Acura: Sales, Marketing, and Financial News
02-02-2013, 06:41 AM
#2003
Safety Car
AutoNews
American Honda's January sales increased 13%, as strong gains for the redesigned Accord sedan and Acura RDX crossover countered sluggish demand for much of the lineup.
Accord sales soared 75% over January 2012 levels, leading the namesake division to a 13% increase. The only other big-volume Honda vehicle to see a sales bump was the Pilot crossover, up 16 percent.
Sales of the Civic, which was dramatically freshened in November, were flat. Civic sales were split evenly between leftover 2012s and the '13 edition. A Honda spokeswoman said about 8,000 of the 2012 models are still on dealer lots and should be sold out by the end of February.
Honda continues to pare imports of made-in-Japan vehicles such as the Fit, Insight and CR-Z. As a result, sales are slowing to a trickle.
"The all-new Accord has the Honda brand right where we left off in 2012 -- powering significant sales gains in the new year," John Mendel, American Honda executive vice president, said in a statement. "With our strongest vehicle lineup ever and continued sales momentum, we're optimistic 2013 will be a great year for the Honda brand."
Honda Division sales rose 24% last year in a market that gained 13%.
On the Acura side, the redesigned RDX compact crossover was the brand's 1-trick pony. Sales nearly tripled, spurring the division's 13% advance.
The rest of the lineup saw year-over-year declines. Not counting the RDX's gains, the brand declined 7%. The entry-luxury ILX sedan once again barely outsold the more-expensive TSX it is designed to replace.
02-11-2013, 06:04 AM
#2004
Safety Car
AutoNews
Launches, Bloated Inventory are Top Priorities for Acura
Mac Churchill
Age: 63
Dealer since: 1992
Dealership: Mac Churchill Acura, Fort Worth, Texas
Average monthly sales in 2012: 100 new, 218 used
Quote: "We haven't done a real good job of explaining the benefits of owning an Acura."
Mac Churchill
Age: 63
Dealer since: 1992
Dealership: Mac Churchill Acura, Fort Worth, Texas
Average monthly sales in 2012: 100 new, 218 used
Quote: "We haven't done a real good job of explaining the benefits of owning an Acura."
Paring down vehicle inventories and successfully launching flagship products are the big tests for Acura this year.
The new RLX sedan goes on sale in March, followed by the redesigned MDX crossover in the middle of the year. Acura dealers are working with the manufacturer on launch strategies, says Mac Churchill, who owns an Acura dealership in Fort Worth, Texas.
Staff Reporter Amy Wilson spoke with Churchill, chairman of the Acura Dealer Advisory Board, about what's coming up for Acura in 2013.
How was 2012 for Acura dealers?
Much improved. Our sales were up 26.7%. Everybody's net profits were up accordingly, generally across the board. Of course, this was the year without the tsunami. It was the best sales result since 2007. 2013 is going to be an outstanding year, with the new product they have coming and with the RDX being in full production all year long.
What are the major issues Acura dealers face in 2013?
1st is the launch of the 2014 RLX, our new luxury sedan that will be here in March. We're pulling out all the stops on a very successful launch. We've got all kind of new strategies to do that. We're going to try to build an order bank before the car even gets here.
Are you seeing early demand from people in the showroom or folks calling and asking to be put on lists?
Yes. We have lots of customers and lots of questions. We should be getting a couple of cars for them to view in February. There's lots of interest because Acura has not had a real good flagship car, and this will be our answer. [The factory] is going to get us cars ahead of time, and we're going to be able to test drive them and demo them. People will be able to place orders ahead of time, before the production starts.
Will it come across to consumers as a true luxury car?
Absolutely. It's finally there. The valet will park it in front of the restaurants. We've been asking for several years to have a real luxury flagship sedan, and this is the answer.
How will it do against the BMW 5 series and Mercedes-Benz E class?
Those owners are real loyal. But we'll win some over, and we'll win some back.
What else is a major issue for 2013?
We've got to have a successful launch on our flagship SUV, the 2014 MDX, which is still our best-selling model ever. It's really important we have a good launch without challenges.
Do Acura and the dealers still need to work out that launch?
We're working on the strategies. 1st, we're going to handle the RLX launch, but we've already begun talking about MDX.
Can MDX sales increase with the redesigned model?
Yes. In the South, all-wheel drive is not as big a deal as it is up North in the snow. So we've been pushing for 2-wheel drive, and they're going to come through with it. We're super excited. All the Southern states and California have been asking. We were real successful with the 2-wheel-drive RDX we asked for. This will be a big deal for us.
Another challenge we have is communications from the factory to the dealer and the dealers back to the factory, so they can have proper input and we can make changes like this 2-wheel-drive MDX. They seem to be listening better. They listened to us about designing the launch for the new RLX, so we think we're making progress there.
Has that been a struggle in the past?
Yeah. It's been more of a struggle, more top-down than coming from the dealers up and having an effect. But as of late they've been open-minded and have reacted quickly to some of our suggestions. We're actually getting more face time with Acura senior management. That has a lot to do with it.
