Spy Shots: Has Acura gone mad? X6 competitor spotted on the 'Ring
by Sam Abuelsamid on Oct 21st 2008 at 11:29AM 
There is no doubt that Honda moves to the beat of its own percussionist, especially compared to its Japanese competitors. Of late, however, the Acura side of the house seems to be making some very odd decisions. There is the most obvious front and center example – the new shield grille, which one dealer has taken it upon himself to fix. Then the other day came news that Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has confirmed the next-gen top-of-the-line Acura sedan will use the company's first V8 engine. This comes at the same time other manufacturers are abandoning new V8 engine programs due to falling sales and high fuel prices. No doubt Honda's answer to the V8 question will be something at least slightly different than what we've seen from Infiniti and Lexus. The latest head scratcher may well be the biggest of all. Since it's debut, the BMW X6 has had many of us pondering why it exists. Apparently the team at Acura understands, since they have created a "sport activity coupe"/crossover thingy of their own. The X6 hasn't exactly been flying off dealer lots in the U.S. since it went on sale six months ago, so the obvious question is why make another? We certainly don't know the answer, but judging by this prototype with an Acura shield grille visible under the camo that was spotted recently at the Nürburgring, Honda does. Thanks to Luke for the tip!
[Source: GlobalMotors.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
coolremo 11:34AM (10/21/2008)
How do the X5 and X6 differ besides for the external design? They seem about the same size to me, so what are the major differences?
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DKB_SATX 12:07PM (10/21/2008)
The X5 is still useful as a wagon, it's just taller than it needs to be for 99% of its buyers. It's a tall AWD version of the 5 Touring, basically... (yes I know it's more distinct from the 5 Touring than that, the 5 Touring is much more attractively proportioned, but work with me here...)
The X6 is just... weird. The rake of the hatch makes it mostly useless for cargo (even with the rear seats folded) and it looks WRONG.
Dave T. 12:38PM (10/21/2008)
Um the X6 50i has a turbocharged V-8. That would be a big big difference. The X6 also had a surprisingly good first month of sales and then it all went downhill.
Pengwin 10:47PM (10/22/2008)
hey dave, check the comment on the acura post you left me.
Peter NoWorkDay.com 11:34AM (10/21/2008)
Who needs an SUV that has less space than Toyota iQ?
ps!I think the correct source is: GlobalMotors. NET
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Isuzu32 11:36AM (10/21/2008)
Funny how the X6 needs a competitor. The X6's biggest problem is the X6.
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3seriesisking 11:51AM (10/21/2008)
Tell me about it....
Acura, please don't give BMW an excuse to keep this thing around.
BigMcLargeHuge 11:41AM (10/21/2008)
If that really is a wagon/avant trim under there I could see a point in a luxury Outback/Allroad/XC70 kind of way.
The X6 would have made sense if it were Avant-esque like a raised M5 touring.
But a tall sedan? Like these guys said, I don't expect them to fly off dealer lots.
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Frylock350 12:02PM (10/21/2008)
I love all the words tossed around to avoid calling a station wagon a station wagon. Like the Ford Flex. Slap wood panels on it and its 1965 all over again.
BigMcLargeHuge 12:37PM (10/21/2008)
First, 'station wagon' sounds like a piece of railroad equipment. I'm not sure what the real relevance of that term originated from.
Second, I think the Allroad is actually an 'estate'. Man, what was I thinking? :P
See, its simple.... its not an SAV or a 4-door coupe because the X6 is a 4-door coupe and an SAV... its not an SUV because the Q7 is an SUV... its not a crossover because the Q5 is a crossover... its not an 'avant' because the A6 'avant' is an avant, and well this is no A6 avant, but a 5-series touring is like an A6 avant...
Of course you are correct. German naming schemes are rediculous. But what-you-gonna-do?
Frylock350 1:19PM (10/21/2008)
The Station Wagon term has interesting origins that has to do (ironically) with railroads. A "Station Wagon" was a horse-drawn covered wagon that transported people/goods from one railroad station to another. The term wagon itself derives from wagen a German term for a means of transport (Volkswagen = Volk + Wagen = People's Car).
In more modern usage a Station Wagon refers to a vehicle built off of a car platform where the roof is extended all the way back to the end of the vehicle maintaining full or near full roof height featuring a nearly vertical window. A 96 Buick Roadmaster or 77 Custom Cruiser are good examples. The SUV is a station wagon built on a pickup-truck platform (Chevy Suburban, Ford Explorer). A hatchback is a term that simply refers to how the trunk/boot/tailgate of the vehicle is accessed. A 01 Camaro is a hatchback, while a 96 Caprice Wagon isn't. Station Wagon or simply wagon refers to a body style, hatchback refers to how the rear cargo area is accessed/designed. A 96 Caprice wagon is a station wagon with a tailgate rear access. A 08 Magnum is a station wagon with a hatchback access. Some wagons are hatchbacks and some hatchbacks are wagons.
TJ 11:43AM (10/21/2008)
They have to have somewhere to introduce that V8....
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BigMcLargeHuge 11:59AM (10/21/2008)
That is an interesting coincidence that the X6 was basically a technology showcase. V8 TT, Dynamic Performance Control. Things that would be useful in a useful model.
And Acura seems to be doing the same thing. Engines and perhaps other technologies in a model nobody wants.
Why?
David Wiles 5:22PM (10/25/2008)
Must be hard, running Acura and the McCain campaign at the same time.
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TJ 12:08PM (10/21/2008)
???
busby seo test 11:57AM (10/21/2008)
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TomG 12:15PM (10/21/2008)
Maybe they want to go NASCAR?
Gotta have a V8 for that sort of racing.
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Tourian 2:22PM (10/21/2008)
No you don't.
Honda is/or have been involved in other forms of racing like Champ Car and F1 and they don't offer production V8's,V10's V12's that those series have or have had in the past. And of course NASCAR uses carburation and pushrods which won't be anything like what Acura will have under the hood of any of their cars that we can buy
Frylock350 2:30PM (10/21/2008)
NASCAR uses a V8 design derived from a Mopar 358. Chevy Ford Toyota, etc all build their motors to that specification.
TomG 3:32PM (10/21/2008)
My understanding is (could be very wrong) you have to have a V8 engine somewhere in your product line to run in the senior divisions of NASCAR.
The Toy V8 has a different bore spacing compared to the Fords, Chevys and Mopars. I think the Toy V8 also has a front mount distributor like the Ford engine, while the Chevys and Mopars have rear mount distributors.
As far as Honda putting something like this on the street...
When's the last time you saw a rear-wheel-drive Camry with a pushrod V8?