White92

If this is true, I wonder when it will happen. We just got the color codes for the 2011 RL and they are all new for the most part.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

Yes I think the TL would move noticaby more upmarket in its available equipment and the 5G would further do so.

Infiniti also said that there will be no new Q for now, but yet you're right.

"Speaking with Automotive News, Toru Saito, Infiniti's veep of global business contends that the recently released M sedan will "play a flagship role" for the automaker going forward, and judging by the dimensions of the new M – which comes in around the same size as the old Q – he's partially right."

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/15/c...the-q-forever/

Belzebutt

Isn't the ZDX the top dog now?

smarty666

I tend to agree with you. I think the TL is going to move further upmarket in the 5G version, taking the place of the current RL, the RL is going to be axed, the 3G TSX is going to move up to where the 4G TL now, and Acura might then introduce a brand new entry-level model below the TSX.

I'd love to see a sports coupe brought back, maybe do the CL, see how that does and sell, and if it sells good, then introduce the NSX back in, but I think that is going to be a stretch! With the elimination of the RL, I don't know what Acura is going to do.

Ending Acura all together is a very interesting question. I don't know how I feel about that? A part of me doesn't want to see them go but another part thinks that, if things don't turn around, that might be the way to go! Very good question to say the least!

Well, at least we won't have to worry about the MMC TL grill matching and looking too close to the RL's grill!

chungkopi

RL still looked better than TL to me. maybe they should've killed the TL and call RL a TL.

biker

I can't see Honda running the production line very long - even if there will be a 11 MY model - it'll be like the 08 TSX in that it'll be a short MY run and when the cars run out that's it.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

You bring up an interesting point. In a way the ZDX is kind of like the replacement for the RL, a pricey, low volume product.

This is not unlike Buick saying that the Enclave is essentially the "big Buick" and that's where the Lucerne's line ends.

JeffS

What are the 2011 RL colors?

TSX69

Acura RL Safe: No Phase Out Planned

Earlier this morning, reports emerged that the Acura RL, bawdy bionic beavertooth grille and all, might soon be headed to the scrap heap of history, but Acura has released a brief missive putting the kibosh on any such talk. The Acura RL is alive and well, and will continue to be the flagship for the brand.

Gary Robins, manager of Acura public relations in the U.S., released the following statement: "This morning erroneous media reports began to surface suggesting that Acura's RL model would be discontinued. These reports are untrue. The RL continues to be the flagship for the Acura brand and we have no plans to discontinue it."

It couldn't be put any plainer: the RL will live on.

Though we clearly cautioned readers that the report was shaky at best, there was good reason to think the report could eventually prove true.

Before the world banking system sent the global economy down the proverbial tubes, Acura had been planning a run at "tier 1" luxury status. That all went away, however, along with potential plans for V-8 engines and rear-wheel drive. The company's desire for more efficiency and less performance could also have provided justification to end the RL.

Regardless of what might have befallen the RL, however, it's safe within the Acura lineup for the foreseeable future. Acura fans, relax.

smarty666

^ Typical Acura Bull Shit! Never can give a clear straight answer! That is where a good chunk of their problem is in! Unbelievable.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

I do blame Autoblog for posting that the RL was dead when no one else was reporting this. Millions probably read AB so they politely were referring almost exclusively to a potentially damaging rumor that they reported.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

PG2G

Seems pretty clear to me...

Shift_Acura

These reports are untrue. The RL continues to be the flagship for the Acura brand and we have no plans to discontinue it.

What could this possibly mean??

Type34

If they keep the RL in the lineup, Acura must fix the nose. I did a quick render of what needs to be done with the current design (as a start)...oh and put some wheels on this car worthy of a flagship ...

Legend2TL

The original 2G RL grill and lights were fine to start with, had they just evolved it instead of the beak it would have looked alot better. The lower part of teh airdam on the MMC looks OK though.

SpicyMikey

It probably means that Honda sees that the Legend/RL is too much car for Japan and not enough for America. They are discontinuing it in Japan and elsewhere but keeping it in America. If you extrapolate out from that, it probably also means they will move production of the car to the U.S. like the TL. If you further extrapolated from that it would mean that they would now be free to design it for the American consumer's taste and possibly make it a true LS, 750, S class competitor to become a true flagship for the American Acura brand rather than just having the Japanese "world car" model bolted to the end of the lineup. Like I commented yesterday, I see this as all good news if you want to see the RL grow and the brand move upmarket.

Disclaimer; this is all educated speculation and may be total crap, but, to me it is consistent with the new ZDX being more expensive than the RL and the new TL being the same size and virtually the same luxury as the RL

vybzkartel

And it's a well educated speculation, Spicy!

onthelimit

sales manager at my dealership told me earlier this week that the RL was going to get a turbcharged V6 outputting 400hp...also told me that there will be limited production V8 with even more hp. All speculation, of course.

Interesting to note that there appears to be a fair amount of agreement on axing the brand. Should I just dump my Acura now??

biker

The thing is, at ~100 cars per month sold that is like the car didn't exist at all. At those sales levels it sells even less than the ZDX. Why bother keeping it in the lineup? And with the production line limited to making only the RL, again, it doesn't make sense to keep it running, financially. This must be a face saving thing, in that it would "look bad" to discontinue the RL - cause they can't be making money on it.

