Honda reorganization to spin off the Acura brand.

[Vanishing Point]

Is this a good idea or a bad one? I have my own opinion but let's hear from my fellow Acura owners. It's too early for april fools I think.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/11/...campaign=Feed:+weblogsinc/autoblog+(Autoblog)

 

[tof]

Meh. Just another example of corporate musical chairs. Acura could become more responsive to the North American market which could be good. Of course that could just mean more SUVs, and that wouldn't be so good unless those SUV sales supported product development of a true Integra GSR/TypeR model line, which would be very good. So who knows?

All in all I'd guess this "spin-off" will have about as much impact as any other change in Acura top management.

 

[nsxtasy]

That's erroneous labeling on the part of the article you cite. "Spin off" is when a division or subsidiary is made into a separate legal entity. Honda is not spinning off the Acura Division; it will still be part of American Honda, the American subsidiary of Honda Motor Company. They are merely separating the sales and marketing organizations of the two divisions (Honda Division vs Acura Division).

 

[Ric]

Acura needs to design better looking passenger cars. The current rlx, ilx and upcoming tlx just don't look attractive at all. The beak must go , but it won't.

 

[warrenw]

Top management separation is all this really is. The NSX will still be sold as a Honda throughout the world and an Acura in North America, China and Hong-Kong. The same goes for other Acura Models. All those parts you order, will still be Honda parts. A consumer will notice nothing different than it is today. (except higher prices to pay those extra top executives) It could be a tax separation is the primary goal.

 

[Vanishing Point]

^^^
I think your correct in that Honda is considering this move for tax reasons/ possible future litigation avoidance protection. I found it interesting that the Acura and Honda exec's. are switching "camps" in this arrangement.

 

[nsxtasy]

There are no tax effects of reshuffling the sales and marketing organization.

 

[clarkm]

I consider that beak an unfortunate mutation that seems to be stuck in their DNA. In a warped way, they see it as their signature. The signature trumps aesthetics. If it doesn't have a beak, it's not an Acura. If they are so obsessed with it, why does it have to be so huge? Not only Acura, but most car manufacturers, can't help themselves, from making ugly, often hideous looking cars, or at the very least, bland looking vehicles. Take a look at 90% of all cars, and it's hard to figure out what the manufacturers they were thinking.

 

[docjohn]

sadly the zeal for brand identity has overshadowed good taste.

 

[91 X]

Sad when Hyundai and Kia are making better looking cars....

sadly the zeal for brand identity has overshadowed good taste.

When I see Hyundai and Kia making much better looking cars then Acura, it's time for a change...the current line up is one of the most uninspiring lot I have ever seen, meanwhile Lexus, Audi and other luxury brands are making beautiful cars that people want...heck, brands like Ford are making much better looking cars....

Time to shake things up!!! Hopefully this does!!!!

 

[Olyar15]

I consider that beak an unfortunate mutation that seems to be stuck in their DNA. In a warped way, they see it as their signature. The signature trumps aesthetics. If it doesn't have a beak, it's not an Acura. If they are so obsessed with it, why does it have to be so huge? Not only Acura, but most car manufacturers, can't help themselves, from making ugly, often hideous looking cars, or at the very least, bland looking vehicles. Take a look at 90% of all cars, and it's hard to figure out what the manufacturers they were thinking.

do you think that car manufacturers work in a vacuum? Do you really think that, given a choice, they would design cars that look like they do now?

 

[The King]

When I see Hyundai and Kia making much better looking cars then Acura, it's time for a change...the current line up is one of the most uninspiring lot I have ever seen, meanwhile Lexus, Audi and other luxury brands are making beautiful cars that people want...heck, brands like Ford are making much better looking cars....

Time to shake things up!!! Hopefully this does!!!!

The front end of the latest Lexus offerings look like something a deranged three year old might draw. As far as Ford, and Kia , looks sure as hell aren't everything to be worried about when buying a vehicle. Same with Hyundai. They're going backwards with their newest designs, trying to copy Audi's big mouth grills. Some of these more radical designs look bold when they first come out, but look dated quickly. Honda's more conservative designs may not be considered ground breaking when introduced, but they don't looked dated after a couple of years. Oh, and you don't have to ball them up and throw them away after four or five years, unlike that Korean junk you like the looks of.

 

[91 X]

The front end of the latest Lexus offerings look like something a deranged three year old might draw. As far as Ford, and Kia , looks sure as hell aren't everything to be worried about when buying a vehicle. Same with Hyundai. They're going backwards with their newest designs, trying to copy Audi's big mouth grills. Some of these more radical designs look bold when they first come out, but look dated quickly. Honda's more conservative designs may not be considered ground breaking when introduced, but they don't looked dated after a couple of years. Oh, and you don't have to ball them up and throw them away after four or five years, unlike that Korean junk you like the looks of.

Haha... Wow, so defensive.. Are you a disigner for Acura ? Btw, Hyundai has a better warranty then honda and Acura and are kicking there ass lately in sales...things have changed if you hadn't noticed...Acura needs to also...they are the most boring looking cars on the road these days.