What's being done to get sales moving for the ILX small sedan?
They were [too] aggressive on their sales target. That particular market segment is languishing. It's picked up recently since they put some more support on it. Early on, we were doing half the [targeted] sales. But [that's] 25% of that market segment, which ain't bad. It's No. 2 in the market segment.
Is it matter of readjusting expectations, or should other things be done?
They're making adjustments. We'll probably see them as early as May. They're going to up the content, improve the inside of the car. More value for the money. In the meantime, they'll have support for the car.
What are the content enhancements?
They haven't told us, but I would suspect they will add leather and power seats and things like that.
And not change the price?
Probably, yes.
How much longer will the TSX stay in the lineup?
They haven't put a timetable on it, but I think through this year anyway.
Does that vanish when the TL replacement arrives next year?
I bet so, yes.
How can Acura best juggle these product initiatives: Getting the ILX moving, keeping the RDX momentum and launching the new RLX and MDX? That's a big slate.
We're working to build a product cadence in lockstep with lots of preparation on the front end and designing our lease strategy around each of the products as they phase out or come in.
So we can transition people into new units and new models as they become available.
We're going to make sure we think out our strategy on the launches so they correspond to the cars and come in in the best manner possible. That's why we're coming with a couple of cars for each dealership to test drive for customers before the [production] cars even get here.
Do dealers see Acura as a premium or luxury brand?
We're trying to be a brand that offers value and not compete against the cigar-and-scotch crowd.
Are you conquesting buyers from other luxury brands or are they mostly moving up from mainstream brands?
Mostly mainstream brands, but we think the new RLX will conquest some of the luxury brands. MDX is currently conquesting some of those luxury brands. BMW and Lexus, for sure, and Infiniti.
What do Acura dealers think about the advertising account being put up for review?
Most of them thought it was overdue. Competition always makes you better. [Incumbent] RPA may ultimately end up with it.
But until you see what else is out there and how creative other people are, you can't be certain you're getting the best bang for your buck in advertising.
Do dealers want a new advertising vision for Acura? The Seinfeld commercial was perceived as cute, but does that get the job done?
We have great Super Bowl ads. But it's those ads that go on all year long that beat the drum to help you make sales that are so important.
1 or 2 splashes doesn't make an advertising campaign. And a real marketing campaign embodies all the different media, whether it's billboards or radio or television. It might be special events, but you've got to bring them all together and have a focus.
We haven't done a real good job of explaining the benefits of owning an Acura.
Does Acura have anything new in the works in terms of a facility image program?
They haven't come with any kind of program. I'm sure they've thought about it, as many manufacturers are. They do have a design model if you want to upgrade your store. They have not come with any extra money to help us. No hard pressure.
How does the certified-used program work? Are there ways to improve it?
We have made recommendations. The certification process isn't the problem. We just need more advertising and promotion in that area.
They're trying to put a plan together. They've already come with some interest rate support on some of the cars, so they've helped.
Is it final? Do we have a year's deal laid out? Not that I'm aware of yet. We're working with them to get a plan into effect that can be ongoing, that we don't have to reinvent each year.
We asked for co-op money. We asked for point-of-purchase products. We asked for a portfolio. We asked for incentive money for the certified cars.
Is anything still missing from the product lineup?
We have the NSX coming. It's not a volume car. We're making plans and talking about it already. It's a year and a half away anyway. I really don't know.
Once the NSX is out, will you have a full lineup?
We'll have a very good core. We probably need to find some other niches. I would say a convertible, a coupe.
They are not in the works, although I'm sure they're thinking about it and looking at the market segments they need to try to attack.
02-11-2013, 10:52 AM
#2005
Whats up with RDX owners?
iTrader: (9)
02-21-2013, 07:13 AM
#2006
Safety Car
Changes
Acura plans a 19% increase in new-vehicle retail sales in 2013, dealers were told at the make meeting.
The brand is counting on its RDX crossover and ILX entry-level sedan to drive sales this year, Acura General Manager Jeff Conrad told Automotive News after the meeting.
In 2012, RDX sales rose 94% to 29,520. Acura launched the ILX last year and sold 12,251.
"The ILX is No. 2 in its segment," Conrad said. "It's a bit of a new segment it plays in and we think that segment will grow."
ILX inventory is about 90 days, Conrad said. He and dealers want it to be 60 to 65 days.
To reduce ILX inventory, Acura is offering incentives and a lease program, and is slowing production, said Mac Churchill, president of Mac Churchill Acura in Fort Worth, Texas, after the meeting.
Churchill said executives told dealers the Acura ILX will get leather seats, power seats and a backup camera starting this summer to boost sales.
"We'd like to see it not impact the price, but adding that much content probably will," Churchill said.
Conrad and dealers say the launch of the 2014 RLX flagship sedan, which goes on sale March 15, also will drive 2013 sales. Acura was to have given each of its 265 dealers 2 RLXs by Friday, Feb. 15.
The early delivery was to help dealers continue training salespeople on the product and to allow dealers to promote the vehicle by offering test drives to customers.
