Acura RL redesign seeking to address slow sales
Acura's RL has never fared well in a marketplace rife with V8s and rear-wheel-drive, but according to dealers, the next iteration of the brand's flagship sedan might finally bring it up to the level of its competitors. However, a story in Automotive News doesn't shed much light on what's in store.
Dealers believe that a major makeover is coming, but when AN talked to Dan Bonawitz, the veep of corporate planning and logistics over at Honda, he said the that RL was due for a mid-term change, which would imply that it might simply benefit from some new sheetmetal. An Acura dealer in Pittsburgh confirmed as much, saying that the new model will get a redesigned body, but little else was divulged.
In order for Acura to compete with the Bimmers and Benzs of the world, they'll have to ditch the AWD and V6, and instead equip the new model with V8 power being sent to the rear wheels. When that will come and whether Acura will develop an all new platform remains to be seen.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Scott 9:27AM (11/19/2007)
Ditch the AWD? Their killer AWD system? That's one of the things which makes the RL interesting and not a copycat. Also, the V6 isn't a bad motor, simply offering a V8 to people who want that would be a fine move. I really like the current RL and the only addition which I would be after is a manual six.
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long 3:59PM (11/19/2007)
I damn agree....no one could touch acura super handling all weel drive.
Jason 9:32AM (11/19/2007)
How is RWD automatically better than Acura's AWD?
I love it when people think that a car has to be V8 and RWD else it's trash... because which wheels push/pull/both a car and the size of the engine is everything that matters to every person.
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Damon Lavrinc 11:28AM (11/19/2007)
Scott and Jason: It's market perceptions, and has little to no basis in fact -- which is a shame. On a related note: Merritt Johnson, our geek-at-large, has a post coming up later today about Acura's AWD system that'll be worth a read.
Desertnate 4:38PM (11/19/2007)
I think the engine size and which axle puts the power down IS a big idea to those who put down the money for a large-ish luxury car.
A V-8 while heavier, will most times put down more torque and HP at lower RPM and won't be as "peaky" as most V-6's. Therefore the driving experience is more fluid gives the driver/passengers a more "relaxed" driving experience.
RWD is the same way. In a properly balanced car, the RWD give a much more balanced driving experience compared to driving a car that has 60%+ of its weight siting in the hood. RWD negates some of this, but if the car isn't balanced properly, you can have a wonderful AWD system and a nose heavy car.
Personally, if I had the money to buy a car in this range was wasn't physically capable of shifting my own gears, I'd consider the RL. I like the appearance and the exclusivity since so few are on the road.
FThorn 9:43AM (11/19/2007)
I have only seen ONE RL on the road.
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Justin 8:31AM (11/20/2007)
Might wanna try leaving your parents' basement every now and again.
Alex Keyes 9:51AM (11/19/2007)
..
the RL seems like a good car, but it's hugely overpriced
...
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AZ 10:53AM (11/19/2007)
Totally agree with you. For that price, I would get a BMW.
Ford Wannup 12:39PM (11/19/2007)
you must live in Mongolia then, or you can't tell your RL from your TL....RL is rare, but not that rare.
Ford Wannup 12:41PM (11/19/2007)
you must live in Mongolia then, or you can't tell your RL from your TL....RL is rare, but not that rare.
SOhp101 1:07PM (11/19/2007)
I think it's funny when people say "I would rather get a BMW, Lexus, Audi, Mercedes" when it's apparent they've never tried shopping in this segment. Most comparably equipped cars are over $5k more expensive.
Some people say it's too close to the TL, and in terms of size, it is very true, but the leather is MUCH higher quality and it contains many features (the biggest one being SH-AWD) that the TL does not have.
I think that other factors contribute more largely to this car's failure but I also think that it was done to help transition it to a more luxurious level. They need to do it soon because as soon as the new TL comes out, this relatively small gap will close almost immediately.
Ilya 9:58AM (11/19/2007)
Seriously, why ditch the AWD when you can only add RWD to the lineup... BMW, Lexus, Infiniti and Mercedes that are RWD offer AWD as an option.
It'll be pretty sweet if Acura offered both V6 and V8 engines with RWD and AWD.
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In2uition 11:52AM (11/19/2007)
Infiniti offers that (now atleast) with the M sedan and the styling is much better than the RL. I think the styling has something to do with its sales moreso than drivetrain (powertrain is a factor too).
robert bell 1:21PM (11/19/2007)
Acura has carved out a niche in the upper market as offering more "value" per car than its, admittedly, more "lux" competitors ala Lexus. And, while not having the greatest image for luxury and performance ala BMW and Mercedes, it's reputation for quality and longevity are superior befitting a product from Honda.
Adding a RWD V-8 sedan at the top end would, undoubtedly, make Acura more directly competitive with their aforementioned competitors but at what cost? Would the incremental sales gains outweigh the cost of engineering and building a separate RWD architecture and would they, automatically, sell more units more profitably? And, in the age of $4 to $5 a gallon gasoline might not some savvy upper income customers desire a V-6 with superior MPG to accompany the luxury they seek?
Finally, Honda has always been a bit of a contrarian company, introducing models (e.g. the Element) which seem, at first, to be odd ducks, but which stand the test of time and stand apart from competition. An AWD V-6 luxury sedan puts them in the sweet spot of "affordable" luxury while every other brand is attempting to create and price product for hedge fund managers.
If I were in Honda's shoes I would concentrate my efforts at the performance market by building a knock out super car, like the NSX, and pricing it in the range of $75K.
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psipwrd 10:09AM (11/19/2007)
Acura's afraid of losing to those cars so they'll just play in the Minor League.
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Tool 10:11AM (11/19/2007)
Imagine if Acura were to do a proper flagship again?
Who can ever forget how amazing the Acura Legend was when it first came out? If Honda actually comes out with a V8 and RWD, I think it would be amazing. Plus, they need to get the styling right, and that has been a real problem for them, too.
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psarhjinian 12:22PM (11/19/2007)
Remember that, when the Legend came out, cars were much smaller. If you see a BMW 5-Series from the same era, you'll understand.
I like the current RL, but it's not a standout car in any way. Personally, that's why I like it, but it does need a halo version in order to attract customers (hybrid? turbo? both?), even if, in a pure cost:benefit sense, it's a better buy than a BMW 528i.
That being said, the biggest favour Acura could do for the RL would be to shrink the TL.
Stiletto 10:25AM (11/19/2007)
I agree with the previous posters that "ditching the AWD" would be a bone headed move. They need to promote it more as it is a fantastic system, upping the horsepower (at least above the Accord) by a significant margin and possibly adding a V8 would be awesome, Honda has yet to really play in the V8 world but having said, the world's largest engine manufacturer is doign pretty well with some amazing engines that deliver awesome power and awesome mileage at the same time! If/when they do introduce a V8, they will have to offer it in the Ridgeline too.
All the RL really needs right now is a styling refresh to make it at least as attractive as the TL (love the looks!).
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Schmeltz 10:34AM (11/19/2007)
IMHO, Acura (and many other automakers too) goofed when they dropped names of cars for letter and/or number combinations. I remember when Acura had the "Legend" sedan. Good name and nice car. Now, what the heck is it called..The BLT?, no...the PDQ?, no...can someone help me out?
Acura, be creative, be different, be daring....give your cars names!!!
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