Acura: Sales, Marketing, and Financial News
 

OK this is my first try, so be nice to me. I got Pinnacle's Studio Deluxe last weekend and used it to create the 850 photos you might have seen up to now.

Now this is my first try to edit a video piece which contains only the Acura part of my shooting at the Chicago Auto Show. Tell me how you like it. I love the music and transitions personally...

Click on the link and it should be the last piece on the index. You cannot stream unfortunately. If anyone wants to host it be my guest. It is 23 MB large.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...4593&start=171

sign in? :thumbsdn:

Its free.

Sign in?

Those a$$es! It's free though.

Just finished watching the vid. nice transition effects :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
j/k :P


the video was very good overall. I was just hoping it to be 4-5 mins long :o

I was just wondering..why didnt u take pics of the RL? They redid the dash this year and I really wanted to see some pics of it..other than the official ones :(

I am glad you liked the video. There will be a lot more video up there. I am now finishing the Crossfire piece and will be uploading it soon.

I saw the RL and totally passed it. No intereset at all, sorry.

Acura Falling Behind??
 

http://www.forbes.com/2003/04/01/cz_jf_0401flint.html

Sorry if it's a repost.

Pretty decent article. Nothing earth shattering, but I tend to agree. Although great cars (especially for the $$), Acura just doesn't have the prestige that BMW, Lexus and MB have. I would disagree w/ the statement that the NSX has been a flop. That car remains a state of the art car. It definately needs a redesign, but it is a superb car. I am afraid that Acura will continue to lose ground unless they spice up the line some (Atten Honda Exec's: Pay attention to what Infinity has been up to!!!)

Well, my biggest complaint with the Acura line is the naming. Who cares about an RL? I WANT A LEGEND! And of course I'm disheartened by the total disappointment that is the RL. I mean come on...the '95 Legend had more power, looked more aggressive, and was more fun to drive than the "modern" '03 RL! It's an insult to Acura freaks everywhere. lol

(Ok, rant is over.) Other than that, I love the remaining cars in the lineup and am anxious to drive the TSX. But again, the names could use some tweeking.

Interesting article.

However old news to me. Same things I have been saying about Acura for the least year or so.

Damn. That sounds like me. Hit the nail on the head. I don't think there is anything wrong with what Acura is doing. It's carving it's niche as they realized going head to head would mean a loss for them. Tell some of the owners that though.

Acura does make excellent "value" cars....but they have to work to make it to the level that Lexus has made it. I don't really think it's a good idea to compare Acura models to BMW and M-B since they've been in the luxury game for much longer

I don't think Acura has "fallen behind" Lexus. I mean, I don't think they were trying to be like Lexus or BMW. Acura is carving its own niche and as long as it's profitable, I see no reason why they can't continue doing their own thing. The only thing that I see Acura did to be like the others was changing their names to letters. And they lost some of their identity doing that. So for those who say "Acura is falling behind" and "why can't Acura be more like Lexus"...settle down...if you want a Lexus-like product, buy a Lexus. For those who like Acura's cars and wish to continue supporting them, ROCK ON.

well yes they have fallen behind, they started out on top but couldn't keep the pace that they themselves set. i wouldn't say they are necessarily in trouble though. we'll see what they are or aren't going to do to change that within the next year.

The MDX is a huge hit. The RSX sells well. The TL sells well, and is getting a redesign soon.

The RL is getting redesigned. I think Acura is doing quite alright.

There are 2 marks for the success of each car maker:

1) Market share: Total Volume of car sold compared to competition.
2) Margin of profit per car.
3) Total profit is 1) x 2).... which is what counts!

Now Market share growth is very important for the stock market. Period.

Latest Honda/Acura press...
 

Found the following regarding the TSX and thought I'd post for everyone else (pardon if any of this duplicates previous material).

Billboard reference toutes TSX as the Wall Street Racer:

Freed Into Limbo

Honda sales were up BIG time in July. Acura sales alone were up 5.9% with an additional 2,938 TSXes sold in July. One press writer lists the TSX as a "sports car".

Japanese Car Stocks May Rise on July Gains in U.S. Market Share
Acura Posts Strong July Sales - Up 5.9 Percent

And here's the latest review from the Nashville press:
Wait 'til you hear about the Acura TSX

The last sentences finishes it up nicely! :D

I like that Nashville review!

Good fine Radmon

Very positive review from the Nashville Press but what is up with the "Love Interest" references???:rolleyes:

I guess Love Interest is his way of saying his (current?) girlfriend?

This line in the biz.yahoo article struck me as funny: "July sales of the Acura NSX supercar were up more than 60 percent compared to 2002."

We're talking about 25 units sold instead of 15. :rolleyes:

Acura Sales August 2003
 

Again MDX and TSX save the show!

http://hondanews.com/media_storage/GIF/03aug.gif

1 more NSX was sold this month vs this month last year.

where is mine? :(

12k TSXs SOLD ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dang.......