"We want to make sure our people know the product inside and out," Conrad said.
So far, about 5,400 consumers have shown interest in the car, Conrad said. It will start at $49,345, including shipping.
"We're getting everyone schooled up," dealer Churchill said. "This gets everyone familiar with the car before it gets here."
Churchill says the early delivery was partly a dealer initiative for the launch.
He said dealers now must make the launch successful by getting customers behind the wheel for a test drive.
02-21-2013, 12:12 PM
#2007
You'll Never Walk Alone
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The ILX is No. 2 in its segment," Conrad said. "It's a bit of a new segment it plays in and we think that segment will grow.
02-21-2013, 08:24 PM
#2008
Race Director
02-21-2013, 08:41 PM
#2009
02-23-2013, 08:26 AM
#2011
Well the A3 is coming out in a Sedan later this year in the US so that would fit this segment. The old G25 would have as well if it wasn't discontinued. Will see if Infiniti comes up with a new entry level at some point to compete in this segment. Because of Audi, I suspect BMW will follow suit soon with a 1 Series Sedan or something similar. Though the new 320i in is low trim levels with no packages is around the $32-36k mark which could compete I guess in this segment.
Last edited by smarty666; 02-23-2013 at 08:30 AM.
02-25-2013, 11:11 AM
#2012
02-26-2013, 06:16 AM
#2013
Safety Car
BloomBerg
Acura’s future was so dire 4 years ago that Honda Motor Co. (HMC) began killing models and choking off product development. Now, Honda is putting $1 billion into its luxury brand, a perennial also-ran to Toyota Motor Corp. (TM)’s Lexus line.
Honda’s latest attempt to give Acura purpose is a parade of new products, including the flagship RLX sedan, an MDX sport wagon and the return of the NSX super sports car, priced above $100,000. Its goal is to tailor Acura to the tastes of the U.S. buyers it covets.
The product push this year comes after Acura’s U.S. sales have fallen 25% from a peak of 209,610 in 2005. Though Honda was the 1st Japanese automaker to sell a luxury car in the U.S., Acura never reached the peaks of Toyota’s Lexus line, the top-selling luxury brand in the U.S. from 2000 to 2011. And Acura has never captured the cachet of German luxury cars, forcing Honda to sell its upscale models on the cheap.
Acura’s “biggest negative is we are known as a value company in the premium space,” Mike Accavitti, Honda’s U.S. marketing chief, said in a Detroit interview last month. “What we have to do from a marketing perspective is ramp up the emotional element.”
Honda’s effort to elevate Acura shows how important -- and competitive -- the luxury segment has become for carmakers worldwide. Luxury sales have increased as the U.S. economy has improved and upscale cars provide generous profits and prestige that serve as a halo over an automaker’s entire model line.
Valuable Sales
Luxury autos account for 12% of global sales, “but are almost 50% of industry profits,” Johan de Nysschen, president of Nissan Motor Co. (7201)’s Infiniti luxury line, said in a briefing last month in Detroit.
Honda has jumped 50% since Nov. 14 as the yen has weakened. Even so, investors are willing to pay a smaller premium for Honda’s revenue compared with BMW’s sales than they have for most of the past decade.
Four years ago, Honda’s then-president, Takeo Fukui, reviewed the expansion plans for the company’s lagging luxury line. At the time, Acura’s U.S. sales were plunging by almost half, to 105,723 in 2009, as the recession ravaged auto sales.
So Fukui took a red pen to Acura’s budget. He scrapped plans to create an Acura dealer network in Japan. He killed development of a new NSX model with a massive V-10 engine. He also canceled plans to emulate German luxury cars by outfitting Acuras with V-8 engines and rear-wheel-drive vehicle platforms.
U.S. Focus
Now, Honda is turning in a different direction from its German competitors. Acura won’t chase the money in emerging markets such as China. Instead, it will try to restore Acura’s credibility as a technology leader in the U.S. and finally emerge from the near-luxury bargain basement.
Acura “will remain a U.S.-centric brand,” John Mendel, Honda’s U.S. sales chief, said in an interview in Orlando, Florida, this month.
Honda, known for efficient product development, is overhauling Acura’s lineup for what some automakers could spend on 1 model, said Rebecca Lindland, auto consultant with Rebel 3 Media & Consultants in Cos Cob, Connecticut.
“If they can revamp the lineup for $1 billion, that’s money well-spent,” Lindland said.
In the U.S., auto sales have been growing by 10% a year since 2010 and disposable income tops $12 trillion, dwarfing what Asians and Europeans have to spend. The U.S. is also the market Honda knows best. The Tokyo-based company derives more than half its sales and profits from North America. U.S. drivers accounted for 89% of 2012 Acura sales, the company said.
Design, Assembly
Acura’s design studio is in Torrance, California, on the campus of Honda’s U.S. headquarters. Most Acura models are built in North America, and the company is preparing to build the NSX in Ohio.
“Honda really does its homework; they’re really in touch with U.S. consumers,” Kevin Tynan, Bloomberg Industries auto analyst, said Feb. 19. “But Acura is as anonymous as you can get. A lot of people don’t even know the relationship between Acura and Honda.”
