smarty666

Of all the luxury car companies out there, Acura seems to be the only one who doesn't really know what it wants or where it's going compared to its German and Japanese competition. Their new corporate shield grill and designs have been met with a majority negative reaction, not everyone feels this way of course and seems that Acura is wishywashy in whether it wants to focus on competing again BMW, MB, and Lexus or fall back and play the "smart luxury" game as they call it.

There has been talk of what is and what is holding Acura back from being on par with BMW, MB, Audi, Lexus, and Infiniti in regards to luxury status.

I wanted to find out what you all think about this situation and what do you think Acura needs to do become a better/ more competitive player in the luxury market?

Moog-Type-S

smarty666

I just went through all the threads on car talk and there is no specific thread specifically talking about this issue. There might be one or two where this was mentioned as a side note, in regards to luxury vs non-luxury but nothing specifically devoted to a long-term plan of what people think Acura needs to do, and where they are messing up right now. I think its legitimate based on everything I've read over on the luxury discussions.

Sarlacc

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

West6MT

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

There's a whole thread called "Acura Strategy News"

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385112

You may want to start with that.

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

Here's another....

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=743488

smarty666

Thanks for the links. I didn't search automotive news and didn't think this kind of topic would be in there since most of that is just posting news information regarding Acura and Honda rather then member speculation on stuff. I thought car talk would have been the better thread for that

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

1) Not base their entire lineup on Hondas

2) Not just take Honda engines, retune them for premium fuel and add 10 horsepower for the upscale image

3) Not just offer a 305 horsepower engine for the top spec of their entire lineup

4) Not have three sedans that aren't terribly different in interior volume

That's just a start....

smarty666

I'd love to see a high priced and mid priced sport coupe model become available. Maybe something like the NSX as the more premium luxury sport coupe and a CL as the mid-level sports coupe model.

knight rider

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, this topic has been beaten to death, even before this board was called Acurazine (whaddup all my acuracl.com peeps)

But here is my

1. Keep up the good work on interior design (think ZDX), BUT get rid of the freakin' plastic faux wood and faux aluminum trim and get some real materials.

2. Reintroduce the CL and make it so that it is a formidable opponent to the 3 coupe and the G coupe. I think Honda blew it when the made the new Accord coupe. With a real engine and a few more luxury amenities and tech it would have made a nice CL comeback.

3. Loose the beak.

4. Introduce a new flagship sedan that can compete with the S class, 7 series and LS.
(Think Equus)

5. Stop making the TSX. Leave it as a Euro Accord. Don't get me wrong, I like the TSX, but nothing says "near luxury" like a rebadge. I know, I know, my G is a rebadged Nissan Skyline, but I can deal with that.

6. Step up your service game.

7. Come out with something that no other car has and put it on every model. I have no idea what that might be, but give your owners something to brag about. Afterall, luxury is perceived anyway, right?

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

V8.

Not offer designs that make people want to slit their wrists.

subinf

V8s are on the way out...they don't define luxury. Duh.

CL6

They are? I guess I didn't get the memo. Turbo-charging V8s and making their displacement smaller is the next trend.

Acura will never be Tier 1. Best to accept and move on they can still do well they will simply never be one of the big boys. That's OK.

subinf

That was a sarcastic comment making fun of another argument going on in the luxury car thread.

is300eater

Drop the RSX (in Canada, drop the RSX AND EL)

MyCarIsntInMyWifesName

Erm....?

I think a forced-inducted 6-cylinder would suffice considering the success Ford/Lincoln has already had with their EcoBoost engined models.

winstrolvtec said V-8s are becoming obsolete, in favor of forced inducted V-6s (or any type of 6). Now we're having an argument in which he says a naturally aspirated 6 can perform pretty much identically in essentially all areas to a forced inducted 6.

I'm not intending to make fun of him, but when he's then implying is that V-8s are gonna be doomed in favor of FI6s which could be doomed in favor of NA6s, essentially saying the NA6 is the wave of the future. He argued with me for probably at least five pages now and successfully has sidestepped presenting any actual proof every time. Circular arguments really don't work, especially when it's clear he doesn't know how engines run (I purposely said NA6s are affected less by altitude than FI6s when we're talking about that and now that we're talking about the V-8s as well he tried to throw that in the argument, making it obvious he doesn't know any better....I'm so slick!).

And yes I think downsized FI V-8s are the next trend. BMW, Audi, and MB are already releasing or soon to be releasing these, for starters. Then as always the tech for NAs will catch up and then the FI V-8s will die off again in the mainstream.

SSFTSX

V8 is not obsolete. A8 4.2 V8 AWD has better fuel economy and performance than 740i M sport. ( turbo 3.0L).
There is place for normally aspirated V8 for its refinement and long life.

ghttf

change the grille

Never Summer

Offer an engine that isn't something we've been seeing for the past 15 years, followed by introducing a new platform which is RWD based with the option of making it AWD. Those two would be the best start.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

fire all their designers.
surgically seperate honda/acura
V8.

JediMindTricks

:ibthelock!:

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

^

As has already been mentioned, several topics discussing this already, plus dozens and dozens over the years. There is also a good debate in this forum already (Car Talk) regarding luxury vehicles which includes Acura.

Best bet is to dive into one of those conversations as they are all pretty active. No need to have yet another one open...