Interesting Article I read on AutoSpies:

Acura RL- A rare flop
6/9/2005

Funny how they're spinning this...Sales of RL up over 200%...From what? ZERO?

Dealers tell us this thing is the most dissapointing Acura's in a long time...

Press release

Torrance, Calif. -- Record May sales of 18,685 vehicles gave Acura its third best sales month ever and surpassed the previous May record set in 2004 by 9.1 percent based on daily selling rate, the division announced today. It is the 19th consecutive record setting month for Acura. Year-to-date Acura sales rose to 86,201 up 8.7 percent compared to 2004.

The TL performance luxury sedan was the top-selling model, with sales of 7,032 units, up 6.1 percent over last year and leading Acura to its fourth best total car sales month ever. Year-to-date TL sales reached 32,142 units. Demand for the all-new RL luxury performance sedan continued to grow with sales of 1,404, up 225.7 percent compared to 2004. Year-to-date RL sales of 6,867 surpassed last year's total by 191.8 percent. TSX sales of 3,367 units were up 1.7 percent compared to 2004.

"The sedan is making a comeback, and that's reflected in the continued strong sales of the TL, RL and TSX," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president, sales. "We've set sales records every month this year and in an unpredictable economic environment, that's a testament to the strength and depth of our product line."

Additional Acura information and downloadable high-resolution images are available at www.acuranews.com.

Monthly percentages are based on 24 selling days for this month versus 26 days for last May.

 

Autospies is a bunch of tools. They are basically an advertising mouthpiece for the twits with too much money and not enough brains.

 

Autolies

 

The RL finished 2nd in Car & Drivers latest Lux sport sedan test.

 

s

 

 

I like this quote the best
The sedan is making a comeback, and that's reflected in the continued strong sales of the TL, RL and TSX


Acura doesn't have a new coupe out there to compare the sales of coupes or sedans..

 

This isn't the first time the words RL and flop have been used in a sentence so why the surprise?

Its a great car, but I don't think its sellng as well as Honda would have liked.

 

Well, just because one magazine likes a car, doesn't mean it will sell well.

Regardless, the RL is selling fairly well and numbers seem to go up each month. That's what I think is unique about Acura...most cars see a large number of sales in their first year then start to dwindle as the years go on. Not Acura, their sales continue to increase as the models get older. Look at the TSX (currently the oldest sedan in the line up)...looks to me they should sell almost twice as many this year than they did in the first full year of it's release.

 

How is the competition looking? How does RL sales stack up against the others?

 

05 RL sales since Intro.

Oct - 1310
Nov - 1941
Dec - 1967
Jan - 1371
Feb - 1412
Mar - 1376
Apr - 1304
May - 1404

Numbers definently aren't increasing. TSX sales were around 2k a month when it came it and its now always closer to or above 3k.

BTW - At that rate they won't sell the 20K a year they projected. Correct me if I'm wrong about the 20K.

 

With the likes of the M45 and Lexus GS, the RL has a lot of catching up to do. The RL's standard equipment owns, but the lack of an 8cyl is whats killing it for them. The RL has shitty performance when compared to today's 8cyl powered sedans.

 

this is all because of the insane lease prices. Especially compared to Lexus and Infiniti.

 

I'm not talking 0-60 or 1/4 mile times. I'm not even talking standard features...I'm only talking sales. How does the RL match up to the M45, GS, and 5 series sales (I want numbers, not opinions).

But speaking V8 vs. V6 and standard features...I don't think that has as much to do with anything as styling...the RL is rather boring and small looking compared to the competition (except the 5 series...it's still hidious in my bood).

 

Considering 8-cyl models only make up something like 15% of sales in this segment, it's not really hurting the RL much.

 

What's hurting the RL is the price. If they priced it lower (comparably to 6 cyl models from Infiniti and Lexus) then it would do VERY well. But as it stands, it's closer to the M45 in price, which is killing it. And the styling needs an update, and a few amenities need to be added.

The lack of the V8 is hurting it's IMAGE, which contributes to desireability. Either that or the car needs to shed some pounds so it can be faster than the competition and handle better. How about some carbon fibre body panels or roof? I'm sure they could afford to lose some of the profit they make on that car for that. Imagine if the RL weighed the same or less than the TL. It would be FAST.

 

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...01/110794.html


M45 May 2005 = 2170


That must include the M35 as well, since its not listed.

The G35 is getting owned by the TL.

 

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050601/law080.html?.v=10

May 2005
GS 300 -- 2,503
GS 430 -- 638

 

Actually, the RL is very competitively priced. The problem is that it is only available in one trim, so the price is pretty rigid. People see the RL priced near $50k, but don't realize that it comes fully optioned where as the competition with the lower base price requires another $10k + in options to match the RL's level of equipment. However, the average consumer is too ignorant to understand that concept and still allows base prices to sway them away from a car.

