Acura/HPD's future plans

[Hugewally]

Acura is positioning themselves to be world wide, not just in NA.

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by deggis

If Acura goes P1 (which seems like pretty sure thing), do you think it will do Le Mans? It's totally American brand. Of course winning 24 Le Mans would have meaning in US too, but Acura has no value regarding European market... unless it's somehow rebadged as Honda - but then it's not an Acura anymore. Obviously would be pity if there's new maker in P1 and then it wouldn't do 24 LM. :|

Error Message!

Honda offers no premium brand in Europe or in Japan, they are launching in both markets starting at HOME first. Acuras are now available in Japan, just like Lexus was originally intented for the US market but now in its home market (Japan) and soon will give Toyota its upmarket brand in places it is only known as Toyota. German ex-GF of mine's father who works for Audi has a LS430... They know about them.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Error Message!

Honda offers no premium brand in Europe or in Japan, they are launching in both markets starting at HOME first. Acuras are now available in Japan, just like Lexus was originally intented for the US market but now in its home market (Japan) and soon will give Toyota its upmarket brand in places it is only known as Toyota. German ex-GF of mine's father who works for Audi has a LS430... They know about them.

It is odd , the name Honda which once brought oohs and aahs, for its engineering expertise, now has to use a created badge (although acura means quality built, more or less, so it just means a good Honda) to impress people.

Badge engineering cost GM billions of dollars, yet the Japanese think it the way to impress people, go figure.

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

So do you suppose that there are three -01a's sitting around that could be sold?

L.P.

According to Highcroft PR, the tubs are the same as last year. They may have new ARX-01B badging, but they're the same ones as used last year, which were Courage chasis 7, 8, and 9.

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Bob Riebe

It is odd , the name Honda which once brought oohs and aahs, for its engineering expertise, now has to use a created badge (although acura means quality built, more or less, so it just means a good Honda) to impress people.

Badge engineering cost GM billions of dollars, yet the Japanese think it the way to impress people, go figure.

I think it works for the Japanese because you get a decidedly different product when looking at an Acura compared to a Honda, or an Infiniti to a Nissan. The American companies have, and still do it in a way that gives every brand in their arsenal a version of the same vehicle, but very rarely does one really set itself apart from the rest in terms of quality/prestige/features/etc.

Look at GM, they just released GMC, Saturn, and Buick versions of their new midsize crossover (and Chevy will get a version next year), and all are decent vehicles, but all are around the same price and none really offers anything to consumers that the other ones do.

But I definitely don't think that most people see the step up from a Ford/Mercury to a Lincoln version of the same car as really worth the price of admission.

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

I think it works for the Japanese because you get a decidedly different product when looking at an Acura compared to a Honda, or an Infiniti to a Nissan. The American companies have, and still do it in a way that gives every brand in their arsenal a version of the same vehicle, but very rarely does one really set itself apart from the rest in terms of quality/prestige/features/etc.

Look at GM, they just released GMC, Saturn, and Buick versions of their new midsize crossover (and Chevy will get a version next year), and all are decent vehicles, but all are around the same price and none really offers anything to consumers that the other ones do.

But I definitely don't think that most people see the step up from a Ford/Mercury to a Lincoln version of the same car as really worth the price of admission.

No they do it because of this -

Remember the VW Pheaton???

VW found out the hard way, they could not charge a premium price for something with a VW badge on it. If you told your friends you bought a VW for $50K they would look at you like you lost your mind!

Same can be said for Honda (Acura), Nissan (Infiniti), Toyota (Lexus) if people really understood a Lexus ES350 is actually a Toyota Camry with some extra bits on it, people would be astounded! The truth is the ES350 is engineered firstly and then the Camry benefits from it.

But still... The European Honda Accord is marketed and sold as the Acura TSX here...

Our large round American dereairs would think the Euro sized Accord is too small and would balk at its price point being that small.

Car companies have the general population FOOLED and if they say "Buy American", I say your a bigger moron than I thought!

[Mal]

Presumably Acura at Le Mans in 2009 will be the start of a brand awareness campaign for the launch of the brand the following year - see here

[Zurbert82]

According to Murphy, Simon Pagenaud will join Gil De Ferran in the De Ferran Acura. Announcement will be later today.

[Zurbert82]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...2008-campaign/

Testing pic http://www.americanlemans.com/News/N...4311734_Image2. JPG

[dj4monie]

Simon Pagenaud was pretty mum all winter and spring if you think about it. Very fast, this should be very interesting!

