Tuan Ha

Hi folks, just want to give you guys a heads up - I'm in the process of working with Acura so that they will revert back to their shield grill, among other things.

So why revert back? It's pretty simple actually. The shield grill has a lot of time behind it. Plus, its a very nice design that represents the brand very well. To change it now, means to throw away decades of marketing and to chase a market which is not there. What I mean by chasing a market that is not there, is that Acura is trying to look more upscale. Problem is, Acuras are not upscale cars. They are premium executive class vehicles with a corporate design. So essentially, its a very bad business move to drop your current customer base and chase after a new one - that doesn't really exist.

So those of you who have Acuras with the original shield grill, hold it in high regards because its one of the best parts about acura vehicles! Don't let the haters tell you otherwise.

dopeboy1

Serious?

Tuan Ha

Absolutely.

I would love to hear what you guys have to say. I've already laid out my case for the change. Positive or negative feedback would all be appreciated.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

perhaps you are 5 years too late.

Legend2TL

SamDoe1

Dropping the beak is a great way to pick up the customer base you dropped when implementing it.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

But, why?

That beak is hideous. HIDEOUS.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

What do you mean, you're in the process of working with Acura? You're saying that you're working with them to design a new front end that includes a beak? That's a great way to lose customers.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

Are you an Acura design artist?

csmeance

I thought it was designed in california and not the mid-portion of the USA like Kansas.

Either way the shield was certainly a change with the 2007 MDX but it looks much better done than the beak forced on the facelifted RL and 4G TL before the refresh in 2012. MDX's beak was alright with the 2010 refresh. More buyers are disliking the large predator style grilles such as lexus and acura could do something very nice with a shield but certainly not the beak.

Tuan Ha

Its a good thing that this customer base is small.

Reverting to the shield grill would be picking up our original customer base. Another VERY important thing to consider is that the younger customer base have all moved(aged) into Acura's intended target market. Because of exposure over long periods of time, this new customer base does not need warming up to new designs, as they have had enough time to understand what Acuras are all about. The diamond pentagon grill has no credentials whatsoever. None. In fact, the larger Acura logo is much larger to compensate for the new, unrecognizable face.

The shield grill has been the face of Acura for a very long time. But regardless of the time aspect, I think its a very nice grill - and there are many others who thinks the same. If it was so hideous as you say, it would have never made it to production.

No. But I do jump in and out of their departments.

The 2010 MDX's grill wasn't just alright. I believe it was truly the right tone for Acura's design language - premium executive class. Acura will be moving back to this design language and stay true to itself. Its important to catch onto this early because we don't want to make the same mistake as Lexus had.

Costco

Acura's latest implementation of their grille is pretty distinctive without calling too much attention to itself. I like it. Certainly not as polarizing as the 2009 TL, or like the current Lexus lineup where 80% of the front end is grille.

The current design of the grille is conducive to concealing the adaptive cruise hardware behind the badge. I assume that's why new Acura models have a huge front emblem, as that's why MB does as well.

Tuan Ha

I don't mean to bash other brands but it is what it is. Lexus tried to bite off more than they can chew. They wanted to capture a younger market. But that's a terrible business move on their part. They are forgoing their current customer base for a younger customer that has yet to exist.
Just imagine if a hair stylist forgoes a loyal customer for a new walk in customer.

Its crucial Acura fixes this problem in its infancy.

zeta

iTrader: (1)

Interesting discussion, to say the least, about the beak grill.

You would not happen to have any 'pull' in the model design department, would you?

When I purchased my Acura CL-S6 new in 2002, the 'beak' was the thing farthest from my mind.

However, the appeal of a manual transmission V6 coupe was what compelled me into the store to look and ultimately purchase.

Maybe you can pass 'that' along during your corporate hallway travels?

SamDoe1

Well we've already seen the next gen TLX and MDX without beak so I think we're good for quite a while.

Also, keep spreading either insider info or misinformation on the interwebs and you won't be jumping in any of their departments for much longer.

fiatlux

Sounds like somebody is trying to pump up the value of his old beak'd car before dumping it...

vealboy

I have a beaked 2013 RDX, and the beak is not my favorite thing, but I don't hate it either. I doubt that Acura is returning to the beak, and if they do it will be more understated then previous beaks.

Aman

Yeah, none of this makes any sense whatsoever - someone with supposed insider information in one of the most competitive industries ever is just casually sharing it to the public?

When exactly is this beak coming back? Since Acura has spent so much time on the new TLX and MDX, wouldn't want to waste that would we?

1killercls

My guess is the folks at Acura couldn't care less about who wants a 6 speed because they have one in their twenty year old beater..

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

PSSST!

I got the inside info.


Get in the van to find out

RPhilMan1

You guys all took the bait.

Tuan Ha

It is very interesting. The grill is very important in today's design of cars. Its something one cannot afford to muck up.
Right now my sole job is to address the grill issue. On my list however is to look into the CL platform. It has a lot of feasibility of coming back. The market needs more exciting coupes.

I will say upfront, that I will be pushing Acura away from the more "sporty" aspect. Acura is intended to be a premium executive class vehicles. Again, we don't want to make the same mistakes as Lexus by going F Sport on what are considered luxury cars.

