Team Acura Parts Blog

Hybrids have been sprouting like mushrooms at the different auto shows for the past year. A lot of companies have decided to go this route due to the high cost of fuel and the possibility of it disappearing in a couple of decades. Aside from the above-mentioned factors, most hybrid vehicles come with electrically charged batteries that are more environment friendly than its gasoline counterpart. So, since hybrids tend to have more benefits than gasoline powered vehicles, you have to wonder what’s going inside the heads of Acura’s higher-ups when they said they had no plans of producing any hybrids.

According to Acura’s vice president of sales Dick Colliver during the Chicaco Auto Show, their company doesn’t have any plans for hybrid models for its current and future products. Colliver said that hybrid powertrains are not suitable for larger vehicles and hybridization works better for smaller cars. He also added that they have no plans in selling compact vehicles.

One of the known brands in the luxury car market, Acura seems to be the only one sharing this sentiment. Its other competitors, Lexus, BMW and Mercedes have already come up with their own hybrids for commercial use. To counter this and satiate the appetites of their customers concerned with the environment and fuel cost, they will instead offer a new 2.2-liter four cylinder diesel which will focus more on solving the above-mentioned concerns.

What makes their stand a bit ridiculous is that most US consumers are now more open to using hybrids than before according to recent polls. This could easily affect their business in the long run especially once the market clamors for more of this type of car in the future. Let’s hope that those on-high in Acura know what they’re actually doing. It would be a slap in the face for Acura if their competitors end up making more money than them by going hybrid.

Sources: Left Lane News, Mobile Mag, Buzz Tracker

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People tend to talk a lot about something or someone who undergoes a change. When Britney shaved her head, people started buzzing about her (they actually haven’t stopped) or when Barry Bonds slowly jacked up from a lanky ball player to a powerhouse record-breaking hitter. The bottom line is when change occur, people start talking about it. And it’s the same buzz that Acura is trying to generate by introducing their 2009 Acura RL.

The 2009 Acura RL was showcased at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show and is a predecessor of the RL model launched last 2007. Now what makes this car different from the 2007 model? Well, let’s start off with its look. At a glance, it looks pretty much like the 2007 version except for one thing: its front grille. The new RL grille is similar to the Acura MDX sport’s vehicle. Actually, if you tilt your head a little bit, it seems like the car is smiling at you.

Aside from its revamped exterior look, Acura also spiced up the engine of their new release. The 2009 Acura RL was given a 3.7-liter V-6 engine with a VTEC valve-timing system that can provide an output of 300 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque. That’s a far cry from the 3.5-liter engine of the 2007 model which could only give out 290 horsepower. Along with the engine upgrade, the 2009 version’s suspension and steering was also given a boost. And to top it off, Acura installed a set of 18-inch wheels as the standard for this model. Oh, and they sure didn’t forget to add its Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive feature into this stallion giving each wheel a faster response to changing conditions while on the road.

What actually makes this baby “fly” though is the AcuraLink system that’s integrated into it. This system gives out real-time information concerning the traffic in your area. The new feature in this system is it can now automatically redirect you away from traffic and at the same time provide up-to-the-minute weather updates.

Now that’s enough noise to get the public’s attention don’t you think?

Sources: Kicking Tires, Jalopnik, Auto 123, Auto Blog, Motor Authority

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Before heading to the office or taking your child to school the next day, we often watch the news to check on the weather the following day. This helps us map out our plan of action before going on the road. But we all know that the weather has a mind of its own. Even though the news forecasted it to be a sunny day, a downpour might occur in the area where you’re headed to ruining whatever game plan you may have when you get there. To alleviate this, Acura has teamed up with XM to have the XM NavWeather built-in to their new 2009 Acura RL.

The XM NavWeather, created in partnership with Baron Services, is a system that provides alerts to drivers on weather threats such as hail, floods, tornado and storm warnings that are about to occur. To do this, the system makes use of the “Threat Matrix” technology, allowing the system to provide timely weather information. The XM NavWeather is able to provide nationwide weather updates for more than 20 weather conditions, based on the driver’s routes, which are then displayed on vehicle’s screen. It’s also able to provide weather forecasts based on the information provided by the weather monitoring stations across the US.

This type of technology was developed because according to Robert O. Baron, President and CEO of Baron Services, “Drivers don’t have time to scrutinize every bit of weather data, so we’ve done all the analysis before it reaches their vehicles.”

“This streamlined, driver-centric philosophy helps drivers stay informed about perilous road and weather conditions, while being able to focus on safely reaching their destinations,” he added.

Source: CNN Money

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Athletes never lose the itch to compete. It has been proven time and time again. Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson are one of those athletes who came back for the love of the game during the late 90’s (Jordan did it again last 2001 when he joined the Washington Wizards). John McEnroe did the same in 2006 when he joined the doubles tournament of the ATP Tour during that year. Whatever sport it may be there are those who just don’t lose the itch to compete and the drive to prove to the world that they’re the best at what they do. Now, Gil De Ferran wants to do the same.