[HORNDAWG]

Given the drivers livery and helmet designs I was thinking something like this. link Of course that "T" word would have to go! With the red stripes already on the car taking the place of the 'Fly Kingfisher' wings.


L.P.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Mal

Presumably Acura at Le Mans in 2009 will be the start of a brand awareness campaign for the launch of the brand the following year - see here

Gotta agree with you there, LeftLaneNews was reporting the 2010 release year for the new NSX and would make sense to bring out the race car first with a street car to come along soon after.

[TRuss]

Regarding the new NSX. Does anyone else think that they should have just renamed the new car? To completely change the idea of the car but to hold on to the name doesn't make sense to me.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Mal

Presumably Acura at Le Mans in 2009 will be the start of a brand awareness campaign for the launch of the brand the following year - see here

Wasnt there a rumour about last year that Honda intended to build a "new" NSX GT1 car for 2009 Le Mans , or has that died a death ?

[deggis]

You're right, from Mariantic:

Honda plan NSX (new model) based GT1 for 2010 ALMS & LM (Autosport - print)

[HORNDAWG]

From an interview with Gordon Kirby, Robert Clarke let on about the NSX.

"We've already entered a phase of doing multiple projects at the same time," Clarke added. "Before, we were Champ Car only, or IRL only. Now we've entered a time of doing IRL and ALMS, but now we're looking at multiple programs within ALMS and going into P1 and beyond that. There's a possible Evo program and the potential of racing the new NSX and other racing programs in motorcycle and other kinds of grass-roots racing that are on our longterm vision plans. But the company is lacking some serious project management skills to be able to handle all that and Eric can bring those skills to HPD.

If you have not read them, these are 2 very good articles that pertain directly to the future of Acura (HPD) in racing.
I know, old news to some.

http://www.gordonkirby.com/categorie..._is_no101.html
and
http://www.gordonkirby.com/categorie..._is_no102.html

L.P.

[HORNDAWG]

Maybe something like this.



L.P.

[The Badger]

What about , a few years back there was a Japanese driver who raced in indycar ..... in the good old days before IRL , sponsored by Panasoinc . The car was a nice shade of medium blue with white writing ? Colors work well together .

Cant remember who the driver was though ?

[FIRE]

The white/red car looks better as the black/red car.



Isn't Panasonic a longtime partner of Toyota (Dan Gurney's AAR CART team?, Toyota F1)?

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by FIRE

The white/red car looks better as the black/red car.

Isn't Panasonic a longtime partner of Toyota (Dan Gurney's AAR CART team?, Toyota F1)?

I don't think the black car looks bad either, but it was mentioned that the livery would be red,white and blue. To me the black car does not really fit that description. Does it to you?

And yes Panasonic has had a long relationship with Toyota.

You'll notice a lot of red,white and blue livery on the Gurney AAR cars (All American Racing). http://www.allamericanracers.com/home.html

L.P.

ps. Maybe it will peeve Toyota off enough with Panasonic on a Acura (Honda) to make them want to come to the ALMS/LMS post haste!

[Mosport Fan]

QUOTE]
What about , a few years back there was a Japanese driver who raced in indycar ..... in the good old days before IRL , sponsored by Panasoinc . The car was a nice shade of medium blue with white writing ? Colors work well together .

Cant remember who the driver was though ?


[/QUOTE]

I believe it was Hiro Matsu****a, and I think daddy owned/was CEO or something.

[FIRE]

With Super Aguri F1 team exit and Aguri Suzuki having close links to Honda any chance he will become involved in Acura's prototype project? Aguri Suzuki running an Acura LMP2 car and Tacuma Sato and Anthony Davidson behind the wheel.... In the past Suzuki and Fernandez owned Super Aguri Fernandez Racing. We all now Fernandez is running and driving an Acura LMP2. Has Suzuki still a raceshop in USA?

[The359]

I too thought that maybe Sato could end up in another Honda project since I doubt he'd want to go back to test driving. He basically has three choices: IRL for Honda, Super GT for Aguri's Honda NSX team, or ALMS for Acura.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Mosport Fan

I believe it was Hiro Matsu****a, and I think daddy owned/was CEO or something.

Yes, Hiro is from the Matsu****a Electric = Panasonic family. He used to own Swift (may still, if they are even in business).

[FIRE]

Swift designed the new 2009 Formula Nippon chassis.