Acura
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Acura is the
luxury vehicle division of
Japanese
automaker
Honda
Motor Company.
[1]
The brand has been available in the
United
States and
Canada since March 1986, marketing luxury,
performance,
and
near-performance vehicles.
It was introduced to
Hong Kong in 1991,
Mexico in
2004, and
China in
2006. Honda's plan to introduce Acura to the Japanese market in 2008 was
delayed, due to economic reasons,
[2]
and later withheld as a result of the
2008 financial
crisis.
[3]
The creation of Acura coincided with the introduction of a Japanese
Honda dealership sales channel, called
Honda Clio,
which sold luxury vehicles, joining previously established Honda Verno,
followed by Honda Primo the following year. Acura holds the distinction
of being the first Japanese automotive luxury brand.
[4]
In its first few years of existence, Acura was among the best-selling
luxury marques in the US. Though sales were down in the mid-to-late
1990s, the brand experienced a revival in the early 2000s, due to
drastic redesigns and the introductions of new models.
[4]
[edit] History
[edit]
1980s:
Introduction of the Acura brand
Following a decade of research, Honda opened 60 new dealerships in
North America by 1986, to support its Acura automobile division. Acura
was the first Japanese luxury brand, introduced under the slogan,
"Acura. Precision Crafted Performance."
[1]
Its initial offering consisted of two models: the
executive
class Legend and the
compact class Integra, available as a five-door and three-door
hatchback. The Legend was the result of Project XX, a joint venture
Honda entered into with the
UK's
Austin Rover Group. It was mechanically related to the
Rover 800 series, while the Integra was an
improvement of the
Honda Quint hatchback.
[5]
The success of these models, particularly the Legend, led to
competing Japanese luxury brand ventures (
Toyota's
Lexus that
began development in 1983 as the
F1
project, and
Nissan's
Infiniti
who began development in 1985 by revising their Japan-only flagship
Nissan President; in the late 1990s Mazda planned but
never launched its own Amati luxury division). The goal of the Legend
was to compete with rivals
Toyota
Crown and the
Nissan Cedric and
Gloria,
but due to its 1986 introduction worldwide, Toyota, Nissan and other
companies like
Lincoln took notice
of the markets reaction to the Legend and later the
Vigor and offered vehicles that addressed the
executive size car. Toyota introduced the
Lexus ES,
Nissan introduced the
Infiniti
J30 and Ford utilized the
Taurus platform and named their new sedan the
Lincoln Continental.
In 1987, Acura's first full year of sales, they sold 109,000 cars
with the flagship Legend sedan accounting for 55,000 sales and the rest
were of the smaller Integra. By 1990, Acura was selling 138,000
vehicles, including 54,000 Legends, compared to Mercedes-Benz's 78,000
cars and 64,000 each for BMW and Lexus.
[4]
[edit] 1990s: NSX, updates
In 1990, five years after the debut of the Legend and Integra, Acura
introduced the
NSX, a midship V6 powered,
rear-wheel-drive sports car. The NSX, an acronym for "New Sports
eXperimental", was billed as the first Japanese car capable of competing
with
Ferrari
and
Porsche.
This vehicle served as a "image car" for both the Honda and Acura
brands, heralding the introduction of Honda's
VTEC
technology. The NSX was the world's first all-aluminum production car,
and was also marketed and viewed by some as the "Everyday Supercar"
thanks in part to its ease of use, quality and reliability, traits that
were unheard of in the supercar segment at the time. With the release of
the NSX, Acura introduced the "A-badge", a stylized pair of calipers—a
tool used for exacting measurements to imply that Acura vehicles are
built to precise and demanding standards.
The
Honda
NSX, badged as an Acura in certain regions
Despite a strong start in market acceptance for the Acura brand,
sales suffered in the mid-to-late 1990s. Some critics attributed this
decline in part to less inspiring designs, which were re-branded
Japanese-spec Hondas, such as the
Acura Vigor in 1992, a
response to the
Lexus ES and
Infiniti
J30. Additionally, during this time Acura switched to an
alphanumeric nomenclature formula, dropping the Legend, Vigor and
Integra titles, following the lead of the NSX sportscar. The 1996 3.5
RL, which replaced the popular Legend, and the Vigor became the 2.5 TL
and 3.2 TL, and was regarded by many as the epitome of this problem,
namely because the alphanumeric designations were more anonymous than
the former Legend, Vigor and Integra titles, which had grown into their
own cult followings.