As for the lack of V8 hurting the RL's image, I personally feel people who buy a car based on its image are just . Buy a car for what it is, not for what people will think of you when you drive it.

 

http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cf...id/2050602.004

525 - 1426
525xi - 18
530 - 1314
545 - 769

 

3529 for the 5.

Who in their right mind would pick any non-545 5 series over an RL?

 

A brand-image obsessed American...

 

I agree about the image thing, I sure would like one, but I can't afford it anyway. Their target market tend to be all image conscious (not always but they usually are), and people poohpooh the RL for it's lack of a V8 all the time. It seems that alot of people like to poohpooh every car in the Acura line, yet most of them sell very well. Oh no, the TL is FWD, so people bash it left right and center for that ONE "flaw". Well guess what, it's a sporty family sedan, not a sports car. People poohpoohed the TSX 4cylinder because "a luxury car isn't supposed to have a NA 4cyl", well guess what, it sells GREAT with that engine! The buying public obviously likes it. I liked it when I drove it. I would be happy owning one. You're right that Lexus, BMW, and Infiniti (and to a lesser extent MB), don't offer cars that are comparitively priced in all those segments, except for the RL's. I think the big negative attitude towards Acura is they are stubborn in offering all out performance vehicles, and choose to focus on the economical, smart choice. It's almost as people refuse to accept Acura as a luxury brand and get mad when it releases products that even come anywhere CLOSE to their beloved BMW or sporty Infiniti.

 

Ah, now that's interesting. The single trimmed RL competes well with any single trim from the 5 series lineup.

 

to everything you just said.

 

Isn't the RL selling as fast as what Honda supplies us with?

I don't know how it is in major markets, but over here there's a waiting list for RLs.

 

To wit, I'll take a 'G35X' please.


Ironically, that's exactly why I'd get the M45 over the RL: I'd want the V8/RWD to lug my 2 ton luxo car.

Time will tell on this one guys.

FastAcura, the 530i most of what the 545i is except without the 13 second timeslips. The 225hp/214lb-ft motor moves its 3800lb mass through the traps in the low 15s and tops out at a governed 149mph. To wit, it slots in nicely between the more attainable 525i and the brawny 545i. But I do tend to a agree that most folks buying lesser 5s are into the image thing.

 

I know they're the same cars, but I'm sorry, the reason I would want a 545i is because of the V8 and the 6 speed.

If I had a choice between an I6 5 and the V6 RL, the RL takes it by far, just like in that one test when the E60 530i finished far behind.

 

Frankly and this is just my Opinion (no need to be flamed) I think $50,000 on an Acura is a bit too much, atleast I wont be spending that kind of money looking at the Built/Quality/Service that Acura has to offer.

$35 K on a TL is the most I would go on the Acura brand. I am convinced that the features that the TL offers in the $33-$35 K range are unbeatable no other brand comes close without going atleast $2-4 K over...but $50K opens up a lot of oppurtunities for other makers GS / 5 Series / M 45 / E class etc....

 

I'd take the RL over the I6 5 simply because the RL will probably see very little shoptime and is built like a tank (read: solid).

 

I think I'd take a 5 series with the new 255HP 3L.

I like the looks alot better And their both about 70K CAD so the RL's value goes out the window.

 

Yeah Acura Canada really needs to drop that price! The TL with Nav is $46k about, so the RL should be at MOST $60k, or 62 tops.

 

When I went to the dealership last week to talk about getting out of the lease on my TL, I spoke to my salesman. He claimed I could get out of my lease five months early with no penalties if I would step into an RL and out of my TL-S. If the RL had a little more power (let's say, a 0-to-60 comparable to the TL) and the lease was under $650 a month, of course I would step into an RL. There's no doubt it's a beautiful car, but I would never pay $15k more for an RL over a TL, as much as I really don't like the exterior look and overall overdone (in terms of sales) nature of the new TL.

 

Could also be slow sales cause it is a much more expensive car than the TL.... I am sure if the RL was $40k, more people would opt for it. I would have loved to swapped into a RL but with Nav, I am sure it would have been in the $50k range.

 

Even with taxes included the Canadian RL is still 20 to 30k CAD cheaper than most of the market worldwide.

I have no idea why this 4th gen Honda Legend costs so much.

 

WOW, that's a lot! The Legend does have night vision, but I doubt it's worth THAT much...

 

The new M35/45 sells about 70% greater than the RL. In this class, the nameplate has a lot to do with sales so of course BMW, MB, and Lexus also do very well. Seems like Infiniti has a stronger brand than Acura's cars $40k and up.

 

Think Acura should have gone the way of Infiniti with this car, something aggressive and powerful. Think they were on a roll with the TL and something happened. With a 17k price increase over the TL the car sh-ould have been a lot more powerful.

 

I hear the RL isn't selling too well down in socal, I checked carsdirect.com and in my area the RLs price is 44k. Kinda sucks for the people that paid MSRP like 6 months ago.

 

Up here they still sell for close to MSRP. I dunno why.