Honda Allegedly Cutting More Future Sport and Luxury Models, Including S2000/RWD Acuras

So let me get this straight: Acura has cancelled plans for the NSX, RWD platforms, and the V8 engine. So essentially management is saying they NEVER want to be taken seriously as a luxury car manufacturer.

It may be a smart move. We're having a break in gas price right now, but it may not last forever. In 24 months from here, if the economy goes back on track, we'll see gas prices as high as they where last summer. Then, having a lineup of "RWD V8 sedans" may not be the best bet for a car company that want to be taken seriously. A pure RWD platform is not a "must" for the most part of luxury car buyers.
the SH-AWD system can compensate (for a luxury car, not a sport car) for the FWD architechture. If Acura is already planning a different approach for the luxury market of 2012 and up, they could emerge as a very competitive brand compared to the crowd of aging "RWD V8 sedans" that will be offered by other automakers at this moment.

F'it, just kill off acura. without a V8 RWD sedan, i will not touch 1. and that MDX is garbage.

Honda is dead to me!

Acura couldn't take the heat, so they are getting out of the kitchen.

I can agree with the RL not really needing a V8 but rear wheel drive is what Acura needs, they just dont seem that far away from the Honda's they are based on other than exterior styling, this would at least help to seperate the 2 companies because otherwise interior quality is good but no better than the Honda's thatare thousands less, and other than the odd details in a passing glance the TL, and Accord look alot like i confused a TL for an accord that i saw from the side, even the rear tail light shapes are similar and when the TL is frequently compared to the "upscale" car category meaning the avalon, g8, passat, maxima, they may want to consider whats the point.

Nooooo!!!!!!!!

Say it aint so, Honda! OK, just make a smooth, fuel efficient, smaller/average-sized VTEC V8 and sell it to...maybe Mazda to through into the CX-9 and a new Mazda9 flagship sedan.

...just a thought....

"I can agree with the RL not really needing a V8 but rear wheel drive is what Acura needs"

-------

Finally a voice of common sense, not from some farting teenager on the Internet whose assets are a laptop, too much free time and crapped pants.

V8 needed? Tell this to BMW 535i twinturbo drivers (this engine rendered 550i obsolete, except of the noise). Or to those having Lexus GS350 which is slower to 0-60 than GS460 by less than half a second and far more economical. Or those of new Audis with 3.0 supercharged V6 or newly born 2.5 twinturbo 5 cylinder engine with 350HP. Anyone fancy a 4.2 V8? Don't think so.

But Acuras FWD platform is indeed all wrong. They have had a nice torque vectoring diff (the heart of their SH-AWD) in the back for years but cars handling couldn't benefit from it as much as new RWD BMW's xdrive or Audi's quattro do from the same thing. Reason? Rear wheels in Acuras are powered only when the car skids, not when it corners with some grip remained.

I agree with the rest of your comment as well.

Cappy said: "Doesn't matter since Honda has never made any drivers cars to begin with" ------------ except of the rear wheel drive S2000, with a 50:50 weight distribution, 1200 kg of curb weight, 220HP engine with 9k revline and a limited slip differential. A car that won first prize in Top Gear best car to have survey three times in a row: http://www.topgear.com/content/carsurvey/2006/features/01/1.html

Or except the 2007 Acura MDX, which was commented by Edmunds reviewers as follows: "Designed for a family, but built for an enthusiast" and "It appears the folks at Acura went after BMW and Porsche in terms of vehicle dynamics and have outdone themselves in the process." And in the car full test, the MDX pulled same slalom speeds and lateral G on the skid pad as the BMW X5 4.8, both cars are huge SUVs with a 3rd row seat:

2007 BMW X5 4.8i
Slalom (mph): 62.9
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.82

2007 Acura MDX
Slalom (mph): 62.6
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.82

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=117548/pageId=105013
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=119977/pageId=120872

Fanboys will never get or accept what's written above.

Well then the only way to differentiate Acura's from Honda's at this point is to make them all AWD and offer turbo's in the 4 and 6 cylinder engines. If they don't do that then there is little point having
the Acura brand. Simply rebranding Honda Accords is a very shallow way to call yourself a luxury brand.The RL and TL make some sense with the AWD. Why spend the money on a FWD version when you are getting virtually the same engineering and luxury in a decked out Accord. As for the TSX it has only one advantage over an Accord. It appeals to those buyers that want luxury in a smaller package-thats about it. Further the front ends need a redesign. Unless Honda is willing to make these changes to Acura they might as well scuttle the division. I understand the reasoning behind cancelling the RWD and the V8 due to market concerns.However with Lexus and Infiniti offering more models with more variety Acura right now offers very little alternative. What about a coupe and convertable. Base it on the TSX and give it AWD and a turbo it deserves for example.