[6]
Also, the RL's 210 horsepower (160 kW) V6 (later increased to 225 hp),
together with a high price and styling that cautiously copied the larger
rear wheel drive and V-8 powered
Lexus LS
400, did little against
BMW,
Audi,
Lexus, and other competitors.
The parent company, Honda, was also feeling the results of the
decline of the Japanese economy, due to the
Japanese asset price bubble that
took place during the 1990s and into the 2000s. This period is known in
Japan as
The Lost Decade.
During this time, the NSX also lost sales as Acura made few changes
from its original 1990 trim. A year later, the Integra sedan was
withdrawn from the Canadian market, replaced by the market-exclusive
Acura 1.6
EL, a rebadged
Honda Civic/
Domani.
The Integra sedan continued to be sold in the United States until 2001
(in name only, the model it was replaced with, the RSX, was simply a
rebadged left-hand-drive version of the JDM DC5 Honda Integra).
Despite these letdowns, Acura gained prominence in the 1990s with a
young group of customers: "tuner" enthusiasts. Parent company Honda's
reputation with this demographic as a maker of "easy-to-tune" and
"rev-happy" engines rubbed off onto Acura, and the Integra became a
popular tuner car.
[edit] 2000–2003:
TL, RSX, MDX
Beginning around the year 2000, Acura experienced a rebirth which was
catalyzed by the introduction of several redesigned models. The first
of these models was the 1999 Acura 3.2 TL, an upscale sedan competing
with the likes of the
Lexus ES,
Infiniti I30, and
BMW 3-series. Critics suggested that although
3.2 TL did not outdo its competition in any one area of luxury cars, it
offered a well-rounded blend of sportiness and luxury.
[7]
These characteristics, combined with the TL's competitive price, proved
very popular with consumers. Subsequent Acura models have followed a
similar philosophy of offering lots of standard equipment and very few
options.
Another refreshed Acura introduced in the early 2000s was the
MDX,
a popular three-row crossover SUV based on the
Honda Odyssey minivan. The MDX
replaced the slow-selling
SLX, which was little more than a rebadged
Isuzu
Trooper. The MDX was a car-like crossover SUV with limited off-road
capability that catered to the demands of the luxury SUV market. It was
given top honors by
Car and Driver in its first comparison test against seven
other SUVs.
[8]
Other cars in Acura's line-up during this time included the 3.2 TL, 3.2
CL, RSX (formerly the Integra hatchback), and the NSX. By the late
2000s, Acura had dropped the inclusion of engine displacement numbers in
its vehicle designations, retaining a simpler, two- or three-letter
designation instead (e.g. 3.5 RL became RL). The 1999-2003 TL have been
plagued by transmission and other problems.
[9]
In 2001, a new coupe, badged as the RSX was introduced to the Acura
line up. It was a replacement for the outgoing Integra. The RSX is a
rebadged Honda Integra (DC5) from the Japanese market. As a result, the
RSX is technically a new generation of the outgoing Integra. Much like
the Integra, the RSX was a hit in the tuner market. However, at the end
of 2006, the RSX was taken out of the Acura line up, subsequently in the
Japanese market as well. It is not known why the RSX did not continue
to be sold as the Integra in Japan, however, the reason that Acura gave
for the cancellation of the RSX is that Acura wishes to move up in the
luxury brand, thus cannot sell a car that is mostly driven by teenagers.
[edit] 2004–2006:
RL, TSX, RDX
A new TL debuted for the 2004 model year, featuring sharp, Italianate
styling and a 270 hp (200 kW) V6 measured by the then-current
SAE
standards. The new TL increased sales dramatically to 70,943 American
units in 2005, trumping competitors such as the
C-Class,
G35,
CTS,
ES 300,
and
A4.
[10]
Also around the same time the
Acura
TSX was introduced as a cheaper alternative to the BMW 3-Series. It
was essentially a re-badged European and Japanese market Honda Accord
loaded with features. This model became the only 4-cylinder sedan in
Acura's line-up (with the exception of the Canadian market
Acura
CSX, which replaced the EL in 2006).