A lot of minus signs on that sheet.

closer analysis proves your statement, RETAHDED ;)


they don't make the prelude anymore. s2000 is not a huge seller. Passport is no longer made. Insight isn't a huge seller.

Accord, Civic, Oddssey, Pilot are all up :) CRV is down a little but still doing ok.

mY BAD, My farther analysis is flawed I see.:D

no worries, i did the same at first glance ;)

The MDX is kicking ass. Too bad those as*holes had to go cancel the Cl, the numbers wouldn't have looked so bad

Interactive Showroom is up on Acura.com
 

The Interactive showroom for 04 TL is now up on Acura.com. Got to Acura.com,
log in to TL mini-site,
choose gallery section
then choose Interactive showroom on the bottom right hand side (right under 360 view) ;)

I've never seen that before. I really like the Multi Information Display module and the Maintenance Minder.
Everything in the car is so high-tech.

Alright, I checked out the TL interactive showroom, and I have no doubts in thinking that the new TL is a great step up from the previous model, technology wise.

One issue i've already got with the design of the interior, however, is that of the choice of the style of cupholder cover. Instead of going with the removable tilting panel (a la TSX), the Acura designers have decided to go with a sliding unit. Personally, while space saving, I find that this style is less attractive than the others (read: it looks cheap). This is quite a shame considering how well designed the rest of the interior appears to be.

What are your opinions on this?

J.

I've seen some sliding covers that certainly felt very cheap. But if the quality and action of the 04TL HPCH cover is good, I think it is fine.

Overall I'd say the interior design is very good.

-r

For those that missed earlier discussions, HPCH is High Performance Cup Holder.:D

Well I am now very happy that I didn't wait for the TL to come out when I canceled my pre-order. There is WAY TOO MUCH *BLEEP*ING brushed metal in there. Volvo went to that crap and now I won't touch the new S80 or XC90 (one of the reasons I now own a MDX infact). After I heard the pricing was going to be over 3k higher than I was originally told (last week of August), I went out an bought a Vette the next day. Damn I love all black interiors without all that shinny crap. Maybe Acura will get a clue and offer a TL with a real interior trim or maybe they will do the RL right. Until then, I won't touch another Acura.

The friggin' thing won't work for me... very frustrating. It stays on the "loading" page forever, even after getting to 100%, and never changes. Anyone else having any connectivity problems?

Yes, this is very significant, and it must not be forgotten. :D

BTW -- For all my millions and millions of posts, I've never paid attention to anything about cupholders, other than to enjoy acura_driver's proposed high-performance option, because I really don't get it. Granted, I don't use them much, and yeah, I'd rather they look cool than cheap -- but I don't understand the emphasis that a lot of people seem to put on cupholders.

Is it just that y'all get on cupholders when it's a slow news day, or do they REALLY matter that much??? :dunno:

cup holders is a North AMerican thing for sure. We like our cup holders and want lots of them.

I dont think a cup holder is a big deal unless its really badly done...like the old A4 (not sure baout the new one). That cup holder design was silly.

Thanks for the link. I like the 6-speed shifter link. If you want to hear what the engine sounds like, this is the place. It has a deep, throaty growl, much more enjoyable than my current TL, which itself provides a refined engine sound...

Nice. Except for the lame handles above the windows. Oh well. :nono:

The new A4 has terrible cubholders. There is one on the center console, above the radio stack. Worst location, cups fall off all the time. The have some under the front armrest, but those are completely impractical, and uncomfotrable for your arm.

The new A4 has terrible cubholders. There is one on the center console, above the radio stack. Worst location, cups fall off all the time. The have some under the front armrest, but those are completely impractical, and uncomfotrable for your arm.

The new A4 has terrible cubholders. There is one on the center console, above the radio stack. Worst location, cups fall off all the time. The have some under the front armrest, but those are completely impractical, and uncomfotrable for your arm.

CRAP Sorry about that triple post

Ya the on coming straight out of the center console above the radio..thats the one i was talking about. I wasnt sure if they changed it in the new model. So easy to spill coffee all over your console...gets inthe way...completely useless. But for some reason the europeans really dont care about that sort of thing.

I think they used the textured, retractable style for the purpose of putting objects there, e.g. cell phone, keys, PDA. They showed a cell phone sitting on top of it in one of the interactive showroom slides.

The cover is OK, with me. Glad to see the trip computer will do avg. speed. Hope it also does instant and avg econ.

My major gripes

1) those 2 HUGE silver knobs are out of place
2) the eruo style 3 gauges are ugly and should be replaced w/ the better looking single cluster of the TSX
3) I don't even want to see that tape deck, Do I look 65?

need id3 tags too
Has it for XM :)

The Euro style 3 gauges are ugly and should be replaced with the better looking 1984 Corvette dash.
Sheesh, even after 20 years Acura still hasn't caught up.
;)

The tape deck is a mistake. There can't be that many people out there who gripe about not having a tape deck.