Jeff Durgin, the president of a New Jersey construction equipment company, bought a $39,000 Acura TL in 2009 because he had owned eight Honda models. He kept the TL only a year and replaced it with Hyundai Motor Co. (005380)’s upscale sedan, the $41,000 Genesis, with a 429-horsepower V-8 engine.
“The Acura was a good car, but the ride was pretty rough and the styling was terrible, with a big duck bill on the front end,” said Durgin, 48. “It seems like Acura has lost its way.”
Anime Beaver
The angular grille Acura began affixing to its models in 2008 turned off owners, including Michelle Krebs, an auto analyst for researcher Edmunds.com who used to drive a TL. Auto reviewer Dan Neil, then of the Los Angeles Times, wrote that the grille, which Acura has since softened, made the TL look like “a very large anime robot beaver.”
“Acura’s designs got very funky,” said Krebs, based in Royal Oak, Michigan. “They tried to make their designs different to stand out, but they ended up looking quirky.”
Acura commands the lowest prices among major luxury automakers in the U.S., according to Edmunds. The Acura TL sold for an average of $36,657 last year, almost $7,000 less than a BMW 3 Series, a slightly smaller model, and $3,000 less than a Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Lexus ES 350, according to Edmunds.
NSX Halo
Accelerating Acura starts with the comeback of the racy NSX, which goes on sale in 2015 and Honda promoted in a Super Bowl ad starring comedian Jerry Seinfeld last year. When Acura introduced the $89,000 2-seater in 1989, driving enthusiasts embraced it for the speed it generated from a powerful V-6 engine mated to a lightweight, all-aluminum body. Once so hot, the NSX starred in director Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 hit “Pulp Fiction,” driven by Winston “The Wolf” Wolfe, played by Harvey Keitel.
Acura stopped building it in 2005.
The NSX is being reborn as an all-wheel-drive hybrid, with a V-6 augmented by electric motors to generate the speed of a V-8, Honda said. It will be so fast that Honda intends to race it in 2014 when the Grand-Am Road Racing and American Le Mans Series merge, said T.E. McHale, a spokesman for Honda’s motor sports unit. Honda has said the new NSX will race in Japan’s Super GT circuit.
Honda is hoping that by reviving Acura’s halo car, it can draw buyers to showrooms, even if they drive home in another model. Aiming for waiting lists, Acura will limit sales of the NSX to no more than 800 models a year, Mendel said.
Broader Appeal
Convincing NSX shoppers to settle for an Acura sedan or SUV might be a tough sell, Tynan said.
“I’m not sure a $100,000 halo car is going to get people to say, ’I get Acura now’,” Tynan said.
While the NSX is designed to lead Acura’s style renaissance, the sales recovery must come from the RLX, which replaces the slow-selling RL, the MDX sport-utility vehicle, and a new mid-sized sport sedan that will replace the TL model, Mendel said.
Executives in Japan want U.S. sales for the premium brand to grow to as much as 20% of Honda’s total deliveries, up from 11% last year, said Koji Endo, managing director at auto analyst Advanced Research Japan. Akiko Itoga, a Honda spokeswoman, declined to confirm that target.
That would suggest that Honda is aiming to boost Acura sales by as much as 82%, to a record 285,000 from last year’s total of 156,216. Mendel said Acura’s U.S. sales goal this year is “about 180,000 to 180,000-plus.”
Below BMW
That would leave Acura still trailing luxury leaders Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW)’s BMW, which sold 281,460 models in the U.S. last year, Daimler AG (DAI)’s Mercedes-Benz, which had 274,134 U.S. sales in 2012. Globally, BMW sold 1.54 million models last year, Volkswagen AG (VOW)’s Audi luxury line sold 1.46 million vehicles and Mercedes had 1.32 million worldwide sales.
When Acura arrived in 1986, it was meant to showcase Honda’s engineering excellence taken to a higher level, symbolized by an angular A logo evoking an engineer’s calipers on the front of every model.
27 years later, Honda continues to struggle to reach the highest level of luxury with Acura. And it is losing buyers like Chicago marketing executive George Schaumann, who owned 4 Acura models before he left the brand in September to buy a $45,000 Audi Q5 SUV.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I feel good about driving an Audi,” said Schaumann, 53, who traded in a 2010 Acura MDX for the German luxury model. “Acura is kind of stuck in Honda’s shadow, with designs that don’t make me think of prestige.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Alan Ohnsman in Los Angeles at aohnsman@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jamie Butters at jbutters@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jamie Butters at jbutters@bloomberg.net
Last edited by TSX69; 02-26-2013 at 06:24 AM.
02-26-2013, 07:36 PM
#2015
I feel the need...
x100000000000000000000000000000000000 to everyone except the brilliant minds at Honda. 
While the thought is fresh in my mind and since "they" are now listening. Acura needs to be a more consistent with their alpha designations. For example, the "X" needs to signify super duper handling all wheel drive.
