I don't see the how much difference there is between a SH-AWD TL and an RL (except a ton of $$)... The TL has 305hp vs. the RL's 300...

Seems like Acura wants the 3 sedans to be as much alike as possible

Doesn't make sense to me, but it's inline with some of the other foolish decisions that Acura has made lately..

They really need to define their model lineup. Having more engine options is a great idea (like they had in the 1G CL and TL), but they need to make sure there 3 sedans are different so that people don't cross shop them all against a single competitor.

 

Ah yes now i remember reading that but they only planned to put it in the 2011 1-series.

Ideally the TSX should be a 4banger turbo and a V6 option. Like the A4.

 

I agree with the TL and RL being too close to being he same car but I still think there's enough differentiation between the TL and TSX.

And I know you guys don't care but in the TL and TSX are already so closely priced I don't see how they'll market a V6 TSX, even with them being different enough. A Base TL and TSX Tech with AT are the same price (39K). At least there's room for pricing in the US.

 

Anyway you slice it, turbo is going to be the future....the end of the big displacement engine is near.

 

Sources: 2010 3.5 V6 TSX to be revealed in Chicago--click

 

Too bad I can't go there

 

So exciting!!!!!

 

May not be earth shattering news but good news regardless. People have been pining for a V6 TSX for years.

Too bad the first gen didn't get one.

 

i'm interested in a v6 TSX.

but i worry how much heavier the car will be.

 

...but this isn't what people wanted: ugly and overweight....5speed auto trans FTL

 

As much as I agree and dislike the styling and agree about the dated AT, sales numbers say differently. A V6 will only help.

 

what's gonna happen to 2009 TLs then??

This is some gay product planning strategy, imo.

 

5 and 3 share engines
A4 and A6 share engines
C and E share engines
G and M share engines
etc
etc
etc...

Is that gay product strategy?


This is nothing new,. The TSX is 9 inches shorter and smaller inside.

 

interested in this. remove terrible beak grill.

 

...but you know as well as everyone else that this was not Honda's strategy.

The V6 TSX came about because of the HORRIBLE response to the TL, the RL which has abismal sales, and the TSX response of when they gave the public the engine specs for the 4cyl.

It's basically to provide Acura with some sort of sales.....at the expense of killing TL and RL sales even further.....and it was easily accomplished thanks to it being an Accord.

 

Methinks lower grille and fog light changes....the beak stays.

 

One thing that makes Acura's move more gay than Audi/Mercedes/BMW/Lexus's is the fact that the TL and TSX are pretty much the same price. Using all of your examples you'll see that the more upmarket cars cost $10-15K more than their lesser siblings. The TSX and TL are (and will continue to be) in the same pricing bracket. Also looking at interior specs, there isn't as much difference as there is with the 3/5 A4/A6 C/E IS/GS which can be seen as a problem. The only more gay product strategy is the G37 versus the M45 conundrum.

 

Possibly, but we've been hearing rumors about a V6 TSX for some time now.

Whatever the reason's, I think its a good move. Although I do worry about base TL sales. But again, its a bigger car.

 

Not true. You can build a 535 to be more expensive than a 528. Pretty sure you can do the same with the others.

But I agree that there is a lot more room to work with compared to Acura.

 

Yeah that's true. But once you get into that range you choose between power and performance (335) or size and prestige (528). There really isn't going to be much of a trade off between the TSX and TL. I supported a higher spec TSX from the beginning but now that more details are coming out it seems like it's just going to create a huge overlap that could potentially kill TL sales.


Another thing that separates the TSX/TL and 3/5 is that the "prestige" difference between the TSX and TL isn't that great. The 3/5 have a bigger gap in prestige between the two models. That might have to do with the fact that the 5 has an optional V8, which = prestige, and the 3 series only has a I6. 528 drivers can act like they could have afforded the 545, when the 3's top model is only the 335. That sort of thing matters in the consumer's mind. The Acura sedans are really just two different flavors of Accord sadly. The only question is how differentiated are those two different flavors going to be?

 

We have been hearing rumors of a V6 TSx...since the original TSX model debut years ago.

 

You obviously didn't spend much time in the TSX section because from day 1 Honda said a V6 will not fit into the first gen TSX. So a V6 was never expected.

At least by those of us who read that in all the TSX reviews that came out with the cars release.

 

one can dream cant they

 

I know this is nothing new. And I still think this is a gay product strategy.

because of the following:

 

I know Honda can seem lost at times but I have a feeling they thought this one through.

 

Oh please....Honda....stop with the B.S. of it won't fit......IT'S AN ACCORD!!!!

Of course a V6 can fit.

 

Fixed

 

I guess we'll see what sales look like in a few months.

We all bitch about Honda/Acura but when they finally do something all we do is bitch about it.

If there's anything to bitch about IMO its the tired J and 5AT and lack of anything new on the power train side. Not the fact that their giving the TSX an engine option that could hurt TL sales. Who cares, that's their problem. At least their giving us an option.

 

Either way, they made it clear a V6 was not coming.

And not a replica of the Accord chassis. It was smaller and designed for the European market, which as we know has no need for a V6.

 

In my opinion, Audi, MB, BMW product line ups undoubtebly can be considered as the benchmark when it comes to product strategy. They not only know how to utilize the diversification strategy, but also know how to share the platforms and engines in order to reduce the massive amount of production cost. Seems like they know how to minimize the cannibalization effect as well.

However, it seems to me that Acura just do not know how to do all of the above.

just my opinion......

 

i mean just look at the current line up..... who the hell is Acura targeting with RL? TL customers?

now with V6 TSX, it seems like a significant part of potential customers of TL will likely to purchase V6 TSX.......
i don't know something's not right with Acura's product strategy to me... I'm sure they can do better.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but the only example of this is the TL/RL? Its not as if Acura has a history of failing at product differentiation. Lets give them a chance before we decide its a bad idea.

 

I don't think you'll find anyone who will disagree with that. I can't begin to count the areas I feel they're behind so I look at this move as a 'better than nothing' scenario.

Since they don't seem to have anything new (car, engine, tranny wise) coming down the pipe we could have still been stuck with having to buy the awful looking TL to get a V6. At least we now have the option of the far less ugly TSX.

 

trust me... I REALLY want Acura to do well. I love Honda/Acura.

 

Although I don't completely agree with the choices made, at least we have the choice of the good looking V6 TSX over TL now. I was hoping that the TSX would have the K23T plus SH-AWD though to make it sportier and more different from the TL. I know that the topic of the K23T has been exhaustedly discussed though. IMO even a 240-260 hp V6 would have been better than giving it the same output as the TL. Also SH-AWD should have been added for the sake of performance and differentiation from the base TL.

 

We are honest car enthusiasts....if you put a good vehicle/products to market we will applaud.....if not you get from us....and Honda for quite some time now has been receiving the deserved

Look how much we threw at Ford and GM.....and now look at all the praise they receive.

Honda needs to find a good strategy and run with it....J series and 5AT is not going to cut it.

I want Honda/Acura to do well as much as the next guy...but sadly there is still nothing to get excited about.

 

Yes! I want 6AT in Acura vehicles.... gosh......... i mean there's 8AT available! why can't Honda introduce 6AT?

 

How can you not get excited about Real-Time weather and Traffic?

 

i thought it came out like 3 years ago!? i think my TL had an option of getting it

 

Just a year ago I had hope for Acura. But with the power plenum grille, the revamoped RL, etc, I can't think of any excuses for them anymore. Without going into a whole nother round of 'what's wrong with Acura' - I'll just say they really are lost and leave it at that.