In 2005, a new RL was introduced with a 300 hp (220 kW) V6, improved
styling, and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), a system capable
of sending almost all of the RL's power to just one wheel in a turn. The
second-generation RL appeared on
Car and Driver's
Ten Best list for 2005, and
also garnered an
CNET.com "Editor's Choice" Award for Top Tech Car.
While critically acclaimed, sales have not met expectations, as the
price of the RL is perceived to be out of its bracket. As the new RL
offered more features and performance than the base version of its
luxury competition's (i.e., the base six-cylinder.
BMW 5 Series),
[11]
Honda Japan suggested that it could charge more, though Honda Canada
disagreed. The RL's initial MSRP was $69,500 CAD, more than the
six-cylinder BMW 525i and close to that of the V8-powered BMW 545i. At
the RL's price point, most consumers expected a V8, furthermore they did
not perceive Acura as being on par with its German rivals and expected
more value from the Japanese marque. The damage from Honda Japan's
alleged hubris was done, even though Honda Canada has since reduced the
RL's price.
[12]
Acura's new models—particularly the TL and TSX—were well received by
the motoring press and became Acura's top selling vehicles. The TSX was
on
Car and Driver's Ten Best list from 2004–2006.
In 2006 Acura introduced a small SUV which was based on its own
unique unibody chassis called the
RDX
with models becoming available to U.S. consumers in August 2006. It is
powered by a turbocharged 240-hp 4-cylinder engine and, like the RL,
uses Acura's
SH-AWD system. The model is available in two
versions: Premium (the standard offering), and Technology Package (an
upgraded offering with a GPS navigation system). A completely redesigned
MDX became available in the fall of 2006 with a 300 hp (220 kW) V6
engine and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive.
[edit] 2007–present:
ZDX, ILX, RLX
Acura re-introduced the TL Type-S for the 2007 model year. 2009
marked the all new TL and TSX models as well as a mid-year model update
for the RL; all three made their debuts in the 2008 calendar year. Acura
planned on redesigning the RL by 2011 as well as announced the creation
of a brand new luxury crossover vehicle called the
ZDX,
previewed by the concept of the same name.
The ZDX was the first Acura designed in Acura's design studio located
at Torrance in Southern California. The ZDX was designed by Michelle
Christensen and based on the Acura MDX using that vehicles 3.7 litre V6
engine (300 bhp) and SH-AWD system. A common misconception is that it is
based on the Honda Crosstour which was based on the Honda Accord rather
than the bigger and more complex underpinnings of the MDX. It is also
the first Acura to be completely built in North America. The production
model of the ZDX made its debut in the Orange County Auto Show in
Southern California on October 15, 2009. The concept behind the ZDX is
that it is a "four door coupe," and the design emphasis of the body of
the car is like a "pulled back slingshot." Another prominent design
aspect of the ZDX is the wide rear shoulders above the rear wheels. The
ZDX went on sale in December 2009.
Acura initially had plans for the third generation of RL to be a rear
wheel drive V8 sedan for its
flagship, but shelved the plans in the wake of
the 2008 economic downturn.
[13]
Acura announced new TSX wagon in the 2010 New York Auto Show and the
car is due to go on sale in Fall of 2010. The wagon version of the TSX
is based on the wagon version of the Euro-spec Honda Accord which has
been in the European market for some time. However, Acura did not
announce any plans for the third-generation RL.
For the 2010 model year the MDX models received some slight exterior
changes and increased equipment levels. Mechanically the engine remained
unchanged but the transmission was updated from the previous 5-speeds
to 6-speeds including steering column mounted shift override paddles.
This new transmission was shared with the ZDX.
In 2012, Acura introduced a new model called the
ILX
which is based heavily on the
Honda
Civic platform. It shares the same 3 power train variants from the
Civic: the 2.0L, 2.4L VTEC and a 1.5L Hybrid. It also unveiled the
Acura
RLX Concept, a replacement for the RL sedan, at the New York
International Auto Show. The ILX went on sale in May 2012 in the
United
States as a 2013 model.