IL = f/f
TL = f/f
TLX = super duper handling
RL = f/f
RLX = super duper handling
RD = f/f
RDX = super duper handling (not now obviously but pre-2012)
etc...yada~yada
Type-S should be designated for any manual transmission offering. I like manuals and feel special driving one. Type-S with some tweaks to my suspension please. /rant.
While the thought is fresh in my mind and since "they" are now listening. Acura needs to be a more consistent with their alpha designations. For example, the "X" needs to signify super duper handling all wheel drive.
IL = f/f
TL = f/f
TLX = super duper handling
RL = f/f
RLX = super duper handling
RD = f/f
RDX = super duper handling (not now obviously but pre-2012)
etc...yada~yada
Type-S should be designated for any manual transmission offering. I like manuals and feel special driving one. Type-S with some tweaks to my suspension please. /rant.
03-01-2013, 01:26 AM
#2016
In Ukraine and Russia in April 2013 will start the sell of the new Accord (like the USA model bound one):
http://honda.ua/news/vyigray_testdra...a_accord_2013/
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater
The old european Accord (Acura TSX) is over.
Don't know if here people will like this step and the new design philosophy.
At the beginning 2014 will open the first official Acura dealer in Kiev (than Moscow).
http://honda.ua/news/vyigray_testdra...a_accord_2013/
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater
The old european Accord (Acura TSX) is over.
Don't know if here people will like this step and the new design philosophy.
At the beginning 2014 will open the first official Acura dealer in Kiev (than Moscow).
03-01-2013, 11:41 AM
#2017
Race Director
^ According to Honda, it has plans to update the current Euro Accord - assuming next year. Apparently in that part of Europe they just jumped over to the USDM Accord.
03-01-2013, 12:48 PM
#2018
Safety Car
Feb
American Honda today reported February 2013 U.S. sales of 107,987 units, overcoming winter's worst to post a decrease of only 2.0 percent compared with February 2012 (an increase of 2.1 percent based on the Daily Selling Rate (DSR*)), and enabling year-to-date sales to remain up over 2012. Reflecting Honda's unique focus on retail sales, and real demand for top-rated products such as Accord, the Honda brand posted February 2013 sales of 96,623 units, a decrease of 2.3 percent compared with February 2012 (an increase of 1.8 percent based on the DSR). Acura U.S. February sales of 11,364 units increased 0.9 percent compared with February 2012 (an increase of 5.1 percent based on the DSR).
Honda
- Strong sales of the all-new Accord continue, up 35.2 percent from last February with sales of 27,999 units
- The redesigned 2013 Crosstour sees second month of double-digit sales growth, up 15.3 percent from last February
- Pilot sales are up 8.3 percent compared with last February, with sales of 9,614 units
"It took a big winter storm in the Northeast to slow us down a bit, but our robust sales over the last 3 weeks show that our strong retail momentum continues," said John Mendel, executive vice president of Sales at American Honda. "With Accord posting strong numbers and spring just around the corner, the best is yet to come."
Acura
- RDX sets its 10th-consecutive monthly sales record, up 177.6 percent from last February with sales of 2,795 units
- MDX remains the top selling Acura model in February, with sales of 2,946 units
- TL was the top selling Acura sedan in February with sales of 2,216 units, ILX sales continue to trend up with sales of 1,997
"Acura's latest products continue to shine with ILX gaining traction and RDX sales up 177 percent," said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura Sales. "With the all-new 2014 RLX flagship sedan launching in a few weeks and the MDX Prototype creating favorable buzz, spring 2013 is shaping up as a banner season for Acura."
03-01-2013, 01:07 PM
#2019
Safety Car
Wrong Month Image Above
03-01-2013, 01:20 PM
#2020
Race Director
Better, newer Civic has fewer sales than the old crappy 2012 model. Is it a coincidence that ILX sales are the same as the TSX sales lost? Yay, RLX is outselling the RL. 
03-01-2013, 01:31 PM
#2021
Senior Moderator
- Gloabl economy,
- Tsunami
and now..
The excuse train keep chugging along.
But all kidding aside, sales have been pretty good the last several months for Honda IIRC so that probably did have an effect. I'm sure the rates and lack of incentives on the 13 Accord and Civic aren't helping either. Up here its 3.99 for 60 months on those cars. Salesman at my local Honda dealer told me they've been dead since the beginning of the year. But the rates remained unchanged for March so....
- Tsunami
and now..
"It took a big winter storm in the Northeast to slow us down a bit,
But all kidding aside, sales have been pretty good the last several months for Honda IIRC so that probably did have an effect. I'm sure the rates and lack of incentives on the 13 Accord and Civic aren't helping either. Up here its 3.99 for 60 months on those cars. Salesman at my local Honda dealer told me they've been dead since the beginning of the year. But the rates remained unchanged for March so....
03-01-2013, 02:30 PM
#2022
The sizzle in the Steak
Yea, I don't think the heads of Honda/Acura can smile too much about those sales numbers......especially on the Acura side.
