Team Acura Parts Blog

A significant increase of sales for the month of August took place for international nameplate automobiles. The sales reached 725,651 total units for 49.1 percent of the U.S. market for autos, after the July market share of 51.9 percent. As a group, international nameplate sales rose 2.2 percent over August 2006. Year-to-date sales for the various brands combined registered at 5,371,423 units through the end of last month, achieving a 3.2 percent increase over the same 8-month period last year.

More international models made their way to the nation’s Top 20 best-seller list and among these are Acura models. The Acura Division posted sales of 16,436 units with new August records set for the MDX and RDX, resulting in Acura light truck sales increasing by 35.8 percent. The sales of the Acura MDX increased 35.5 percent to 5,816 units. Acura RDX sales improved 36.7 percent to 1,860 units. For the TL luxury performance sedan, the August sales totaled 4,992 while the TSX sports sedan totaled 3,245 units.

The combined total number of sales for the Acura MDX luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) and the non-stop clamor for the Acura RDX turbocharged SUV for last month has amounted to a total of 16, 436 units sold in the United States. This recorded sales also showed a year-to-date total of 122, 357 units.

For August, the Japanese luxury brand’s light trucks sales, which amounted to 7, 676 units, has relied greatly on the popularity of the Acura MDX and RDX SUVs. For starters, the MDX line was able to break last August 2006’s total record of 5, 379 with the August 2007’s total of 5,816 units sold. The year-to-date sales has posted a decent 12. 7 percent increase with a total of 37, 792 Acura MDX units sold. On the other hand, the Acura RDX line, which is slightly bigger than its Honda CR-V counterparts, was able to earn a total of 1, 860 units for last month, which is equivalent to a positive 36.7 percent increase, and a total of 15, 526 units for the year-to-date sales.

“Our light truck lineup continues to attract customers to the Acura brand at a record pace,” said Dick Colliver, who is the executive vice president of the Acura sales. “Customers are taking notice and appreciating the RDX and MDX’s advanced performance, luxury and technology features.”

Moving over to the smaller Acura vehicles, the Acura TL luxury sedan line was hailed as the most wanted among the passenger cars after it recorded a total of 4, 992 units sold last month. The Acura TSX sports sedan, on the other hand, took a total of 3, 245 units for August 2007 sales and a 23, 433 units sold for the year-to-date record.

The anticipated debut of the Acura Advance Sports Car Concept, which is being produced by Honda, was introduced earlier this year in the North American International Auto Show and later this month, the Acura Advance Sports car will likely be patterned from the phased out Acura NSX.

Geared with high-performing Acura parts, the sports car concept has been crafted in such a way that the technology it has is up a notch compared to other sport cars in the automobile industry. For starters, the Acura Advance Sports Car Concept has been equipped with a V-10 front-mounted engine and an improved Acura trademark, which is the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) technology. The new Acura V-10 engine, which had its debut in the Honda Formula One circuits, will be geared in this anticipated sports car. The Japanese automotive ingenuity will surely show in the Acura Advance Sports Car Concept’s V-10 engine which is expected to produce much power, beefed up performance, and top-caliber design.

Any high-powered engine has to be complemented with other auto parts such as the wheels, the brake parts, an aerodynamic body kit, and exhaust. The future sports car will have a 108.8-inch wheelbase with low clearance to the ground. Not only does this Acura four-wheel machine powerful, but it will surely look good with the shiny 19-inch aluminum wheels in the front and 20-inch wheels for the back. For the slowing down and stopping power, this Acura model has utilized a very responsive air-cooled carbon ceramic brake discs on all of its wheels. Moreover, the vehicle’s body kit has been well-blended to achieve the best air flow. The cabin compartment of the Acura has been slung low in order to reduce the height and the door handles has been flushed with the surface. These styling will be able to provide a cleaner and smoother aerodynamic feel for the future Acura sports car. Lastly, four huge exhaust pipes have been fitted at the rear portion with diffusers.

This upcoming Advance Sports Car is set to capture the sports car enthusiasts in the US with the remarkable features. Further refinements and modifications, however, could still happen since the vehicle is still underway.

The very first Japanese luxury brand Acura had its 2008 model introduction in a close by place in Detroit in connection with the recently concluded Detroit Sports Car Challenge, where the team finished third, held at the street of Belle Isle. The Acura team is really all over the place as it was also present in other weekend races such as the American Le Mans Series and IRL Race. Aside from the skilled and seasoned drivers for Acura, the performance parts equipped in every vehicle are big factors for such feat.

For the next months, Jack Spurney of Honda Performance Development (HPD) has given a rundown of the activities for Acura development team. Debuting this year in the speed wars are the Acura LMP2 cars and these are enjoying a spot behind the leading Porsche RS Spyders in the manufacturer standings. As a sport luxury brand, Acura has decided to go against the tech-driven and competitive American Le Mans Series (ALMS) rivals such as Porsche, Audi, and Mitsubishi.

The Acura vehicles will be geared with an ALMS V-8 engine, which was designed and engineered completely at the HPD headquarters with no outsiders involved. To date, this engine is the first Honda race engine that was crafted outside of Acura’s homeland. The development, design, and final touch-ups were done in solely in the California-based HPD. Moreover, other Acura parts such as the chassis will also be designed and made in the HPD headquarters. The original Courage LC75 chassis will no longer be utilized by Acura racing vehicles because this chassis did not meet the needs of the Acura vehicles. As a replacement, HPD developed the ARX-01 Acura chassis.

For next year, HPD is also planning a chassis overhaul in order to further improve the performance of the car as well as its serviceability. The present car has encountered difficulties in repairing during race propers.

The Japanese luxury brand Acura’s latest offering for its patronizers is a compact crossover utility vehicle (CUV) looker, but which is actually a sports car – the 2008 Acura RDX.

