NSX marketing and advertising

[Number9]

Lud,

I think you've articulated the biggest problem - the current car is on the high side for enthusiast, but isn't a compelling story for the > $250K median income typical potential new NSX buyer.

The biggest advantages of the NSX are reliability and "balanced" performance (when compared to other cars that might be considered by that demographic). Not cachet, not ultimate performance. Guess how many units that type of product positioning will sell to the yuppie mid-life crisis set that forms a large chunk of the potential new NSX buyers (well, yuppies are just past mid-life, but you get the drift...)

The used car market is somewhat irrelevant if you can't get anyone to buy the new ones. I think Honda/Acura should swing for the fences and build the best damned sports car ever, like they did 11 years ago and it would sell itself.

Just my $.02 (and probably not worth that).

--twc

[This message has been edited by Number9 (edited 04 August 2001).]

 

[bartonkt]

I'm sure that all of us agree with you Lud, we just want the best damned sports car money can buy. Back when the NSX was introduced in '91, we got that. Hell, many can still argue (correctly, mind you) that the NSX is still the best overall sports car for the buck.

But, it isn't the *ultimate* sports car by any means, I still give that trophy to the Mclaren F1 - though few were made, and even fewer sold on the market.

With the latest generation NSX, we can only hope that Honda pulls its head out of its ass, makes a really kick-ass car that will appeal to a broad market segment - and most importantly, manages to run a broader advertising campaign. If the new NSX can really deliver top-notch performance (lets compare it to the F Modena) around the 100k level, they will sell like hotcakes.

But, lets not even get into what the new NSX will be like, or when it will show up. I'm sure some magazine will break the story soon enough and have pictures for us all to drool over.

 

[CChung]

I agree the NSX is expensive to most enthusiasts but why can Ferrari sell a thousand 360 Modenas in the states to the NSX's 250 when the 360 cost twice as much? And I don't see any marketing for the 360. Its probably all due to the Ferrari name. Put a prancing horse emblem on any car and it will sell by itself. I guess the NSX has to build more on the 11 years its been out to develop more of a reputation for itself.
I would be lying if I said I would rather have the NSX over the 360. I think the majority of people on this forum would rather have a 360 over the NSX, if given the choice. But for me the reliability and maintenance costs deterred me from getting one. Also, the fear of driving a $160K car out on the street would make it mostly a garage queen. Honda would just have to come out with a NSX that can outperform the 360 in everyway and keep it at today's prices. Then keep on refining it through the years with subtle improvements so it won't stay the same. Then they can sell thousands of NSXs like they did in '91 and '92.


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'00 NSX-T, silverstone/blk, #252

[This message has been edited by CChung (edited 04 August 2001).]

 

[hejo]

Actually I think Honda needs to define the market segment first then build an appropriate car for the segment. So from what I'm hearing I think there's 2 segment being discussed.

The first segment is for the 35 to 55 crowd with an income well over $500k/yr and combined wealth in the $Ms. This group can drop and do drop $150k for a toy without even thinking about it. For this crowd you Honda needs focus on innovation and customer intimacy scoring very high marks however they can’t ignore operational excellence completely. So Honda needs to build a line of ultimate handmade, numbered, exotic offerings. The volume per year in the US should not exceeding 1000 for individual unit. Sell it directly through Honda owned offices and have it closely aligned with Honda Racing. For ownership you get perks to the racing events, car shows, etc. After the line is established open it to a few new dealers with very tight requirements. Start off in Hollywood and NY and move into San Fran, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle and Boca Raton as the demand requires. I'd also sell Honda Race cars through this channel as I think there's a market for that too. For Honda to build an image around these cars they should treat owners of used cars basically the same as new owners. The odds are very high owners of used units could purchase new.

The second crowd is maybe late 20's to mid 40's who are doing pretty well financially, making somewhere between $150k to $300k but don’t have liquid cash in the $Ms. For this crowd focus on innovation and operational excellence primarily with parity to competitors on the customer intimacy front. The cars have some of the same technology as the rare exotics but not all of it. They are massed produced and targeted to sell in equal numbers to vettes, P-cars, etc. These cars give coverage to those who want a convertible to go golfing in to those who want a high performance car and participate in car clubs.

Anyway if I was the strategic advisor to Honda executive staff that’s what my initial thoughts would be.

 

[steveny]

What are some of the reasons that anyone here would want this car to be marketed more effectively. Less expensive parts because they would be more common? See more NSX's on the road? To have your NSX recognized by other people for what a great car it is. I'm not sure if better marketing would do the car any justice. I know and enjoy the car for what it is. If others don't know that much about it I enlighten them. I think the best marketing that Acura has going for the NSX is its current owners. What more does Acura really have to prove to anyone!

[This message has been edited by steveny (edited 04 August 2001).]

 

[bartonkt]

Our main concern with Honda marketing the NSX more effectively lies in the fact that we'd like to see them keep producing the NSX line.

Flat out, if NSX's aren't selling well for Honda they will discontinue the line of cars, and turn to another direction for that income.

We're just hoping that Honda does a good ad campaign for the next-gen NSX so that enough people buy it to make it profitable for Honda to R&D, build, and market the car. Beyond those initial costs, I could give a damn about seeing another NSX at every turn of my head on the freeway. I'd like to see the car remain at the fringe of popular motoring vehicles, and the current asking price should keep it that way (except out here in SoCal, where every punk drives a mercedes).

 

[hejo]

Originally posted by steveny:
What are some of the reasons that anyone here would want this car to be marketed more effectively.

For me 2 reasons: 1) next gen NSX. 2) value retainment. While better marketing may not be required to achieve #2 I think it would only help if more people really knew how incredible the car is even 11 years after it's introduction. When I was shopping I chose the NSX because of what it was, not because of it's price. I was pretty close to buying a F355 spider but decided on the NSX for it's great qualities.

I mentioned in one of my earlier post I usually change daily drivers about every 2 to 3 years. I'm now completing my 2nd year of ownership and beginning the shopping process. So far I'm looking seriously at the F355, F360 and other exotics but there isn't a follow on to the NSX. As an alternative I may keep the NSX and purchase another car for the track. But bottomline Honda has not marketed to me directly since acquiring the NSX.

 

[lemansnsx]

I should have brought this up earlier but didn't have the time to go dig out the book. The best information that I have found on Honda's philosophy and the marketing of the NSX is in the book "Honda NSX the Unequalled Supercar". This is a factory publication released in Europe in several languages. My copy is in English and is aimed at the UK market. I don't have a publication date. The book is written for dealer salespeople describing the car, the design, the prospective customer, how to compare to other cars, overcoming objections, etc.
I'll try to post some snippets from the book over the next day or two.

<center><img SRC="http://www.extendednetworks.com/nsx/books/euro.jpg" height=289 width=211></center>

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