Originally posted by 02RSXTYPES
[B]

WTF does the RL need a V8 for? it totally goes against Honda's ideals, it is not necessary, and the V6 and FWD is a great niche to have in the northeast. The RL outsells the Q 3 to 1, don't tell me a RWD V8 will cure its problems. We've discussed this before and that is the concencus, like it or not.

Originally posted by integboi220
i don't see any V8 coming out of honda any time soon but IMA sounds nice...a IMA system in the RL will be nice no other luxury car company has this...and if you want the RL to move up it wouldn't be competing against E class and 5 series more like S class and 7 series.
RL= S class, 7 series, LS430, Q45, A8
TL= E class, 5 series, ES300, I35, A6
TSX= C class, 3 series, IS300, G35, A4

Originally posted by integboi220
yea i kinda didnt wanna put ES in there but then it matches up with the TL a lot... so i guess if TL does stay put acura would need that exact model between the TL and RL

Contrary to popular misconception, Toyota’s Lexus nameplate was not the first premium Japanese brand to assault the American market. That distinction belongs to a stealth brand called Acura, launched here quietly by Honda in 1986.

The first Acura entry was a modestly styled mid-size sedan called the Legend, based loosely on the Honda Accord. It was followed shortly by the Civic-based Integra. Toyota and Nissan took three more years to follow Honda into the premium waters with the Lexus and Infiniti brands in 1989.

In the sixteen years since its debut, Acura has been slowly building a solid stable of products that has attracted a loyal following, especially among younger consumers weaned in the Seventies and Eighties on Accords and Camrys.

And yet the brand still doesn’t seem to garner as much respect — or ink — as its two Japanese rivals, despite the fact that Acura outsells Infiniti by a two-to-one margin.

This year, Acura’s gains have been modest; sales are up a mere two percent, and market share is flat. But the brand is about to embark on a major expansion effort that could seriously elevate its status over the next four years.

The brand-building campaign swings into high gear early next year with the introduction of a new sedan, the 2004 TSX, which will be based heavily on the redesigned European Accord that will be unveiled later this week at the Paris show.

[b]Sources say Acura has at least two and perhaps as many as four additional models planned for the North American market by 2007, including a sport-utility truck, a hybrid gas-electric vehicle that defies easy categorization, and a compact SUV that could share underpinnings with the quirky Honda Element.[b]

The all-new Acura TSX is the answer to the question frequently asked of the European/ Japanese Accord: Why don’t they bring that one over here? It follows in the footsteps of such earlier Acura entries as the Vigor, which originated as a Japan-only Accord derivative.

The 2004 TSX will be formally introduced in January at the Los Angeles and Detroit shows and will go on sale in the spring, priced from about $26,000. Imported from Japan and powered by a 200-bhp 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the TSX is slightly smaller than the redesigned U.S. Accord that is just going on sale. The TSX will be slotted between the RSX and the TL in size and price and will be aimed at such near-luxury European sedans as the Audi A4, the Saab 9-3, and the Volvo S60, as well as premium Japanese models such as the Infiniti G35.

At least two or three additional new models are in the pipeline from Acura. Among the more intriguing prospects, the brand is said to be looking at a large, sporting four-door quite unlike anything else in the premium market, according to insiders. This as-yet- unnamed vehicle is said to be inspired mechanically (if not stylistically) by the Honda Dual Note concept that was displayed last fall at the Tokyo show and updated earlier this year as the Acura DNX concept at the New York show.

This relatively large four-door is expected to adapt a hybrid gas-electric driveline, similar to the layout in the Dual Note, incorporating a powerful 3.5-liter V-6 to drive the rear wheels and an electric motor to drive the front wheels. It could be introduced in 2005-06.

Acura is also looking seriously at its own companion to the Honda Element, aimed at affluent younger buyers. This small, funky all-wheel-drive model is said to be inspired by the cute Acura RDX concept from this year’s Detroit show. What is not known is whether the production version will pick up the hybrid gas-electric driveline from the RDX or whether it will use a conventional powertrain as in the Element.

A third candidate for the Acura collection is an upscale version of the mid-size Honda sport-utility truck that’s tentatively planned for model year 2006. Based on the Pilot/ MDX platform, the SUT will be powered by a 3.5- or 3.8-liter V-6 and will feature all- wheel drive and loads of equipment.

The MDX itself is getting a shot of adrenaline this fall in the form of a more powerful 265-bhp 3.5-liter V-6 and such new features as rear-seat DVD entertainment, vehicle stability control, and voice-activated navigation. A full exterior face lift is anticipated a year later for model year 2004.

Also slated for fall 2003 is a full redesign of the TL sedan.

The big RL sedan, meanwhile, probably won’t be redesigned until model year 2007, when it may get an all-new V-8 engine and switch to rear-wheel drive.

The heavy investment earmarked for Acura underscores Honda’s intent to boost the image — and sales volume — of its premium brand. Now outselling such prominent Europeans as Audi and Volvo, Acura’s next target appears to be a big one: Lexus, the number-one luxury brand in North America.

If Honda wants to put a new flagship sedan model, the best thing it can do is fix the RL to be a better competitor in its current class and just bring out an all new LS-7 series-S class fighter rather than moving the RL up and filling the hole in the middle with a new model. [/B]