[edit] Racing
Almost since its inception, Acura has been involved in American
motorsports, specifically in
Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)
and
IMSA GT Championship series. Starting
in 1991, Acura reached an agreement with
Comptech
Racing to use the V6 motor of the all-new
Acura
NSX in Comptech's Camel Lights
Spice prototype. Acura would go on to take the Lights
championship in its initial year, including a class win at the
24 Hours of Daytona. Acura and
Comptech
would take the Lights championships again in 1992 and 1993, as well as
another Daytona class win in 1992 and a class win at the
12 Hours of Sebring for 1993.
However a change in the IMSA rules would lead to the demise of the
Camel Lights, and so Acura moved to
touring car racing, joining Realtime Racing in the SCCA
World Challenge with the NSX in
1996, winning the final two races of the season. In 1997, Acura added
Acura
Integras to the lower classes, and were successful in taking the
championship in both of these classes. Realtime took the touring
championship with the Integra again in 1998, and came within a few
points of winning it again in 1999 only to lose it in the final race,
then coming back to retake the title in 2000.
Although Realtime had abandoned the NSX program in 1998, the NSXs
returned to the top class in 2001. Although the NSX squad suffered
mechanical woes and were unable to take the title, the Integras of the
touring class once again took the teams championship. By 2002, Acura
replaced the aged Integra with the new
Acura RSX in the final races of the season,
scoring good finishes in their debut. At the same time, Acura finally
retired the NSXs from the top GT class. The RSXs would later be joined
by new
Acura TSXs in 2004. Realtime continues to campaign the RSX and
TSX in the SCCA
Speed World Challenge. Acura
also currently races RSXs and TSXs in the
Grand
American Road Racing Association's
KONI Challenge Series for
touring cars.
At the
Detroit Auto Show in
2006, Acura announced their plans to enter the
American Le Mans Series with
multiple teams of
Le Mans prototypes in the LMP2 class
starting in 2007 season. The cars would be purchased chassis from
existing manufacturers, but use American-built Acura V8s (a first for
Acura and Honda). Acura also announced their initiative to take the cars
to the
24 Hours of Le Mans in 2008 and
eventually move to the superior LMP1 class with cars built by Acura
themselves in 2009. Later in 2006, Acura announced that the three
factory teams would be
Andretti Green Racing,
Fernández Racing, and
Highcroft Racing, and that the chassis would be built by
Lola
Cars of the UK and
Courage Compétition of France.
The three Acura-powered prototypes debuted at the
2007 12 Hours of Sebring, which was the
opening round of the ALMS season, and were successful in their debut.
Andretti Green's Acura took second place overall and first in the LMP2
class, while Fernández Racing took third overall, and Highcroft sixth,
beating a series of established
Porsche
teams in their class. At the same time, Acura began development of their
own chassis by heavily modifying their purchased Courage chassis. The
cars now have been so radically changed from their original orientation
that they are now named
Acura ARX-01a. Acura will introduce evolved
B-spec cars in the 2008 season, with
Gil
de Ferran launching a fourth Acura team in the ALMS.
[edit] Marketing
Acura's current marketing slogan is "Advance."
[14]
Recent models include Technology, Advance, Type-S, and SH-AWD trim
levels. Technology and Advance models typically come with the latest
hi-tech features such as
keyless
start and a
blind spot information system. Type-S and SH-AWD models
are performance-oriented, with a substantial increase in horsepower
compared to the lower trim levels. Some models, such as the TL, also
combine trim levels (i.e. "SH-AWD with Advance").
[15]
Acura began an association with
Marvel Entertainment in 2010, upon release of the
film
Iron Man 2, which featured a ZDX after the ending
credits. On April 20, 2011, Acura and Marvel announced a promotional
campaign, making Acura the official brand of Marvel's fictional
S.H.I.E.L.D.
organization.
[16]
Soon thereafter, several Acura models—such as the MDX, ZDX, RL, and
TL—appeared in the films
Thor
and
Captain America: The First
Avenger. In the 2012 film,
The Avengers,
Iron Man
(played by
Robert Downey, Jr.) drove an exotic
sportscar by Acura, made specifically for the film,
[17]
rather than the
Audi R8 he previously drove. It was rumored that the
car spotted during filming was a concept for the second generation NSX,
[18][19]
however, a different-looking 2012 Acura NSX Concept was unveiled at the
North American
International Auto Show, on January 9, 2012.