...but then again they have been smoking something fierce for many years at Honda/Acura, so chances are they are cool with the numbers.
puff puff give give
...but then again they have been smoking something fierce for many years at Honda/Acura, so chances are they are cool with the numbers.
puff puff give give
03-01-2013, 04:51 PM
#2023
You'll Never Walk Alone
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I thought the RLX has not been launched yet?
In Vancouver, Canada, I have been seeing a lot of ILX's lately. I've seen around 5 today from my morning commute and lunch hour. Acura Canada is pushing 2.9% 48 month lease rate with a down payment of $3000 and $316 monthly payment on the ILX. If you buy it, they are offering basically giving you the premium pkg for free.
Last edited by iforyou; 03-01-2013 at 04:55 PM.
03-02-2013, 06:50 AM
#2024
I feel the need...
Acura incentives have been pretty aggressive in our area. I must get a solicitation from my dealer at least once every six to eight weeks for special events.
The last mailing said "not open to the general public, there will be NO tv, radio, or newspaper advertising for this event. Due to the special nature of this sale, these prices will not be repeated!"
03-19-2013, 06:26 AM
#2025
Race Director
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...mullen-picked#
American Honda picked incumbent RPA to remain its advertising agency of record for the Honda brand after a three-month review while giving Acura's creative business to Boston-based Mullen.
The decision announced Tuesday changes a 26-year relationship between RPA and Honda. RPA has carried the Honda brand since the agency was formed in 1986. It landed the account for Honda's luxury Acura brand in 1999.
MediaVest of New York has won the media-buying account for both brands from RPA, which used to be known as Rubin Postaer and Associates.
As a result, Honda's advertising and marketing relationship moves to more of a hub-and-spoke model with different suppliers for media buying, and for the Honda, Acura, Hispanic and African-American campaigns.
The four finalists for the $850 million account were RPA; Mullen; 72andSunny, of Los Angeles; and The Martin Agency of Richmond, Va. The media-buying challengers were PHD Worldwide of London; and Horizon Media of New York.
The Honda brand represents about 70 percent of American Honda's overall marketing outlays, according to 2011 figures from Advertising Age, a sister publication to Automotive News.
"We are confident that our new team of agencies will create dynamic marketing campaigns that connect and engage consumers with our products and our brands, while achieving an even higher level of efficiency and effectiveness," said Mike Accavitti, American Honda's chief marketing officer.
MediaVest's role as a separate media agency is expected to result in more sophisticated targeting of American Honda's media mix, with a significant improvement in media buying efficiency, the company said.
"Getting smarter about how we communicate was a critical goal of this process and even with the same level of investment we expect to realize more efficient and targeted media plans, which will increase the amount of money we spend on reaching our customers," Accavitti said in a statement.
Honda is in a strong position, product-wise, with recent changes to its three top volume nameplates: redesigns of the entire Accord lineup and CR-V crossover occurred last year, as did a 2013 freshening of the Civic compact.
But this also means the Honda brand is entering a fallow period with few major product launches; the agency will have to work to keep retail interest churning.
A strong December helped American Honda's full-year 2012 sales rise by 24 percent to 1.42 million vehicles -- with the caveat that most of summer 2011 sales were impacted by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. U.S. sales through February are up 4 percent.
Honda has grander volume aspirations. The Honda and Acura brands are aiming at their combined 2007 sales record of 1.55 million sales for this year. And Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito also has said he wants American Honda to reach 2 million sales in the near term. That is part of Honda's global growth strategy of moving from 4 million to 6 million sales by the 2017 fiscal year.
"This is a really good chance for our business," Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito said at a roundtable at the Detroit auto show in January. "We have a lot of momentum. We are at full production for the U.S. market."
Although the 2012 Civic was a flop among automotive journalists, it was a sales smash with dealers as Honda pushed lease deals. Even though Consumer Reports removed the Civic from its "recommended" list, the Civic outsold the Toyota Corolla for the first time in recent memory.
But pushing incentives is a rare occurrence for the Honda brand; the 2013 Civic has no deals, and consumers and salesmen will have to return to the old ways.
Honda's next growth spurt should happen in 2014, when a redesigned Fit and a new Fit-based crossover will arrive.
They will be produced at Honda's new Celaya, Mexico, plant. That plant will have a capacity of 200,000 units, which will be split between the U.S., Mexican and Canadian markets.
On the Acura side, the flagship RLX sedan is just reaching market, and RPA will still be in charge of that launch, Accavitti said in a January interview.
However, the MDX crossover -- which is Acura's volume leader -- arrives this summer, and that launch will be part of the transition between RPA and Mullen, Accavitti said.
Honda chose Pittsburgh-based Ketchum Advertising to launch Acura in 1986. Ketchum lost the Acura account to Suissa Miller in 1996, and then it went to RPA in 1999.
The decision announced Tuesday changes a 26-year relationship between RPA and Honda. RPA has carried the Honda brand since the agency was formed in 1986. It landed the account for Honda's luxury Acura brand in 1999.
MediaVest of New York has won the media-buying account for both brands from RPA, which used to be known as Rubin Postaer and Associates.