Lets get something straight, I dish out orders - I don't take them.

This isn't insider information. Some brands change their logo without even a warning and wonder why the major backlash.

That generation RDX is clean and simple. The beak to me says business and premium(all the Acuras with beak grills do).

Like I said before, the beak grill is major asset for Acura. It's much smarter and wiser to capitalize on it rather than by shy and coy about it. So not only will the beak come back, it will come back bigger and bolder.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

yeah, it's not coming back

Tuan Ha

How do you know?(would love to hear this)

zeta

iTrader: (1)

Tuan Ha, thanks for the response.

I'd be interested to hear, after 17+ years without a 'regular man's' Coupe in Acura's line up (excluding the 2G NSX), how 1) the CL platform made it onto your 'look into' list and 2) could you qualify your definition of 'feasibility', for this model, going forward into the 2020's?

See this is what I'm having trouble reconciling. How, in your mind, can you diminish the "sporty' aspect and still expect to appeal to young urban (executive) professionals with just a 'beak' reincarnation and keep it exciting. You are losing me!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Because it doesnt make any sense at all.
Why invest money into the PCP concept aka the Superman Shield....
only to move away from it a few years later?


it would be a losing proposition

Sarlacc

Calling Bullshit on all this. No one would be giving this info freely as they would be under NDA.

The beak was garbage. You can cite Lexus but they sell more than Acura and the predator grille looks 1000000x better than the stupid beak.

clickbait

Tuan Ha

A big part of my job is conducting research. This involves, but not limited to, doing a lot of corporate hallway travels, essentially a lot of legwork. I do dig up the the old records of all the cars that have been developed. Lots can be learned from this. The files for the CL are there. But even without looking at it, I can tell you its feasible because premium brands all have a good looking coupe. A coupe would help Acura to compete in the market segment of cars like the Lexus RC ,Lexus LC, Supra etc.

The reason why I want to push Acura away from the sporty marketing is because it draws in the wrong crowd. So it's important we appeal to the right mindset. As people age, the need for speed isn't there anymore. That is essentially why insurance cost goes down with age. The segment that demands performance becomes smaller and smaller while the segment for status becomes larger. However, as more competitors enter the luxury segment, the pie gets smaller and smaller. So in the end, if Acura wants to become a luxury car, it will spend much more resources in doing so rather than be itself and entice the market to enter Acura's house, rather than us going to theirs.

You have to go back and read my original post. The beak grill has a lot time behind it. It has seniority. It is the A side. A new grill from out of no where cannot just waltz in and knock the beak from its throne. It doesn't work like that. The beak grill - with it's experience and time behind it - should really be gobbling up any proposition for change like child's play.

The reason why they changed it in the first place is because they've been listening to the wrong people. It happens much more often in companies than you think.


I get it. You guys aren't used to people working for the corps posting here. But please get over being star struck.

If you don't like Acura's design language, that's fine. But many people love the beak grill.

zeta

iTrader: (1)

Tuan Ha's mission, if he decides to accept it, is to further relegate the Honda / Acura brand to the blue hair of the world.

Midnight Mystery

I'm all for keeping things consistent.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

The beak was horrible. Damn the history of it. It was ugly. It looked like a 6year old drew it on as an afterthought. If Acura spent millions of dollars designing that grill, and it looks like a 6year old drew it on, then Acura is in fucking trouble.

Legend2TL

Folks, please don't feed the troll!!

honda_nut

LOL. I highly doubt the OP works for Acura and if he does, I truly hope he gets fired for not understanding his customer base or respecting a NDA. That beak was the most hideous thing ever created, making 4G TL one of the top ten ugliest modern cars (far uglier than the Pontiac Aztec imo). Those were some of the worst sales years at Acura and a cheapo plastic shield in no way portrays luxury. The fact that people called it a beak tells you all you need to know.

AZuser

Attachment 97294

1StGenCL

Wow, thanks for a giving us a heads up, even though I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone on these forums that likes the beak but then again, that's what trolls do.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Quote:

You have to go back and read my original post. The beak grill has a lot time behind it. It has seniority. It is the A side. A new grill from out of no where cannot just waltz in and knock the beak from its throne. It doesn't work like that. The beak grill - with it's experience and time behind it - should really be gobbling up any proposition for change like child's play.

There's just no way it makes financial sense.
Acura has committed to the PCP Concept vehicle. Can't back out now.

BEAR-AvHistory

Pre-beak they sold upwards of 70,000+ TL cars in a good year. The beak years 30,000 cars a year. Up to & through today they have NEVER recovered the lost 30,000+ customers a year that have been all gone since 2009. Fully half your customer base is not a small number when it has 5 digits before the decimal point.

Back to the troll farm Ha

04WDPSeDaN

iTrader: (1)

Acurazine welcomes you and your beak grille! Acura coloring books can be found on specific threads.

AZuser

Disgruntled Acura employee secretly trying to sabotage the company/brand by making people think the beak was a good idea?

YUH8Acura? ლ(ಠ益ಠ)ლ