V8 Acura in the works
It's been speculated for some time that sales of Acura's luxo-barge offerings may be hindered by the automaker's lack of offering V8 power. According to Automotive News, this problem may be remedied soon.In an interview with Honda's president of R&D in the States, Hirohide Ikeno, he hinted that a new direction for Acura powerplants would debut at the upcoming Detroit auto show in January.
It's already been confirmed that the new NSX, due in 2009, will likely get a mid-ship V10, drawing credibility from Honda's 8- and 12-cyclinder racing mills. That kind of power is necessary in the supercar market and a V8 option is a necessity if an automaker hopes to compete with other luxury sedans.
Although development of the V8 will be carried out by Acura's parent company, Honda, don't expect a V8 option in the next Civic.
[Source: Automotive News -- Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
anthony whitlock 1:20AM (9/07/2008)
i think a honda v8 would be sweet. just imagine
the possibilities a 300hp vtec v8 with all the tuner
option available just like a vtec 4 cylinder
cold air intake, headers, turbos, vtec controllers
they could very well bring some new life to
the gaining ground again rwd segment of the
automotive industry. they could very well produce
maybe a rsx rwd derivative which i know is a big dream
but just imagine a redesigned, longer, wider, v8 powered honda s2000 with different options to chose
from like a base v8 version with 300hp. and a type s
version with a power adder like a turbo or a supercharger 400 to 450hp would give the mustangs,
chargers,challenger,mustang, guys a run for there
money. they would have never seen it coming
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Stephen 9:25AM (12/11/2006)
I wouldn't mind seeing a redesigned S2000 with a V8. Vrrroooom!
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MikeW 10:02AM (12/11/2006)
Even a 300hp 3.0 V6 would be enough.
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gkz 10:26AM (12/11/2006)
where do you see a honda v-12 used in racing?
IRL: 3.5L V8 F1: 2.4L V8 (previously 3.0L v10) ALMS: V8 (3-4L i think)...
no v12's used lately
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Tool 10:33AM (12/11/2006)
It's amazing how Honda has flubbed the Acura brand.
Who here remembers how incredible the initial products circa 1986 were? The Legend was a game changer.
I purchased a brand new 1988 Integra when I was in college and loved that little thing. It was my first new car and it was amazing for what it was.
It's sad that Honda took so long to finally produce a V8 after so much denial. But then again, they have never really been able to figure out what Acura was after its initial success. The brand, to some degree, is still a one-trick pony (TL) with a bunch of competent but not outstanding stablemates.
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cFoo 10:34AM (12/11/2006)
Honda's V12 dominated Indy and Cart in the 90s.
It's sad to see Honda peer-pressured into the large engine battle. I would have thought with global warming and all cars manufacturer would go back to turbo/hybrid V6s and V8s.
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Muhammedi 11:19AM (12/11/2006)
Tool, I agree with your comments on the agree brand. Look at an early Legend Coupe, the shape stills looks good today. Honda has managed to turn Acuras into nothing more than rebadged Hondas, instead of making Acura a leader in its market.
The only "Non-Honda" based Acura available today is the RL. Contrast this with Lexus, where there are several models available which don't have a corporate Toyota "twin" (IS, GS, SC, LS)
Acura's recent problems of trying to take the brand upscale would never have been a "problem" if almost every offering didn't share a platform with a Honda model. A V8 would be welcome addition to Acura's lineup and hopefully this may be the start of a new beginning for Acura, where they go back to producing innovative cars.
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Hung2 12:18PM (12/11/2006)
I'll believe it....when I see it!
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snazzum 12:06PM (12/11/2006)
Honda's always been the last company dragged kicking and screaming into offering more powerful engines for their cars. Right or wrong, they don't truly understand (or maybe refuse to cater to) the constant American clammor for more power. Just look how long it took for Honda to even start offering V-6's in the Accord (1995, I think?). It baffles me why a V-8 wasn't developed sooner given the increase in sales a V-8 could provide across much of Honda's (and Acura's) product line.
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Takeo 12:37PM (12/11/2006)
Snazzum, it's not a simple matter of reluctance, Honday despite what many people think is a relatively small company (compared to Toyota and Nissan anyway) and they don't have R and D capital available to them as easily.
Look at the Hondajet, it's taken them 15 years to produce the HF118, a dedicated company like Williams takes much less time to develop engines.
Honda's a great company. I drive a Honda and plan to for the forseeable future, but I also understand they have a limited amount of money to go around. They need to work on a Accord-sized FR platform next.
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Gardiner Westbound 12:45PM (12/11/2006)
Honda's high horsepower VTEC V6 engines lack low end torque. Luxury buyers don’t share the vroom-vroom kids’ enthusiasm for high-revving motors.