Gil De Ferran has announced that he will be coming out of retirement and join the American Le Mans Series this year. He will be racing for his own team De Ferran Motorsports, which will be based in the Indianapolis area. De Ferran has established himself as one of the premiere racers of his generation. He has won numerous racing events including back-to-back CART titles last 2000 and 2001 and an Indy 500 title in 2003. He was also able to set a new record at the California Speedway in 2001 for the fastest qualifying lap hitting the speed of 241.43 miles per hour. De Ferran retired from racing during the end of 2003 and served as a sporting director for Honda’s F1 team from 2005 to present.

Now that he has decided to race again this season, De Ferran will enter before the mid- season of the ALMS and will be competing using Acura’s LMP2-class Acura ARX-01b race car. Created by Honda Performance Development (HPD) and Wirth Research, the vehicle sports a 3.4-liter, normally-aspirated V8 engine.

The campaign of De Ferran Motorsports is considered to be Acura’s fourth entry into the LMP2 division of the race. The car manufacturer joined the competition last 2007 and provided LMP2 Acura-powered cars during the tour for teams Andretti Green Racing, Highcroft Racing and Lowe’s Fernandez Racing. This marked as the first factory motorsports program that Acura has joined in its 20-year history. During its debut in the ALMS tour, Acura was able to win the LMP2 class title of the “Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring” competition thanks to the victories of their drivers at that time, Bryan Herta, Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan. Aside from this victory, the car company has also been able to score in nine other podium finishes in 2007.

Acura, as a manufacturer, has been able to establish itself as an innovator due to the different features they’ve been able to incorporate into their vehicles such as the VTEC variable timing and lift valvetrain system, in-dash satellite-linked navigation system and the Active Noise Cancellation feature just to name a few.

Sources: BuzzTracker, AutoBlog, Wikipedia, Wiki

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Repackaging of a product which has been in existence for a number of years is an approach that has been utilized by different companies. Part of the repackaging process may include the look of the company and its products or just products alone. This is done in order to attract a new and different client base and to be able to excite their old client base as well. Acura, a brand of Honda Motor Company, decided to follow this approach when it developed its all-new 2009 Acura TSX.

Set to be unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show this March, the 2009 Acura TSX will have two versions released in the market: the base version and the Type-S version. The base version of the car will be equipped with a 2.4L four-cylinder i-VTEC engine. The car’s engine will be able to give out 230 horsepower, which is a 20 to 30 increase in horsepower from the previous model. Aside from the improvement in the car’s engine, the 2009 Acura TSX base model will also come with either a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic transmission depending on the choice of the client. As for the Type-S version, Acura has installed it with a bigger turbocharged engine which can give out 260 horsepower. The engine used for the Type-S version is similar to the engine found in the Acura RDX series. Being branded as a sportier vehicle than its base model counterpart, the Type-S Acura TSX will be given six-speed auto/manual DSG gearbox and will be equipped with Honda’s Super Handling All Wheel Drive System.

Aside from the improvement in the engine department, the 2009 Acura TSX will also sport additional exterior accessories. It comes with a redesigned grille and a badge and chrome strip placed on top of the car. Plus, the overall design of the car was done in compliance with the new pedestrian impact standards.

The 2009 Acura TSX will start being produced by the end of the year and will most likely appear in showrooms by the spring of 2009. The car will also be marketed in Europe but will carry the Honda Accord name instead of the Acura TSX label.

Sources: Left Lane News, Top Honda News, MotorTrend, Jalopnik, Car And Driver, Wikipedia, Auto Blog Green

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Acura has a lot to smile about these days. Aside from being able to acquire a fourth entry for the ALMS series by having Gil De Ferran join their team, Acura has also been able to make waves during the speed testing conducted at the winter testing held in Sebring for the American Le Mans Series. It was during this testing that Acura sported its new prototype car, the Acura ARX-01b, on the course.

The speed testing for the Acura ARX-01b was done by a number of teams including the No. 26 XM Satellite Radio Acura team from Andretti Green Racing Team. The team is the current and defending Sebring champions in the LMP2 class. One of its drivers, Bryan Herta was able to hit the speed of 127.413 miles per hour during the speed testing while driving the Acura ARX-01b. It was the top speed recorded during the three-day testing.

Veteran race car driver Scott Sharp, who has established himself by competing in the IndyCar series, also joined in the testing by teaming up with David Brabham and Stefan Johansson. During the testing, the drivers were able to reach a speed of up to 126.139 miles per hour. All three drivers (Sharp, Brabham and Johansson) are part of the No. 9 Patron Spirits Acura team. Sharp and Brabham will join the 12-race ALMS campaign while Johansson will be campaigning at Sebring and Atlanta.

