SilverJ

I mean looking at the new TL, I cant imagine it having to pass thru 100's of people and have them give it a solid thumbs up. I think there are a few high up officials that pushed thru the new design and if anyone dared question them they were fired. Working in IT I have seen this occur...one higher up in my former company wanted SAP (a software package) implemented in the company--EVERYONE knew it was going to be a disaster and yet it still got pushed thru losing the company many millions...
Somehow I feel the same thing is going on at Acura.

2veloce

I think Acura has hit a homerun with TL...it will be a star when it goes on sale.

Hugh9269

Especially with the biggest selling model in the company. I think someone has decided the future of Acura design, heavily invested in the concept and they are going for it. Consumer be damned!

Reminds me of the first "Bangle" BMW's.

platinum1

Same thing with what I'm experiencing now. My supervisor initially told me to be openg and honest to him if something isn't right . But that's just the icing to cover his prejudice. I don't enjoy my work anymore. Preparing to find another job.

ballerjai

I agree, but it's somewhat growing on me now....

lumpulus

I learned a very long time ago to keep my head down and mouth shut at work. When my manager asks me a question I agree with here no matter how I feel. I get paid well, and I like where I am, so I will just tread water till retirement

We implemented SAP where I am, and it works great, but I know what the original poster is referring to about Acura, and I agree.

KeithL

Its funny I participated in a in person car survey 2 years ago, it appears to be for SAAB, you get $150 to spend like 90 minutes going through a battery of design choices. The funny thing is most of the survey are individual areas of the car, not the entire car!! So it is like a chines menu and when all the scores are added up I'm guessing who knows what mess you get. It had a battery of sample designs, mostly pictures. Theyre woudl be say 4-6 choices, 2 were typcially the SAAB design (all emblems and branding was left off or hidden, but you can tell some makes styles) and then a few were from the competitors I'm sure they were aiming for. Ironically the questions were odd, some things were repeated with different sets, I'm sure to help them find patterns. But I can see how they coudl easily get bad initial feedback.

LaCostaRacer

What Acura did to the TL reminds me a bit on what Subaru did a couple years ago involving their cars having the 'fighter' nose concept: tribeca, and WRX/Impressa got that treatment. It was ugly to me, but those cars did stick out- much like an Edsel would today. Hopefully Acura will follow Subaru and acknowledge the mistake and move on. I would hate to see 5 model years of this current TL theme- one will be enough for me.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Guys, I agree with everything that has been written above. The best way to get to the Acura people is to put your mouth where your money is. Meaning, don't buy a 2009 TL...that will speak volumes to Acura.

AcidHorse

Look at it this way: they're trying to re-create all the hype that happened at BMW when they released the Bangle-ized 7 series. Everybody hated the design when it first came out, but it made BMW stronger and more respected by relleasing a horrendous looking car. Now even the Camry and Hyundais have hints of that Bangle design on their trunks.

The difference is BMW can get away with it. I don't think Honcura can.

F23A4

Although if it sells well (which I suspect it will), Acura will have no incentive for dumping their patented nose shield.

DivinDude

if anyone has looked at the Acura sales for August (hondanews.com), you'll noticed that RL sales have fallen compared to Aug of last year .. TSX sales have fallen compared to Aug of last year and TL sales have gone UP compared to Aug of last year. Seems to me that people are shunning the cow-catcher grille and scooping up 3G TLs now that the awful 4G pics are out

Colin

If we follow your logic: ie. TL sales are up because people are buying the old ones because they don't like the new look. Wouldn't the RL sales also increase because of the new look on the '09s??

With the RL there are other things going on. Acura shipped most dealers 'coverage' units for the 2009 and for most of us, that meant 1 car. We have received no more thus far. They're not making more 2009s because dealers have so many '08s left to sell.

Then to make it even more fun, they didn't extend the financing or lease specials to the remaining 2008s. So there are a lot of reasons the RL isn't doing well, but the MMC restyle had nothing to do with it and it hasn't stimulated sales on the old cars either.

KeithL

While I woudl liek that to be fully true, Acura has had aggressive incentives on the TL for some time, typically $2500 cash, and no 2.9% and $1K or $3500 cash. They are buying sales, nothing wrong with that, look at Nissan, Nissan and Infiniti numbers are up over last year, but they have been running aggressive incentives.

EMF213

I agree with the first post and frankly its a shame. I bought the 04 TL as soon as I could when it came out. I then traded it in on an 06 which I still drive. The 3G design embodied a lot of what I like about the German cars (while throwing in a bit of Italian flair)....a solid, wide, "planted" stance with an aggressive but still relatively conservative look, and a nice squared back and lower rear side panels that are "tucked" in to expose the tires. I love it ALL.

Since the 3G was Acuras biggest seller ever, I expected more of the same. After all, it's a hugely successful design, right? And no one in their right mind would abandon a proven, winning formula for success, right?
Guess not...The new TL seems to have thrown out all the exterior styling that made it such a popular car. And I'm extremely disappointed. The new car looks like a hybrid of all cars I hate. It's a Saturn in the front, a Toyota Solara in the back and some sort of Nissan from the side. Where's the German and Italian influence??

Needless to say, Acura has lost me. My next car will NOT be a TL. Time to move on to Audi or BMW....even if it's used. Goodbye Acura! It was fun while it lasted...

gbc_yoyo

why would it cost you money to go to SAP? if your IT department doesnt have a clue on implementation and everyone is a junior then yeah it will cost you no matter what product you decide to upgrade to. We made that move in 1998 and have absolutely no problems whatsoever....regarding the car I must admit that I am not 4G TL admirer.

SilverJ

Its not a knock on SAP. Its a knock on the higher ups that were in charge of implementing it. They gave ridiculous timelines to the business side that caused things to be rushed and as a result, a disaster. Not to mention there were too many systems already in place which made the switch over take a lot more time. It always comes down to management....ALWAYS. After looking at the 4G tl more...I still hate it. I wish there were still some six speed TL type-s models available.

Eoanou

No matter what we say about the new TL it doesn't matter, people will still buy it because it's new and it offers reliability and affordable luxury and technology, as compared to BMW or MB.

Even though, the car looks awful it will still sell, look at the 8th Generation Accord, it looks WAY worse than the 4G TL, but yet people still bought it. As a matter of fact I have one, but that's only because it was given to me for free.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

^what happened to your TL? I thought you had one?

CL6

Stockholm Syndrome.