Honda: Takanobu Ito Named New CEO
07-10-2009, 07:21 PM
#41
Senior Moderator
^^^^^
We love Honda and what it stands for, too, that's why we are commenting on what we want from Honda. The fact is that exterior design has gone downhill the last few years even as interior design and tech have gone through the roof in these cars.
Even though I've got a GM product in my garage, I've still got two Hondas and will always have at least one Honda in my stable.
I want another Honda to get excited about....the only new Hondas I'm hot on right now are the Fit (drive one and you'll understand why) and the TSX.
We love Honda and what it stands for, too, that's why we are commenting on what we want from Honda. The fact is that exterior design has gone downhill the last few years even as interior design and tech have gone through the roof in these cars.
Even though I've got a GM product in my garage, I've still got two Hondas and will always have at least one Honda in my stable.
I want another Honda to get excited about....the only new Hondas I'm hot on right now are the Fit (drive one and you'll understand why) and the TSX.
07-10-2009, 08:25 PM
#42
AZ Community Team
Nice writeup glad to read from someone on the inside who has the passion and soul of the Honda spirit.
As an employee of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. I don't think we have ever lost site of the future, Its by far one on the greatest places I ever worked and 25 years still pluggin away at it.
When I was a young child we used to drive by the old US stell plant in Torrance CA. Hot molten steel pouring from huge barrels into forms. As the car would pass this place regularly the young boy in the back seat of the new 65 chevy impalla, eyes glued the the window watching. "Man when I grow I want to work there" Many years passed the steel mill moved away, I started working for Honda in Gardena. And the word comes where building a new corporate headquarters. where??? the old US Steel Plant property. We been here 20 years now. Is that destiny ? bring's a misty eye to me everynow & then
Mark Melheim a happy and sucessful Honda employee, many more people make this company what it is and it is the love of the company that makes the products as good as they are.
When I was a young child we used to drive by the old US stell plant in Torrance CA. Hot molten steel pouring from huge barrels into forms. As the car would pass this place regularly the young boy in the back seat of the new 65 chevy impalla, eyes glued the the window watching. "Man when I grow I want to work there" Many years passed the steel mill moved away, I started working for Honda in Gardena. And the word comes where building a new corporate headquarters. where??? the old US Steel Plant property. We been here 20 years now. Is that destiny ? bring's a misty eye to me everynow & then
Mark Melheim a happy and sucessful Honda employee, many more people make this company what it is and it is the love of the company that makes the products as good as they are.
07-11-2009, 02:20 AM
#43
6G TLX-S
I'm also proud of the company I've been working for for years. My company treats me well. I love my company and love it's products which I help designing.
Weren't every Big3 auto workers feeling the same way too under the union umbrella, even though the Big3 were churning out junks that few people want to buy ?
So the company has loyal and satisfied employees, period. This doesn't change a bit the fact if the company is building uncompetitive products, and/or isn't heading in the right market direction.
But don't get me wrong. I love Honda/Acura. I love my TL-S despite the shitty tranny, and I'm still patiently waiting and waiting for another new and competitive Acura to come out as a better replacement.
The Honda brand is doing very well. But the Acura brand is not going where it's suppose to - to compete with the true luxury auto brands. It's lacking in true high performance, and it's lacking a flagship supercar to boost it's brand recognition.
By no means are we bashing the brand or it's products. We're simply trying to provide feedback and sometime even suggestions to try to improve the brand and it's products in the point of view as real consumers. We're trying to tell Acura what it's lacking, what we really want in future Acura's, and what we feel about the Acura brand status.
It's like a teacher/student or father/son relationship, with us, the consumers, being the teacher/father. We're trying to help Acura building what real consumers want to buy and not what head office VP's want to build.
Only listening to buyers' need will a great company make great products.
07-11-2009, 11:54 AM
#44
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But the thing is, Acura seems to know what it is lacking, and it's working hard to make its future products competitive in ALL categories. They are addressing the lack of options/packages, they are expanding the model line up, they are developing a RWD platform, they are working on a V8 engine. They were working on a supercar until the economy tanked. They are working hard to separate itself further away from Honda (ie, no more Honda stickers on windows, getting its own Ad agency, you know, minor things that are insignificant to most people, but IMO if you want to be "tier-1", you have to do them right).
07-11-2009, 01:33 PM
#45
6G TLX-S
^^^^^ I sincerely hope that whatever mentioned above that Acura is working on will one day see daylight, after the facts that Acura was also working for years on the NSX-replacement program which eventually ended up dead, and the continuous postponements of V8 and RWD for the next generation sedans.
Who knows what ongoing programs Acura is going to chop next ?
Who knows what ongoing programs Acura is going to chop next ?
07-12-2009, 10:48 AM
#46
Senior Moderator
I think neuronbob, Edward'TLS, and I have the same belief -- we want Honda / Acura to succeed. For it to succeed (and win back the hearts/enthusiasm we once had for Honda products) is for the design team (exterior and interior) to collaborate together to build great cars that people who love cars want to drive again.
Although I left the Honda fold for a Nissan (Infiniti), my wife still drives a TSX (1st gen) and I still sing its praises. I even tried to convince my parents to trade in their Volvo for a 2nd gen TSX (with a front grill paint job) but they were lured to purchase an ES350 (since the Lexus marque is branded so well as a 'luxury' car).
I tried but it seems the Acura name has the 'up and coming' or 'budget conscious luxury' feel to the average consumer.
Although I left the Honda fold for a Nissan (Infiniti), my wife still drives a TSX (1st gen) and I still sing its praises. I even tried to convince my parents to trade in their Volvo for a 2nd gen TSX (with a front grill paint job) but they were lured to purchase an ES350 (since the Lexus marque is branded so well as a 'luxury' car).
I tried but it seems the Acura name has the 'up and coming' or 'budget conscious luxury' feel to the average consumer.
07-12-2009, 12:30 PM
#47
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^^^^^ I sincerely hope that whatever mentioned above that Acura is working on will one day see daylight, after the facts that Acura was also working for years on the NSX-replacement program which eventually ended up dead, and the continuous postponements of V8 and RWD for the next generation sedans.
Who knows what ongoing programs Acura is going to chop next ?
Who knows what ongoing programs Acura is going to chop next ?
07-12-2009, 08:56 PM
#48
6G TLX-S
^^^^^ Good, then step on it. Delay no more.
07-13-2009, 10:29 AM
#49
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A positive analysis of Honda's potential for growth:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/13/pf/h...ion=2009071310
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/13/pf/h...ion=2009071310
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