Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Euro, Plants/Manufacturing, Acura, Honda
Honda reportedly kills S2000 replacement, V8 program, RWD Acuras
Honda's attempt to right-size its development schedule and cope with the economic downturn apparently extends beyond the cancellation of the next NSX. According to Autocar, HoMoCo is right-sizing its plans for the next two years, and that includes rethinking the development of a range of rear-wheel-drive Acuras, a new V8, a convertible based on the CR-Z and the S2000's successor.
Acura seems to be carrying the weight of the bad news, with its RWD 7-series rival, originally due out in 2015, cancelled indefinitely, along with development of a V8 engine that would allow the brand to compete with the best and brightest from Germany. The Euro-market Legend could also be on the block and there's a chance that Honda will stop developing two separate Accord models for sale in the U.S. and abroad, instead opting for one mid-size sedan to be sold worldwide.
Unfortunately, the development cease-fire also extends to Honda's smaller offerings. Honda planned to release a drop-top version of its CR-Z after the hybrid goes on sale next year, but that model has been nixed. Even more disturbingly, 2009 will be the last year of production for the S2000, with no heir apparent waiting in the wings.
We're hoping to get more details on the cut-backs as the week progresses, but needless to say, there's more than enough disappointment to go around.
[Source: Autocar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
DCragtop 1:02PM (1/06/2009)
o well...if the G8 ST has to go...then this lil waspy thing should go too.
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shirtman 2:35PM (1/06/2009)
I agree, another underpowered overpriced piece of scrap bites the dust. Can't wait for the Cayman. Nothing like good old American V8. GRRRRRRRR!
thomas 8:03PM (1/06/2009)
@shirtman
wth does an american V8 have to do with a porsche cayman?!?!!
G 1:03PM (1/06/2009)
I've been reading that the S2000 will be discontinued for the last 5 years!
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sanimalp 1:22PM (1/06/2009)
the s2000 has been finished.. the last model s2000 was made in 2008, and they made the s2000 cr edition for only that year. They are done with it. Its not really news that the s2000 line has ended. There was rumour of a new one, but I never saw a concept, and the one they show in the picture is the s2000 cr.
they should just use the k24 turbo from the acura RDX and put it in the current civic si platform complete with awd. they could fairly easily make a serious performance car with just those parts.
firstplace 5:20PM (1/06/2009)
Its sad, honda and acura have both the components and the knowledge to make performance but they just dont want to break out of the sensible loafer mode into the track shoe segment. cant say I blame them, it is successful for honda.... less so for acura relative to other luxury brands...
Jrejre 1:03PM (1/06/2009)
Looks like Honda's following Toyota into the no sports car arena. Another appliance company!
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zamafir 1:23PM (1/06/2009)
They've been there for a while with the S2000 following the NSX's 'successful' formula of doing about nothing to the model it's entire life (in terms of revisions). I'm not concerned, Toyota makes money selling appliances, that's their bread and butter. Though, no RWD acura, oh noes, looks like the tried and true successful double digit drops every month in sales for the last couple years formula will stay in place. it doesn't matter, lack of RWD wasn't hurting the brand, the brand itself is, and honda's wishy washy attitude towards it's segment. At least we have Infiniti for fun cars.
Mobius_1 1:43PM (1/06/2009)
CBR1000RR Fireblade counts as a sporting vehicle, unlike Toyota.
hashiryu 1:56PM (1/06/2009)
I'd like to think the IS-F is sporting........
3seriesisking 2:38PM (1/06/2009)
No!!!! The S2000 is a great car. Please don't follow Toyota down that road Honda...the S2000 is the coolest car you make!!
Frylock350 3:14PM (1/06/2009)
@Hashiryu,
The IS-F has sporting intentions but a damned Cobalt SS is quicker on the track. Hard to call any 400hp vehicle that can't keep up with an FWD compact in the twisties sporting. Hell The stock 400hp IS-F is barely quicker than a stock 320hp 94 Supra.
Alex 3:22PM (1/06/2009)
Honda and Toyota are just reacting to market demands. There is no, or very little, market in making sports cars right now. Cars like the s2000 are more likely a weekend whip as opposed to a daily driver. People are not buying second vehicles right now.
All the projects will be mothballed and once the market rebounds they'll pull everything off the shelf and see what projects can be brought back to life.
JDMlover 3:41PM (1/06/2009)
@ Frylock350
Shutup.
You dont know what the hell your talking about.
Frylock350 4:26PM (1/06/2009)
@JDMLover,
Don't know what I'm talking about? Really? Well than Car and Driver doesn't either because the Cobalt SS handed the IS-F its ass on the VIR.