I don't care what they do w/ Acura, as it is just too much to fix, but they need to keep S2000/S3000 alive!

Well so much for becoming a "Tier One" luxury car company. I feel sorry for the California dealer that just spent a gazillon dollars on a new dealership under Honda/Acura false information.

Well cant say that this wasnt coming. Honda never did do much in the R&D dept.

They don't? It takes a lot to keep Honda running as smooth and forward in various dynamics like it has been for sometime now.

What are you talking about? Their cars are consistently the best combinations of comfort and handling in their classes.

LOL :)

Honda has the biggest R&D budget and best R&D engineers in the car industry

WRONG! at one time, honda had the MOST ADVANCED ENGINE RESEARCH LAB on the planet. even the germans had acknowledged this (late 1980s, early '90s). honda powereed cars OWNED the CART and IRL series, and even F1 for a few years. when they quit F1, ferrari was interested enuff to purchase some of the honda knowledge.--------granted, honda seems to have taken a nap since. but no one can say honda didn't do impressive R&D in their heyday.

^^post obviously directed at shiftless (and mindless), not doc C.

What a shame. The S2000 was a brilliant little thing. I heard the engine once and it was beautiful!

This just seems like a knee jerk reaction to the economic downturn. I thought Honda was smarter. It would definitely be in their best interest to go full steam ahead with Acura. If they can't do RWD then they should at least hire some new management and designers.

I personally am not puttin any judgement for this matter until something official has happend. No point... as for the no V8 but rwd comment above I totally agree that as the right thing to do, or at least make a rwd/awd drivetrain.

Honda to me has never really been a big thinker or dreamer like Toyota and Nissan. Their vision seems to lean more in the small car,motorcycle,lawnmower,moped,scooter arena so I never expected them to deliver big on any level. The word Honda does'nt go with anything big or huge. It's always best to just be who and what you really are.

well last i heard, neither toyota nor nissan has made any JET ENGINES.

http://www.autospies.com/news/Toyota-May-Follow-Honda-In-To-Jet-Manufacturing-27233/

Honda make some moves that will give her (and their customers) air to breath.

Toyota is the new GM guys, get it into your heads. Honda doesn't want to be in this position.

Delaying projects and saving budgets only position Honda customers in a safer place. Unlike the poor customers of many other major failing peacock companys.

XYZZ: You took the words right outta my mouth and speaking of HondaJet, it is the most fuel efficient and fastest jet in its category. Maybe some of the jet technology will trickle down to Acura.

Sorry dude, do more research its not. One of the fastest maybe, most fuel efficient? Not even close. I live a one city from the factory here in NC and talk to some of the engineers in my neighborhood that work there. MPG is not their forte in jets.

You serious? A Cobalt SS could be faster (though it isn't), but its chassis cannot compare. One is a sports car. The other is an amped up econobox.

@cappy

When did a cobalt beat a S2000? And why would you want a crappy FF econobox when you can have a RWD sports car!

I DONT LIKE THE NEW AUTOSPIES WEB SITE !!!!!!!!!!!

NitePhire, not to go back and forth, but this is a quote I got from Aero Gizmo Mag in reference to the HondaJet: "Billed as the fastest and most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class, first deliveries of the US$3.65 million aircraft are expected in 2010." This at least shows that fuel efficency is a priority even when Honda leaves the ground.

So this is the help the Acura dealers are getting from the manufacturer?
Most people could live without the V8, however a small V8 (4L or so) would have been great. But no RWD is a huge shot on the foot for Acura fans.

HERE WE GO AGAIN......Honda did at one time have a great R&D dept. But if you and the whole world will agree they are behind the eight ball in makin cars in the high line dept with eye appeal. The Korean built Genesis a better lookin car than the TL..haha

NOT TRUE! NOT TRUE! NOT TRUE!

Apparently - Jeff Conrad - the Vice President of the Acura division - asserts that the rumours that began on the AutoCar website are FALSE. True - the NSX is dead - but ALL of Acura's other plans to become Tier 1 competitive are still moving forward. MEANING - I'm assuming - that the V8 engine and the new RWD platform are STILL being worked on. Not sure if that includes the S2000 replacement.

Read all about it on vtec.net site

http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=808157

Craig!! :o)