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Old 12-12-2008, 01:27 PM   #14
ghibli99
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Member#: 90761
Join Date: Jul 2005
Chapter/Region: SWIC
Location: Phoenix
Vehicle:
2003 S2000
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Ugh. I swear, every time I click on an Acura topic about being a better competitor in the luxury segment, I end up doing a facepalm. This one's no different. It's more about a dealership surrounding the current crop of Acura vehicles in prettier clothing (stupid), or talking about wanting to be better competitors with Tier 1s, but offering up no real good plans on how they want to get there. Sharp marketing can help (I love Target's advertising, for example, which blends style with value), but at this point, is anyone listening?

The angular cuts and overdone styling cues on many of the current Acuras are just complete turn-offs to me. There's nothing that exudes luxury. I constantly get the RDX and the latest MDX confused, and the dated, bubbly RL has never said "flagship" to me. The new TL and TSX have been polarizing to fans and potential buyers, and compete more with their Honda siblings than with other brands.

Infiniti's entry-level cars already have more power than Acura's mid-level TL. I think the TSX waters down the brand, and everyone knows it's just a rebadged Accord (hell, I wish it *were* an Accord instead of the bloated tanks we have now). People felt the same way with the Infiniti G20 back in the day, where it was seen (rightfully so) as an overpriced Sentra. I say dump the TSX, and make the TL line a better car than the G. Offer the coupe and sedan variants to reel back in those who left after the Integra went away. RL also needs to be as good, if not better than the M in every way. *Then* you're in a better position to compete with the likes of Lexus. Yeah, they're right... it won't happen overnight, but that argument only holds so much water when you see Hyundai already poised to make that jump.

As an aside, I've never felt so much pressure to buy as I did when I was at Keyes Acura in Van Nuys, CA. It's nearly made me swear off the brand completely.

-Mike
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