How does Acura justify all the technology in this car and resort to putting a tape deck in it. That makes no sense whatsoever.

I think I'm the only one who agrees with you. I would've preferred the cupholder cover a la TSX, with the wood on top to dress it up a little. I think the center console could use a little more wood than what's already there.

Speaking of cupholders, I really don't like the rear cupholders. Yes, they slide out of the armrest, which is pretty cool, but they're ugly.

For all you junior executives out there. The tape deck is most often used for books on tape these days. Also, I often get training tapes from my company on cassette. Commute time is great for this type of stuff.
Books don't require the audio fidelity of CD/DVD, but will hold 2 hours of audio. With CD you end up with twice as many disks at an increased cost, if you can get them.

I am happy to see it is still there. However, MP3 on CD would solve all of these problems.

I was having the same problem and it worked when someone gave me the direct link ;)

http://www.acura.com/showroom/frames...?module=tlmini

Your last sentence is so true...!

Hot Topic: Customer brand perception - Hyundai perceived higher than Acura!
 

U.S. buyers place imports high in brand value study


By CHAZ OSBURN | Automotive News <>

There's more evidence that import brands rule - at least when it comes to what U.S. owners think about the value of their vehicles.

European brands finished exceptionally well, taking five of the top 10 places in the latest Strategic Vision Inc. study of brand value as perceived by customers. The Japanese were close behind with four brands in the top 10.

Newcomer Mini came in first place on the list, which was released last week. Finishing second was Lexus, dropping from the top position last year. Audi rose five spots to finish third, BMW was fourth and Mercedes-Benz was fifth. Infiniti and Hyundai tied for sixth, followed by Honda, Volvo, Cadillac and Acura to round out the top 10.

Strategic Vision, a San Diego consulting firm, compiles the list each year. It bases its results on a formula for measuring what owners think of their new vehicles. Called the Total Value Index, the formula includes such factors as price, warranty, expected trade-in and resale value, operating costs and consumers' perceptions of quality.

Trust plays a huge role in how a consumer feels about a vehicle, Strategic Vision Vice President Daniel Gorrell says.

"People don't buy vehicles from brands they don't trust," he says. "Strong brands have that element of trust associated with them."

Strategic Vision surveyed more than 63,900 consumers who bought 2003 model vehicles.

"We ask the traditional things about satisfaction, the various aspects of the car," Gorrell says. "Then we ask how people feel and how they respond emotionally to the vehicle."

Cadillac's appearance marks the first time in two years that the Big 3 brand has cracked the top 10. Cadillac, which is seeing strong sales from products such as the CTS and Escalade, moved to No. 9 from No. 16 in 2002.

Hyundai had a strong showing, moving up from 11th to sixth. Both the Sonata and Elantra gave the brand a big boost, Strategic Vision reports.

"They went from absolutely terrible product just within the space of a couple of years to product that is really in many cases better than the domestics' product," Gorrell says.

Suzuki was the most improved brand, moving from last place in 2002 to 22 this year.

Whether consumers trust a brand has a lot to do with their perception of value, Gorrell says. That's why, for example, import automakers can sell vehicles with fewer incentives than those from the Big 3.

"The domestics keep pace on immediate economic issues like price and warranty," he says, "but they fall behind import manufacturers on expectations of reliability, durability and resale value. This tends to undermine buyers' sense of trust in the domestics and forces them to offer more incentives to sell their vehicles."

Steve Saxty, a consultant who until this month was head of The FutureBrand Co.'s automotive practice in New York, says there's a correlation between brand strength and advertising costs. Automakers spend on average about $700 a unit on advertising. But the cost drops - to about $400 - for strong brands such as Mini, Honda and Toyota, he says.

In addition to brand rankings, Strategic Vision ranked vehicles in 21 categories that it says are the best values in their segments.

The Big 3 had only three winners: the Chevrolet Avalanche for full-sized pickups, Dodge Ram 2500/3500 for full-sized heavy-duty pickups and the Mercury Marauder for larger cars.

"This is one of the poorest showings I've seen," Gorrell says.

But he says the fact that the Big 3 is poised to introduce a raft of products could help in future showings.

Still, Gorrell is concerned with trust. "The trust gap is serious and most likely will not be overcome in a highly competitive environment," he says. "They (Big 3) must focus on fewer brands and products that have a greater chance of succeeding."

So we got

1 Mini
2 Lexus
3 Audi
4 BMW
5 Mercedes-Benz
6 TIE: Infiniti and Hyundai
7 Honda
8 Volvo
9 Cadillac
10 Acura

I am totally surprised by Mini and Hyundai. Somewhat surprised by Audi and Honda being so high up.

But the winner I think is that Acura is perceived WORSE THAN Honda! Only Honda could have done such a thing.

It's official folks. Honda who started the "luxury division" craze in USAmerica, is totally inept of selling a luxury car. And I wont even examine if it's able building one.