Another team that took the road using the Acura ARX-01b prototype car is the Lowe’s Fernandez team. The team comprises of racing vets Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz who campaigned in the Lola last year. During the team’s first test drive using the Acura ARX-01b race car, the drivers were able reach the speed of 125.877 miles per hour.

The speed testing will continue this February for the three Acura teams in order for them to gauge the modifications they would still need to make for the competition. The race will begin on March 15 starting with the 12 Hours of Sebring. The Acura Sports Car Challenge will take place afterwards in St. Petersburg on April 5 and will be followed by the Long Beach Grand Prix which will be held on April 19.

Yup, Acura has definitely a lot to smile about these days.

Sources: Buzztracker, SpeedTV

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Acura is still hopeful despite the low sales of its top-of-the-line Acura RL last 2007 which only amounted to around 6,000 units sold. But despite that, the automaker still continues to offer its 2008 Acura RL which is offered in three trim levels. There’s the base version which is already well equipped and priced at $46,280.And there’s also the Acura RL with the Technology Package which is priced a $49,000.

The Technology Package of the Acura RL is packed with a lot of great technological features which range from Acura Satellite Navigation System and AcuraLink information system to Active Front Lighting System and a luxurious wood interior.

However, the only engine option for the 2008 Acura RL is the 3.5-liter V6 VTEC engine. But even though it does not offer a V8 engine option like most of its competitors, the V6 engine is already a capable enough engine that provides 290 horsepower. Also its engine is mated to a SportShift five-speed automatic transmission, so one can be sure that the V6 can zoom eagerly and quietly from a dead stop a it sends a peak of 256 pound-feet of torque to the wheels. This transmission box can also be manipulated with the use of the shift lever or the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.

The 2008 Acura RL is already an all-wheel-drive vehicle and this system splits torque not only between the front and rear wheels but between the left and right rear wheels as well. When the Acura RL is under hard acceleration, about 70 percent of the torque available goes to the rear wheels just so the car can have an improved traction. And to have a better handling, the outer wheel turns at a higher speed when cornering.

The model’s independent suspension system which balances the road feel and cabin cushioning is impressive, somewhat even close to perfection, providing passengers with a comfortable and relaxing ride.

With regard to comfort features, the 2008 Acura RL has a few to be proud of. It has an eight-way adjustable seat for the driver and the front passenger gets a four-way power seat. Rear passengers also get comfort from the center armrest and they have their own setoff ventilation system controls. And for entertainment, this Acura model is equipped with the Acura/Bose sound system which is laudably audible because of its 10 speakers. For music variety, this sound system also has a six-disc changer and AM/FM/XM satellite radio.

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Next year, Honda will be releasing its first U.S diesel engine and it will be first equipped in the redesigned TSX sedan of its luxury brand, Acura.

Just recently, the Chief Executive Officer of Honda Motor Corporation, Takeo Fukui, announced that Honda’s first U.S diesel will be put first on an Acura. Although it was not disclosed which Acura vehicle will be equipped with the diesel engine, Honda sources are saying that the Acura TSX will be the one to get the diesel engine.

As a matter of fact and perhaps due to preparation for its having the diesel engine, the Acura TSX will be redesigned this coming spring. But initially, it may be powered by the turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the same one equipped in the RDX small crossover. And the diesel engine will only be put in the TSX by 2009.

Dick Coliver, the Executive Vice President of American Honda Corporation, said, “All along, we’ve said there would be a diesel in Acura. The whole direction is to separate Acura and Honda more. In five to six years, Acura will be a tier 1 luxury brand. The face of Acura will be totally different.”

The i-DTEC clean diesel engine of Honda which is a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine which will be available in Europe this summer on the redesigned Honda Accord. The European Honda Accord is actually just like the Acura TSX.

By 2010, Honda will launch a V6 diesel engine and this will most likely be fitted into Acura’s mid-size sedan, Acura TL, and into the MDX crossover as well. Of course, other Honda vehicles will have this engine under their hood as well.

Although Acura’s sales last year 2007 were down by 10.5 percent to 180,104 units, Colliver remains hopeful that Acura sales this year will be up by at least 200,000 units.

Colliver said, “We get the TSX in the spring and the new TL in the fall. We knew going into 2007 that we were facing tough times because the product line was aging, and there was a lot of new competition. To compete with BMW, we must build cars in those segments. We need more crossovers and an image car.”

Colliver admitted that Acura’s top-of-the-line RL sedan “was the wrong car” as its sales only totaled to 6,262 in 2007. With regard to that, he said, “It is due to be replaced in 2010. Directionally, that car will change.”

However, despite the low performance of Acura’s sales last 2007, dealers of Acura still enjoyed record profits that year perhaps due to Honda’s move to cut Acura’s production by 20,000 units to control inventory.