As a result, Honda's advertising and marketing relationship moves to more of a hub-and-spoke model with different suppliers for media buying, and for the Honda, Acura, Hispanic and African-American campaigns.
The four finalists for the $850 million account were RPA; Mullen; 72andSunny, of Los Angeles; and The Martin Agency of Richmond, Va. The media-buying challengers were PHD Worldwide of London; and Horizon Media of New York.
The Honda brand represents about 70 percent of American Honda's overall marketing outlays, according to 2011 figures from Advertising Age, a sister publication to Automotive News.
"We are confident that our new team of agencies will create dynamic marketing campaigns that connect and engage consumers with our products and our brands, while achieving an even higher level of efficiency and effectiveness," said Mike Accavitti, American Honda's chief marketing officer.
MediaVest's role as a separate media agency is expected to result in more sophisticated targeting of American Honda's media mix, with a significant improvement in media buying efficiency, the company said.
"Getting smarter about how we communicate was a critical goal of this process and even with the same level of investment we expect to realize more efficient and targeted media plans, which will increase the amount of money we spend on reaching our customers," Accavitti said in a statement.
Honda is in a strong position, product-wise, with recent changes to its three top volume nameplates: redesigns of the entire Accord lineup and CR-V crossover occurred last year, as did a 2013 freshening of the Civic compact.
But this also means the Honda brand is entering a fallow period with few major product launches; the agency will have to work to keep retail interest churning.
A strong December helped American Honda's full-year 2012 sales rise by 24 percent to 1.42 million vehicles -- with the caveat that most of summer 2011 sales were impacted by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. U.S. sales through February are up 4 percent.
Honda has grander volume aspirations. The Honda and Acura brands are aiming at their combined 2007 sales record of 1.55 million sales for this year. And Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito also has said he wants American Honda to reach 2 million sales in the near term. That is part of Honda's global growth strategy of moving from 4 million to 6 million sales by the 2017 fiscal year.
"This is a really good chance for our business," Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito said at a roundtable at the Detroit auto show in January. "We have a lot of momentum. We are at full production for the U.S. market."
Although the 2012 Civic was a flop among automotive journalists, it was a sales smash with dealers as Honda pushed lease deals. Even though Consumer Reports removed the Civic from its "recommended" list, the Civic outsold the Toyota Corolla for the first time in recent memory.
But pushing incentives is a rare occurrence for the Honda brand; the 2013 Civic has no deals, and consumers and salesmen will have to return to the old ways.
Honda's next growth spurt should happen in 2014, when a redesigned Fit and a new Fit-based crossover will arrive.
They will be produced at Honda's new Celaya, Mexico, plant. That plant will have a capacity of 200,000 units, which will be split between the U.S., Mexican and Canadian markets.
On the Acura side, the flagship RLX sedan is just reaching market, and RPA will still be in charge of that launch, Accavitti said in a January interview.
However, the MDX crossover -- which is Acura's volume leader -- arrives this summer, and that launch will be part of the transition between RPA and Mullen, Accavitti said.
Honda chose Pittsburgh-based Ketchum Advertising to launch Acura in 1986. Ketchum lost the Acura account to Suissa Miller in 1996, and then it went to RPA in 1999.
03-19-2013, 06:41 AM
#2027
Senior Moderator
If there is one thing Acura REALLY needs it much better marketing 
You almost never see a commercial for them and the ones you do are very lame.
You almost never see a commercial for them and the ones you do are very lame.
The following users liked this post:
vybzkartel (03-19-2013)
03-19-2013, 05:07 PM
#2028
I feel the need...
You can market the crap out of "Power Plenum" all you want, but the buying public still demands an ugly discount.
I think the notional value assigned to the German brands is overstated. IMO the reality is that BMW has lost its way almost as much as Acura. For example the 5 series has morphed into a heavy limo and most of the newer BMW's have lost their magical steering feel. I still prefer to grow my stacks rather then send them to ze Deutschland.
Acura is for all intents and purposes, an American car company which is one of the reasons I've stuck with the brand.
03-19-2013, 05:40 PM
#2029
The sizzle in the Steak
A bit of both.
Sure you need good product that inspires (which Acura has little on tap in this department)...but you also need good marketing.
Bette Midler singing Christmas carols does not sell near lux cars.
Sure you need good product that inspires (which Acura has little on tap in this department)...but you also need good marketing.
Bette Midler singing Christmas carols does not sell near lux cars.
04-02-2013, 02:20 PM
#2030
Safety Car
March 2013
American Honda today reported March 2013 U.S. sales of 136,038 units, an increase of 7.1% compared with March 2012 (up 11.1% based on the Daily Selling Rate, or DSR*). The Honda brand posted March 2013 sales of 121,938 units, an increase of 5.3% compared with March 2012. Acura U.S. March sales of 14,100 units increased 26.3% compared with March 2012.