SpicyMikey

I agree. I'm sure Honda agrees also. That's why there's more reason to believe that the status quo will not continue after this gen. Logical to assume that the next sedan slotted above the new TL will be bigger and offer something to compete with other flagship luxury brand sedans. Not sure if they will/should make a full and direct competitor to the LS or 7 because they aren't really selling well in this market either. They also sell in the hundreds each month. But it needs to be way more than the current RL. This latest news added to what I mentioned earlier about the ZDX and TL moving into the RL's price and feature slot, tells me to expect something big from the RL in the next gen.

biker

Honda must already be running the MY11 RL production line and it's too late to pull the plug.

JeffS

That makes sense, but what I am wondering is if the next generation will still have a hybrid power train as Honda previously said or if they scrapped engine that too.

If I am not mistaken, all hybrid powered Hondas are still built in Japan. And I don't see Honda running a production line just for a hybrid RL to only be sold in the US (and maybe China). That seems too costly for such a low volume car.

To move production here would suggest to me that it will also be built on the Accord platform (as is the TL) and come with only a V6 (maybe turbo) to differentiate it from the TL, along with being larger. And how would that sell?

smarty666

Well there must have been a screw up at either Honda's level or autoblog to report that it was to be discontinued globally and then several hours later, state it was only going to be in Japan and its going to be kept here as the flagship!

Well okay, we finally got one straight answer from Acura, they are keeping the RL as the flagship! Took long enough to get that. Great, now, get your ass moving, and tell us when in God's name your going to redo the damn thing so we have something to look forward to and don't have to assume, speculate, or play guess work! The current one is an utterly boring, poor selling, piece of crap! It needs help badly b/c the TL kicks its ass in every way now, especially in value for the money.

JeffS

I thought that too, but bet it will be a short run and then they will stop producing the RL all together as it will take months + to sell what they built.

Belzebutt

I don't think Audi will let them have those wheels.


The A-Spec concept should have been offered as a package:

http://www.concept/vehicle/z8640/Acura-RL-A-Spec.aspx

WTF? Azine won't let me paste the URL for this site???

White92

Ah screw it. I can't figure out how to attach a picture on here. I downloaded the color chart to my album for anyone who wants to see it.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

I think blandness is part of what hurt it in comparison to the TL. In addition to offerings no real space improvements, it was much blander than the 3G on the outside.

Sure it's handsome, but in a bland kind of way. I'm not saying they should go 4G TL on it, but it definately needs a heavy dose of style.

chungkopi

no v8, don't bother. or just make it a bigger Avalon, so it competes with large american sedans.

black label

So now that we have confirmation that the discontinuation of the RL was a false rumor can we get the title of the thread updated again?

BTW I want to work for one of the dealers that are getting these twin turbo V6 RL's and the limited edition V8 model. I only get the cars that Acura actually makes.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Im sorry to hear that.

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

I agree. We could probably have it de-stickied and the title changed to "Acura: RL News **To Live After All**" or something.

SpicyMikey

I don't think it was Honda. It seemed to be all the wonderful auto blogs that added the extra information about the RL. It was never in the original news report from Reuters. That's why I don't believe those BS blogs unless theirs a source for the info. A lot of the info is crap.

Here's an early news posting on it before things got twisted. No mention of the RL at all.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE66E0L820100715

smarty666

Well even if it was autoblogs screw up, as I said earlier, at the very least, we got a confirmation out of Acura that they are keeping the RL. Now, if we could only get some sort of clue as to when and how they plan on redoing/improving it

JeffS

Thanks White92 for the color chart.

Edward'TLS

With the much cheaper TL getting the same engine and SH-AWD hardware as the much expensive and heavier RL, there is not much point keeping the RL alive, unless Honda/Acura likes bleeding $$$$ from it's profit books.

SpicyMikey

If you mean get rid of THIS gem RL then I think most will agree with you. Get rid of the RL slot and go to Two sedans? No I thing that would be a bad idea. The next RL just needs to grow up like the current gem TL did versus the last one.

wassystyle

Acura says RL sedan won't be dropped
By DALE JEWETT


Acura has sold only 872 RLs within the first six months of this year.
UPDATED -- Is Honda ready to kill off the slow-selling Acura RL sedan?

Honda officials in the United States say no. But a report in Japan's Nikkei business daily newspaper says Honda is ready to stop selling the Honda Legend in its home market. The Legend is rebadged as the RL for Acura dealers in the United States. You may recall that Acura's flagship sedan was sold with the Legend nameplate from 1986 to 1995.

Late Friday, after the Nikkei report was reported by other media, Acura issued this statement, attributed to Gary Robinson, manager of Acura public relations:

"This morning erroneous media reports began to surface suggesting that Acura's RL model would be discontinued. These reports are untrue. The RL continues to be the flagship for the Acura brand and we have no plans to discontinue it."

But the RL hasn't been much of a sales flagship for Acura. Enthusiasts and dealers say it isn't competitive because it is smaller than its competition and lacks a V8 option. The RL is equipped with all-wheel drive.

Through the first six months of this year, Acura has sold only 872 RLs while Lexus sold 5,650 copies of the LS sedan and Infiniti sold 6,602 copies of the M sedan.

The Japanese report says Honda also plans to stop selling the Elysion minivan in Japan and plans equip all Civics sold in Japan with a hybrid powertrain.



Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2010...#ixzz0uB6KsLjJ

fsttyms1

Thats horrible. They really need to throw that car away and produce something that is on par with or keep it gone all together.

TL1999

Put a V8 in the RL, I will buy one.