From 1995 to 2007, Acura sponsored two
WTA Tour tennis tournaments, both
named the
Acura Classic.
In 2012, Acura was the presenting sponsor and official vehicle of the
Sundance Film Festival.
[20]
Acura also has a 'Mobility Program' that ensures drivers who are
disabled are safe in their vehicles. The program offers cash
reimbursement towards the cost of adaptive equipment for disabled
drivers.
[21]
[edit] Timeline
- 1986
- Acura debuts in North America as the first Japanese luxury marque.
- 1990
- Acura dealerships in the US win their fifth consecutive first-place
ranking on the Customer Satisfaction Index by J. D. Power and Associates
- Acura announces that it will expand research and development in the
US
- The second generation Integra is introduced
- 1991
- The Legend coupe wins Motor
Trend's prestigious "Import Car of the Year" trophy
- Honda's VTEC
technology is introduced in the NSX
- Acura is introduced in Hong
Kong by Reliance Motors
- 1992
- The Legend and Integra are joined by the Vigor
- 1994
-
- The third generation Integra is introduced
- 1996
- The CL is introduced as a 1997 model
- The Legend is replaced by the RL and the Vigor is replaced by the TL
- 1997
- The Integra Type R is introduced
- The NSX receives 20 more horsepower with a larger 3.2L V6 engine and
a new 6-speed manual transmission
- The Civic-based 1.6 EL replaces the Integra sedan in the Canadian
lineup, while the Integra sedan continued U.S. sales until 2001
Third generation Acura Integra
- 2000
- The MDX is introduced as a 2001 model along with a new CL
- 2001
- The MDX wins the prestigious Motor Trend "2001 Sport/Utility of the
Year" award
- Civic-based 1.7 EL launched, replacing the 1.6 EL, in the
Canadian lineup
- 2002
- The Integra is replaced by the RSX, which is a left hand drive
version of the fourth generation Honda Integra
- The TL Type-S is introduced
- The NSX receives a cosmetic facelift, with the retractable
headlights being replaced with fixed ones. The suspension is also
slightly revised, and an automatic transmission becomes optional
- 2003
- The CL receives a new 6-speed manual transmission, before being
discontinued later that year
- 2004
- Acura is introduced in Mexico by Honda de Mexico
- Third generation Acura TL is introduced
- The TSX is introduced and becomes a very competitive choice against
popular BMW 3-series
- The MDX receives a mid-model change with more horsepower
- 2005
- The NSX is discontinued
- The RSX receives a mid-model change and more horsepower in the
Type-S
- The new Acura TL wins "Consumer's Most Wanted Vehicle" at
Edmunds.com
- Acura RL is introduced with the revolutionary SH-AWD system
- Acura drops engine size from 1.7 EL
model name
- 2006
- Acura is introduced in China
- Acura RDX is introduced with SH-AWD
- Acura introduces CSX to replace EL, and is only sold in Canada
- The RSX (as well as the Honda Integra) is discontinued
- The TSX gets mid-model change with 5 more horsepower
- 2007
- Acura MDX receives a redesign
- Acura TL Type-S is reintroduced, and the CSX Type-S is introduced in
Canada
- 2008
- Acura introduces the new RL, which receives a mid-model change
redesign
- Acura introduces new TSX at the New York Auto Show
- 2009 model year
- Acura TSX receives a redesign
- Acura TL receives a redesign
- Acura RL receives a mid-model change
- Acura CSX receives a mid-model change
- 2010 model year
- Acura introduces all new ZDX
- Acura MDX receives a mid-model change
- Acura RDX receives a mid-model change
- Acura TSX receives an optional V6 engine from the TL and a minor
mid-model change
- 2011 model year
- Acura TSX Sport Wagon is introduced
- Acura CSX is dropped
- 2012 model year
- Acura TL gets mid-model change
- Acura TSX Special Edition is introduced
- 2013 model year
- Acura ILX is introduced
- Acura RDX receives a redesign
- 2014 model year
- Acura RLX is released to the market.
[edit] Current models
-