Honda
The award-winning new Accord continues to rack up impressive sales numbers, trumping the segment in retail sales, up 36.4% from last March with sales of 36,504 units
The Civic was the Honda brand's 2ndbest-selling model, posting March sales of 27,665
The redesigned 2013 Crosstour sees 3rd consecutive month of sales growth, and along with Pilot, each model enjoyed sales gains of more than 11% from last March
"Our core models, Civic, Accord, CR-V and Odyssey, continue to lead the industry where it counts, in retail sales," said John Mendel, executive vice president of Sales at American Honda. "It's particularly rewarding to see Accord and Civic winning new customers against a headwind of competitor incentives and value-reducing fleet sales."The Civic was the Honda brand's 2ndbest-selling model, posting March sales of 27,665
The redesigned 2013 Crosstour sees 3rd consecutive month of sales growth, and along with Pilot, each model enjoyed sales gains of more than 11% from last March
Acura
RDX sets its 11th-consecutive monthly sales record, up 284.8% from last March, and is the top-selling Acura model in March with sales of 3,875 units
Sales of the all-new flagship RLX sedan, which went on-sale March 15, are off to a solid start with 336 units sold
TL was the top selling Acura sedan in March with sales of 3,080 units, ILX sales continue to bolster Acura totals with sales of 2,059 units
Sales of the all-new flagship RLX sedan, which went on-sale March 15, are off to a solid start with 336 units sold
TL was the top selling Acura sedan in March with sales of 3,080 units, ILX sales continue to bolster Acura totals with sales of 2,059 units
"As we close in on a full year of sales, it's clear that the RDX is an undisputed success," said Jeff Conrad, vice president and general manager of Acura Sales. "With the all-new RLX off to a great start and a redesigned MDX coming soon, expect great things from Acura this year."
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Legend2TL (04-02-2013)
04-02-2013, 02:54 PM
#2031
AZ Community Team
Nice Acura sales increase in March, RDX is selling well, and ILX is eating into TSX sales.
04-04-2013, 09:07 AM
#2032
Senior Moderator
I think Lexus and Audi do a great job of marketing with the commercials.
04-05-2013, 05:09 AM
#2033
I feel the need...
Yo Joey, go park the 60k Honda Plus Accord with the Power Plenum and personalized ADVANCE plate out front!
04-05-2013, 06:12 PM
#2034
Senior Moderator
the RLX is a dog with fleas that is already DOA. IMO Honda should get back the drawing board ASAP.
04-06-2013, 07:25 AM
#2035
I feel the need...
04-06-2013, 10:30 AM
#2036
Just saw my 1st RLX commercial. Talks about waking up in your luxury bed, putting on your luxury watch, etc.....then getting in your luxury car. Pretty well done, IMHO.
Well at least much better than previous Acura tv ads on a whole!
Well at least much better than previous Acura tv ads on a whole!
04-07-2013, 01:09 AM
#2037
Whats up with RDX owners?
iTrader: (9)
Where did the RLX fit into that commercial?
04-07-2013, 06:40 AM
#2038
Safety Car
S.h.i.e.l.d.
So if this becomes a TV show, will Acura continue to be their official car maker? That would be a lot weekly advertising, especially if the show is a hit.
Joss Whedon is nothing if not a creature of habit. The famed director is known for using his favorite cast members in project after project (as his upcoming feature adaptation of 'Much Ado About Nothing' starring former 'Angel' cast members Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker). Well 'Angel' alum J. August Richards didn't snag a role in Whedon's Shakespeare, but he found another spot for the actor: Richards has joined the cast of Whedon's upcoming action drama series 'Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D.'Richards joins an already stellar cast of Clark Gregg, who returns as Agent Coulson, Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Gemma Simmons, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May and Chloe Bennet as Skye.'Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D.' is based off of the Marvel Comics property that appeared in Whedon's summer blockbuster feature 'The Avengers.' The same agency that is directed by Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) is coming to the small screen, showcasing espionage tactics in a world of superheroes and supervillains. 'Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D.' filmed a pilot earlier this year and it seems likely that the show is headed to series--especially considering the project is adding to their cast. Joss Whedon directed the pilot and co-wrote it with his brother Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen.Richards recently appeared on the series 'Raising the Bar.'
Joss Whedon is nothing if not a creature of habit. The famed director is known for using his favorite cast members in project after project (as his upcoming feature adaptation of 'Much Ado About Nothing' starring former 'Angel' cast members Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker). Well 'Angel' alum J. August Richards didn't snag a role in Whedon's Shakespeare, but he found another spot for the actor: Richards has joined the cast of Whedon's upcoming action drama series 'Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D.'Richards joins an already stellar cast of Clark Gregg, who returns as Agent Coulson, Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Gemma Simmons, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May and Chloe Bennet as Skye.'Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D.' is based off of the Marvel Comics property that appeared in Whedon's summer blockbuster feature 'The Avengers.' The same agency that is directed by Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) is coming to the small screen, showcasing espionage tactics in a world of superheroes and supervillains. 'Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D.' filmed a pilot earlier this year and it seems likely that the show is headed to series--especially considering the project is adding to their cast. Joss Whedon directed the pilot and co-wrote it with his brother Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen.Richards recently appeared on the series 'Raising the Bar.'
04-18-2013, 05:06 PM
#2039
I feel the need...