio system with a road-noise-canceling feature. Its power train isn't as sophisticated as a hybrid system, but it comes close with some very fine engineering. Congratulations to the 2005 Acura RL and the forward-thinking team that designed it.
01-12-2006, 05:58 PM
#941
I think it also won a similar award from Popular Science. On a related note, I saw the new RL commercial and it was very well done.
01-12-2006, 07:58 PM
#942
Race Director
While the RL didn't make the 20K sales expectation that Honda/Acura envisioned, it still had its best calendar sales ever. I thought for sure the old Legend sold better than that.
01-12-2006, 08:32 PM
#943
I feel the need...
Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
Acura is a niche brand.For Acura to truly be in the top 3 lux/sport lines it needs V8 engines, RWD platforms...AWD won't cut it, and great designs penned from designers that work for Acura only, and not Honda & Acura.
Audi seems to do okay with AWD and sub V8 engines
The new Honda/Acura interiors are outstanding.
01-12-2006, 10:11 PM
#945
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by PistonFan
Audi seems to do okay with AWD and sub V8 engines
The new Honda/Acura interiors are outstanding.
The new Honda/Acura interiors are outstanding.
Acura interiors are tops.....I give the edge in interiors to Audi.
01-12-2006, 10:32 PM
#946
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Originally Posted by biker
While the RL didn't make the 20K sales expectation that Honda/Acura envisioned, it still had its best calendar sales ever. I thought for sure the old Legend sold better than that.
The old Legend did. It was selling in the 65,000 units/yr range at its peak.
01-13-2006, 05:07 AM
#948
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
psst....Audi has V8 engines in the A8, A6, and RS 4. Acura has nil.
I'll just add that while the GS300(soon to be GS350)/M35/530i/A6 are the primary movers for their respective lineups at Lexus/Infiniti/BMW/Audi, they at least have avail V8s for those few buyers who want those models with a 'sharper performance edge' than 6 cylinders can provide.
02-01-2006, 02:40 PM
#949
Safety Car
Jan 06 Sales
Got this info from Club Lexus --- I knew sales were slow but I had no idea it was last in the market:
5 = 4,681
E = 2,465
GS = 1,978
M = 1,892
STS =
A6 = 1,617
RL = 773
5 = 4,681
E = 2,465
GS = 1,978
M = 1,892
STS =
A6 = 1,617
RL = 773
02-01-2006, 03:04 PM
#950
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If these figures are correct, it seems the M has passed the STS (i think STS was ahead last month?) and is gaining on the GS...only 86 car difference.
5/E will be leaders for a long time to come.
As an "Infiniti-troll", I'm not gonna say anything about the RL.
5/E will be leaders for a long time to come.
As an "Infiniti-troll", I'm not gonna say anything about the RL.
02-01-2006, 03:18 PM
#952
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Originally Posted by TSX69
Got this info from Club Lexus --- I knew sales were slow but I had no idea it was last in the market:
5 = 4,681
E = 2,465
GS = 1,978
M = 1,892
STS =
A6 = 1,617
RL = 773
5 = 4,681
E = 2,465
GS = 1,978
M = 1,892
STS =
A6 = 1,617
RL = 773
02-01-2006, 05:14 PM
#958
Race Director
Originally Posted by Motohip
And they sold over 3000 TSX in one month??? That's way above their projected sales for that car, isn't it??
02-01-2006, 05:19 PM
#959
I feel the need...
Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
psst....Audi has V8 engines in the A8, A6, and RS 4. Acura has nil.
Acura interiors are tops.....I give the edge in interiors to Audi.
Acura interiors are tops.....I give the edge in interiors to Audi.
If you look at the actual sales figures for Audi, the vast majority (85%+) are sold without V8 engines.
