Acura to join BMW/Lexus ranks with new 400-hp sedan and coupe

We keep hearing reports about Acura’s desire to become a Tier 1 luxury brand and now we get some insight into what the Honda brand has under its sleeve. In an attempt to move the brand upmarket, Honda will start offering Acura-only models that will compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus.

Following the 2009 Acura TL, Acura will get a brand new luxury sedan, rumored to be a four-door-coupe, that will compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS. The new model will arrive just before the next-generation NSX in 2011 and will be powered by a 4.5-liter V-8 producing more than 400-hp. It is rumored to be built on a rear-wheel-drive architecture with all-wheel-drive as an option.

Acura is also rumored to be working on a Acura-only coupe - that will replace the gap left by the...
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_43LE - 8/12/2008 10:19:02 AM

+1 Boost

I still believe that what was seen at the ring recently was not the body of the NSX replacement, but the coupe that is mentioned in this article.

HSCenterconsole - 8/12/2008 10:25:00 AM

+3 Boost

"It is rumored to be built on a rear-wheel-drive architecture with all-wheel-drive as an option."

I really hope the above excerpt true, but knowing Acura I wouldn't be suprised to have this be the first 400HP FWD car.

hao420 - 8/12/2008 2:43:46 PM

-2 Boost

Bring back the CL coupe....

NARunner - 8/13/2008 9:33:51 AM

+3 Boost

There's no way this car could ever be FWD. Most FWD cars can't handle more than 300hp and even that is pushing it. This car will have to be AWD or RWD or it won't exist. Imagine stomping the throttle in a 400hp FWD car...you'd just sit there spinning the wheels while the people in civics behind your beep their horns because the light turned green 45 seconds ago.

LexSucks - 8/15/2008 7:20:21 PM

+1 Boost

I hated the CL coupe. There's a reason why it didn't last.

blackbr - 8/12/2008 10:37:37 AM

+7 Boost

Great news, as a 3X Acura owner, I wish them well... but their styling direction does need some tweaking.

njsidekick3 - 8/12/2008 10:53:15 AM

+8 Boost

...The next NSX looks like Crap. and Acura needs that name "LEGEND" back on it's Flagship & a New Coupe.

theoptimisticpessimist - 8/12/2008 9:53:56 PM

+1 Boost

Its still around in Europe the Acura RL is the Honda Legend.

njsidekick3 - 8/12/2008 10:59:27 AM

+2 Boost

...im excited for Acura (no homo), to me, this only means Infiniti will get that GT-R Engine for the New Q.

sector - 8/12/2008 11:38:16 AM

-1 Boost

yeah! that's what I'm talkin' about, Acura is about bring some major a$$ whoopin in the luxury market!

SVTruong - 8/12/2008 2:30:12 PM

+2 Boost

i hate how this site is just so full of anti-Honda/Acura enthusiast. Every positive comment is automatically deboosted while all the negative comments get boosted. They are a good company that makes solid products. Right now Acura is going through an identity crisis with their design department, but what they don't have in form they make up with function. Their cars are great cars with tons of technology packed into them that other marques would charge a large premium for. Love them or hate them, they are here to stay and will sell cars on that reason alone. =) Let the deboosting begin... I love all marques, but it sickens me that people hate a brand so much for no particular reason besides maybe that it's not styled to their taste.

njsidekick3 - 8/12/2008 3:17:19 PM

+3 Boost

...a great idea would be to name this New Sedan "LEGEND" as a way to kinda wipe away the mess they made with the RL. everything with that RL name sucked.

TauronB2G - 8/12/2008 12:58:01 PM

+6 Boost

Only like 10 years late!!!!
T

LexSucks - 8/12/2008 1:06:57 PM

+5 Boost

Acura needs to first build a competitive non FWD car before I give them any consideration.

Bored - 8/12/2008 1:46:35 PM

+5 Boost

Whatever is coming, I hope it's without the new corporate grill.

blackbr - 8/12/2008 2:33:01 PM

+5 Boost

Interesting that someone said to bring the Legend name back...

Currently the only recent luxury cars (excluding SUVs) to have names are/were the Hyundai Genesis and Volkswagen Phaeton.

BMW/Mercedes have always used alphanumeric designations. The Japanese soon copied, finally Lincoln and Cadillac are doing the same.

Marketing nonsense, IMO.

HSCenterconsole - 8/12/2008 2:58:40 PM

+2 Boost

It made sense for the Europeans because they had so many different engine options (ie S350, S550, S600, S63, S65). I feel like the Euros should be more exact in regards to their numeric badging. For example, both the 335i and 328i have 3.0L engines -- this is misleading in my opinion.

audirevolution - 8/12/2008 4:00:56 PM

+4 Boost

All Acuras look ugly these days, especially the TL.
Honda needs new designers ASAP before they can even dream of becoming Tier 1.

JudasLease - 8/12/2008 9:47:56 PM

-1 Boost

Acura=Advance running their mouths

Some of us have heard this same played story since the 1990s, then they debut a half ass luxury attempt. The Acura RL of 1996 was supposed to start this trend. Well its 2009 damn near and HYUNDAI has a RWD, V-8 Genesis and Acura has a I-4, FWD TSX still.

lovecars11 - 8/15/2008 3:30:16 AM

0 Boost

Were all the BMW tools. No comments boys.