The Acura 3.5 RL's jewel-like non-VTEC motor developed 225 hp @ 5200 rpm and 231 lbs.-ft. of torque @ 2800 rpm. The current RL, which isn’t selling well, develops 290 hp @ 6200 rpm and 256 lb.-ft. of torque @ 5000 rpm. It has to have the hell revved out of it to get anywhere in city driving and is a gasoline pig. A V8’s superior low end torque, satisfactory fuel mileage and better acceptance by high end buyers would solve a lot of Honda’s problems. Alternately, Honda can return to non-VTEC V6 designs.
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Schneegz 12:51PM (12/11/2006)
"It's been speculated for some time that sales of Acura's luxo-barge offerings may be hindered by the automaker's lack of offering V8 power."
The preceding statement was brought to you by the Department of the Obvious. Wait, this just in! A complete lack of RWD performance cars may be part of the problem!
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Schneegz 12:53PM (12/11/2006)
Takeo wrote - "Snazzum, it's not a simple matter of reluctance, Honday despite what many people think is a relatively small company (compared to Toyota and Nissan anyway) and they don't have R and D capital available to them as easily."
Honda is the biggest engine manufacturer in the world. I doubt that it's a matter of insufficient R&D.
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Accordsforall 1:14PM (12/11/2006)
Hmmmm...
There are so many ways to ... attack this post, that I cant even figure out how to start.
I dont believe Honda should ever start making a V8. I think their 4's and the 6 do their job just fine. To put a 8 in their vehicles.. means (I think) that Honda can start making the large, cumbersome, heavy cars that everyone else makes, which it shouldnt do. Honda has never been.. lets do that too. Then again.. Honda also moves to the beat of its own drum. The vehicles produced by Honda do quite well on their own.. but so much can really be improved.
The TL is everyones favorite. The MDX lets the suburban moms think they are hot SH*T. And the RL and TSX cater to those who have more money.
I actually had an idea for quite some that the V8 is coming. Its only a matter of time.. before Honda kneels to public scrutnity. Next they will be making a rear drive car.. with a big honking V8. And that disturbs me.. a great deal.
This is from a company.. that did just fine.. for about 20years making 2 cars.. with virtually the same motor.
Now they start with the Ridgeline.. and the V8. Life as we know it.. is starting to suck.
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leo 1:26PM (12/12/2006)
I would love it if it was a 3.5L V8 reving to at least 9000RPM, making 400HP and 325lb-ft in the NSX with weightkept at 2900lbs
man, just reving the engine would be fun eough
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lawstdent 2:29PM (12/11/2006)
V8, so rwd then? or are they trying to keep the RL AWD?
No point in having a V8 unless there is RWD. Hope it makes it way into a Honda platform, their SUV's offerings have been kind of weak in variety and power. For example the CRV still does not have a V6, and the ridgeline could use a V8 as a Halo car to their V6. Come one Honda, just because people do not tow on average more than 6500lbs does not mean an anemic V6 will cut it.
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Autobots 2:06PM (12/11/2006)
Honda is one of the few companies that I love because they're very innovative and efficient. The problem I have with them is that they are quite stubborn when it comes to sticking to their philosophy. They had reasons because they have been quite successful in doing so. I don’t care what some of you will say, but I think Honda is the greenest automotive company on the planet and therefore was hesitant to offer anything greater than a V8. Well years of neglecting have hurt them with the Acura brand…a league where V8s are necessary to compete. Seeing Toyota and its luxury Lexus brand being so successful has got to hurt Honda in a lot of ways now….maybe not in the beginning but you can deny it for so many years. I mean name one company in the luxury market that does not offer a V8? Some will say that that TL and MDX doesn’t have a V8 but they are doing very well. Yes, but you need to have a V8 as an option to compete with other companies that do offer V8s…also it’s an image that is necessary in the big league. You don’t bring a pistol to war do you? You going to get kill and I think Honda finally recognize it. Years of developing V8s and wining races in racing…not streaming them down to your products doesn’t make any sense. That is a waste! We can’t have that for one of the most efficient companies in the world now doe we?
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J P 2:11PM (12/11/2006)
you know, judging by how honda does things, that this will be one of the best, most advanced, most complex, and most reliable v8s ever made.
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MikeW 3:42PM (12/11/2006)
Honda isn't going to due a cross plane crank V8.
The cross plane crank V8 is the least efficient engine configuration.
Honda would be wise to beef up the ridgeline with a 270hp/260ft-lbs 3.7 V6.
The RL is a super accord.
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andrewh 4:17PM (12/11/2006)
What they should really do is add turbos to their V6, with direct injection, like the BMW 335i twin turbo inline 6. Turbos with direct injection transformed BMW's similarly low torque, mediocre horsepower six-cylinder into a torque monster. 300 lb-ft from 1400 rpm to 5000 rpm. Who needs a V8?
I'm sure they're working on it, given the turbo'd I4 in the RDX.
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