Acura set to celebrate twenty years of upscale motoring

Monday, March 27th, 2006 will mark the second decade since Acura was launched as the first Japanese luxury brand in America. According to retired GM executive George Spauling and Post and Courier writer, Acura was also a first among automakers as a new division with its own dealership network since Ford's launch of Lincoln/Mercury back in 1945.

Honda had turned to a company, Namelab, to come up with a name for the new division. The first vehicle, the now legendary Acura Legend (pictured), was dubbed a "better BMW" by Motor Trend. Later, the NSX would receive the "Top Ten Performance Cars" award from the magazine. Success? The company sold its two millionth vehicle by 2002.

With Acura's moves in California and Japan, it will be interesting to see what the next twenty years hold for Honda's successful offspring.

[Charleston Post and Courier]