 

[The King]

Haha... Wow, so defensive.. Are you a disigner for Acura ? Btw, Hyundai has a better warranty then honda and Acura and are kicking there ass lately in sales...things have changed if you hadn't noticed...Acura needs to also...they are the most boring looking cars on the road these days.

If I was a designer for Acura the beak would be gone long ago. How many times does Honda have to be told that it is ugly? Better check your numbers on who is selling the most cars. Back out the fleet numbers for the Koreans. As far as their warranty, miss a service or two and see how well they stand behind their warranties. And if you live anywhere where rust is a concern you can sit and have a beer and watch Hyundais and Kias disintegrate before your eyes!

 

[NSX2398]

Hyundai has a better warranty then honda and Acura and are kicking there ass lately in sales...things have changed if you hadn't noticed...Acura needs to also...they are the most boring looking cars on the road these days.

There's a reason Hyundai has to offer a better warranty .. it's to try to compensate for people like me with long memories who still remember the Pony with it's biodegradable body. Sure they've come a long way but buying a car is more than just an attractive exterior .. the saying "lipstick on a pig" comes to mind. I have to agree with The King on Lexus offerings .. and to some degree the unnecessarily bulbous Infiniti designs as well. I'm not particularly wowed by Acura's latest offerings either but I'd rather have superior automotive technology and a ho-hum body style than the other way around.
A car's future residual value is a also big one with me and I wouldn't touch a used Hyundai or Kia with a 10 foot pole.

 

[imprezha]

If I was a designer for Acura the beak would be gone long ago. How many times does Honda have to be told that it is ugly? Better check your numbers on who is selling the most cars. Back out the fleet numbers for the Koreans. As far as their warranty, miss a service or two and see how well they stand behind their warranties. And if you live anywhere where rust is a concern you can sit and have a beer and watch Hyundais and Kias disintegrate before your eyes!

Do you have proof of all these claims? I haven't done any research on sales figures but I sure see a ton on Hyundai's and Kia's on the road. The current Hyundai Sonata models are already 5 years old and it still looks pretty good imho. Then again, I think certain Subaru models look pretty good. :smile:

 

[Bram]

A Honda man talking listen to him ...love it

Bram

 

[nsxtasy]

Do you have proof of all these claims? I haven't done any research on sales figures but I sure see a ton on Hyundai's and Kia's on the road.

Honda automobile 2013 U.S. sales (including Honda and Acura) 1,525,312 (ref)
Hyundai automobile 2013 U.S. sales 720,783 (ref)
Kia automobile 2013 U.S. sales 535,179 (ref)

 

[91 X]

Honda automobile 2013 U.S. sales (including Honda and Acura) 1,525,312 (ref)
Hyundai automobile 2013 U.S. sales 720,783 (ref)
Kia automobile 2013 U.S. sales 535,179 (ref)

Considering what those numbers looked like less then four years ago, Honda should be worried...

They went from a fraction of what Honda was selling to almost half in recent years...alot or most of that is due to simply making good looking cars...you can have the most technologically advanced cars on the road, but if they are unappealing to the eyes, they won't sell...I consider myself a "Honda guy" but a couple years ago while shopping for a commuter car( gas sipper) I went to the Honda lot first, but ended up buying a Hyundai because they had a much better looking car with better warranty and better standard features then the Hondas...my wife who would be driving the car the most, wanted nothing to do with those "boring civics"....I couldn't argue about that.

 

[The King]

Considering what those numbers looked like less then four years ago, Honda should be worried...

They went from a fraction of what Honda was selling to almost half in recent years...alot or most of that is due to simply making good looking cars...you can have the most technologically advanced cars on the road, but if they are unappealing to the eyes, they won't sell...I consider myself a "Honda guy" but a couple years ago while shopping for a commuter car( gas sipper) I went to the Honda lot first, but ended up buying a Hyundai because they had a much better looking car with better warranty and better standard features then the Hondas...my wife who would be driving the car the most, wanted nothing to do with those "boring civics"....I couldn't argue about that.

Good luck.

 

[imprezha]

Good luck.

My Fiancee drives a 2010 Genesis Coupe. Has been reliable the 4+ years of ownership. One of the lucky ones I guess.

 

[91 X]

Good luck? With what ? 2012 "car of the year" Elentra?

It's already got almost 70000 miles and not a single issue...

Here in sunny so cal, I guess I don't have to worry about the car decomposing...

Good luck? Yes, I guess I do...

 

[docjohn]

My local dealer is a 10 brand mega: GM to Mercedes lexus to scion ect ect.....The old cfo was a peripheral friend..anyway the fastest growing brand and biggest volume brand in the last few years for them has been lowly KIA.

 

[The King]

My local dealer is a 10 brand mega: GM to Mercedes lexus to scion ect ect.....The old cfo was a peripheral friend..anyway the fastest growing brand and biggest volume brand in the last few years for them has been lowly KIA.

I know, it's hard to explain the IQ of the average North American consumer isn't it?

 

[docjohn]

It certainly has something to do with the socioeconomics of the region , but it has more to do with the perception of new car value and creative financing.