And if you were questioning my Supra comment
94 Supra = 4.6s 0-60
09 IS-F = 4.6s 0-60
thomas 8:11PM (1/06/2009)
i agree that its a shame that honda seems to be removing the excitement from their upcoming cars....... but first and foremost, Honda is a business, and i thinks its refreshing for an automaker to make the tough decisions for stuff starts hitting fans.
granted, the NSX or whatever you wanna call it was pretty far along, but it was not going to be a money maker for the company. the market is heading away from large, high power, vehicles. so it makes sense for honda to nix plans to do arge, V8 powered RWD cars.
looks aside, acura makes good cars. and with the success of the Audi A3, and the brand new BMW 1 series, i think even the luxury market is headed towards smaller, more fuel efficient cars. and thats what honda/acura does best. who says you have to have a V8 and RWD to have fun?
BoxerFanatic 1:07PM (1/06/2009)
Well, Nice to know you, Honda...
You've screwed up your motorcycle line, all to serve the 600cc and 1000cc supersports, and cruisers, all else be damned...
Now you've done the same thing to your car line.
I am a fan of mid-engined cars, and am getting to know the NSX a little bit through some reading and research, and I like that car, aside from the rear overhang being a few inches too long for the rest of the car.
But I guess a used NSX is the way to go, since Honda won't be doing anything of note, whatsoever from now on.
Have fun with Civic, Fit, and Accord, and a couple of CUVs... Boring as hell.
Heaven forbid any company use a financial retraction to FOCUS business practices. No, they all just cancel everything and knee-jerk react.
If someone had a smart approach to focusing, refining, and diversifying (more horizontal product matrix, rather than vertical. More different types of versatile vehicles that are well done, rather than multiple variants of the same types of vehicles.) Then maybe they would survive the downturn, and be ready to thrive on the recovery back end.
But that isn't as easy as just taking a machete to product development.
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Frylock350 1:43PM (1/06/2009)
I was under the impression the new NSX was an FR vehicle? Not that FR is a bad thing, Viper ACR and the ZR1 have proven that.
You lost me when you started talking about horizontal matrices and other corporate nonsense. Its really quite simple. NSX won't make money. Honda has decided that that's no longer worth their investment.
BoxerFanatic 3:30PM (1/06/2009)
"More different types of versatile vehicles that are well done, rather than multiple variants of the same types of vehicles."
The sentence right after the product matrices comment.
This is more basic than whether the NSX replacement (if you can call a front-engined car an NSX replacement) itself would be profitable.
This is effectively cutting of EVERYTHING performance oriented from Honda. FWD is not performance oriented. Some FWD cars perform IN SPITE OF being FWD, but a car designed to perform would not be designed to pull.
Does Honda need more than three different CUV type vehicles, and duplicates for Acura? or could two (moderate small, and moderate large), and one luxury variant and maybe one with a truck bed, AKA ridgeline.
Does Honda really need two variants of Accord? (TSX in US) Or would having a more versatile Honda Accord, and a more appropriately configurable TL be better with two models, rather than three?
Do TL and RL really need to compete for the same customer? But now RL is almost certain to be dropped after it's cycle. Certainly not going RWD with a V8 to compete with the europeans or the Infiniti M.
Probably not going to bring back any sort of performance coupe. Not Integra/RSX, not NSX, not S2000, not anything. No RWD-based sport sedan, either. Just FWD econo-boxes, main-stream appliances, and CUVs.
Why couldn't they have cut their CUV programs down to 2 or 3, and focused on good sedans and coupes, which are more efficient transportation for people.
But as I said, it is far easier to just chop off the 'performance' projects with a single sword slash, than to consider what might be a pro-active approach.
Frylock350 4:42PM (1/06/2009)
@Boxer,
Sorry if you took offense to the matrices quip, it wasn't meant that way. I just get so tired of hearing corporate language it makes me sick. Especially when they're misusing the term matrix from what its mathematical definition is.
I agree that Honda has too much overlap.
Your RL and TL point is particularly relevant and reminds me of LaCrosse and Lucerne. RL and Lucerne are "placeholders" for the big RWD V8 Legend and Roadmaster they should be. TL and LaCrosse are so close to RL and Lucerne respectively that its very hard to justify buying the pricier one.
Honda needs a CUV everywhere their competition has one. Pilot competes with Highlander and to a lesser extent Traverse (Pilot should grow a bit imo so its on par in size with the Chevy and further distinguishes itself from Honda's other CUVs). But their CUV mess is almost as bad as Ford's. CUVs are a good segment to be in. Does Honda need four CUVs wearing an H badge? No way. Do they need small, medium and large? If they want to compete with GM Toyota and Ford they do.
Acura doesn't need tons of CUVs. They need one to compete with the RX and that's it. Acura's image is of sporty luxury, not the right brand to sell an Enclave competitor from. Let Honda handle that with a very loaded Pilot. I can see an Integra/RSX come back simply because they can use existing platforms to do it. But it would be FWD or AWD.
I agree with the FWD comment too. But AWD can alleviate it somewhat. I know plenty of AWD Subie and Saab owners who like it.