Geared with four doors and a tailgate, the compact CUV has been equipped with an Acura trademark Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system (SH-AWD). The maneuvering has been made even more powerful as Acura geared the 2008 RDX with other beefed up parts like the suspension system. In addition, the sports car Acura RDX cannot go away with a measly engine parts, thus the Japanese automaker has installed a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that can guarantee up to 240-horsepower and can manage a 260-lb-ft of torque. This engine technology is the first in a Honda vehicle released in North America.

The 2008 Acura RDX has to be all that before it can be tagged as a mean machine. To back up the high-performing steering and engine of the latest RDX model, a 5-speed automatic transmission manual shifting has been installed. This sporty four-wheel machine, however, cannot leap that much because it it no lightweight vehicle with a base curb weight of 3, 924 lbs. The efficient steering, beefed up suspension, and powerful transmission will surely make this 2008 Acura RDX easier to maneuver, which could allow to take those sharp and sudden turns and still get that ride control.

What made this Acura model one of the best finds in the industry is that the Acura part that has been situated between the transmission and wheels. The SH-AWD technology has an electricity-driven controlled clutch pack on either side of the rear differential. This technology plus the basic Acura parts allows this model to transfer torque to the wheels, where more traction is present. A powerful machine has been made more tough because of the improved ride control.

Behind the wheels of the No. 9 Highcroft Acura ARX-01a prototype, the seasoned driving tandem of David Brabham and Stefan Johansson, who were former Formula One drivers, has successfully collided and survived the toughest racers for a third overall spot in the inaugural Detroit Sports Car Challenge held in the streets of Belle Isle last weekend.

To date, this recent win of Brabham and Johansson has registered the fourth podium finish for this year for Highcroft Racing. Furthermore, bagging a place in the race series has given the Acura team duo with a comfortable third place in the division point standings of the American Le Mans Series. Not only that, the Detroit Sports Car win of the Acura ARX-01a prototype provided the Acura Team’s ninth visit in the winning column since the luxury Japanese brand’s debut in the American Le Man Series season.

“It really is just getting to the finish in this one. Anything can happen out there,” said Brabham. “People are starting to make mistakes and you can take advantage of it.”

The third spot, however, was not that easy to achieve as the duo encountered technical difficulties as well as tough contenders in the speed battle. At the start of the two-hour and 45-minute race war was not for the Acura Team as the four-wheel machine was hit twice during the first hour. Moreover, Brabham and Johansson had to avoid a GT-2 Porsche, which was on fire, and some flying bodywork from other cars. The No.9 Highcroft Acura managed to get back on track down the stretch, thanks to the solid pit work and excellent fuel strategy. For the last grueling 30 minutes of the car challenge, the duo breezed past fellow Acura driver Adrian Fernandez for a third spot.

Car safety is important for any owner or future user. The safety feature of a vehicle is one of the most important things to consider before buying any four-wheel machine. From the well-functioning automotive parts, special safety auto parts such as the seat belts and air bags should be well-checked. Aside from these interior safety parts, the vehicle’s exterior components are also helpful during road accidents. The Acura RDX and Acura MDX, which are classified under the sports utility vehicle, have passed the rollover rating of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The Japanese automobile ingenuity is clearly evident in this Acura RDX and Acura MDX after it has been given with a four out of five-star rollover rating by the NHTSA. This earned rating by the Acura SUV shows that the vehicle is in fact safe and can withstand rollover situations. Geared with well-crafted Acura parts, these models of the luxury Japanese brand are included in the 78 SUVs that were able to earn a four-star rollover rating. Such rating means that the Acura RDX and Acura MDX have an only 10 to 20 percent risk of a rollover accident. The dimension of these vehicles made these Acura models safe. Until this year, no SUV has earned the perfect rating of NHTSA.

Acura’s vehicles have been designed and manufactured with stability control systems that can offset the occurrence of rollover accidents. Such system, which is also employed by other manufacturers, has helped minimize the rollover fatalities last year. Other SUVs that garnered the four-star rollover rating include Hyundai Santa Fe, Saturn Outlook, Honda CR-V, Jeep Compass, and Ford Explorer, amongst others.

For over two decades, the very first Japanese luxury line of Acura has been establishing the quality design and engineering, which are evident in its models. A company cannot last this long if not for the well-crafted vehicles it can offer. Behind the remarkable vehicles of Acura are well-researched concepts especially for the Acura vehicle’s parts.

As the first Japan-made luxury vehicle sold in the United States, Acura has to sustain its consistency especially in the performance of every model it manufactures. The steadiness of every Acura vehicle truly exudes what Japanese ingenuity is all about. A year after its debut in the industry, the Japanese performance brand has already won several awards including Import Car of the Year given by Motor Trend. On that same year, the model Acura Integra pocketed the Car and Driver’s Ten Best List title.

The luxury line goes beyond the exterior as the innermost parts are all beefed up starting from the engine. All Acura models have been geared with the VTEC engine. This technology unique to this brand is responsible in the high-performing Acura engines. Aside from the powerful engine, the VTEC technology enhances fuel efficiency of the engine and still manages to produce remarkable energy outputs at higher velocities.

Acura vehicles are also geared with other supplemental finds such as the Drive-by-Wire Throttle System which are usually race cars staples. There is also the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. Another important innovation of Acura is the safety features like the Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE). The ACE technology is directly installed in the frame of the vehicle and improves car protection.

Race teams geared up with Acura vehicles like the Andretti Green Racing Team managed to make decent finishes in the weekend ninth leg of the Grand Prix of Mosport’s American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

Amongst the men behind the Acura models, Marino Franchitti and Bryan Herta, who are members of the Andretti Green Racing Team, successfully steered the no. 26 XM Satellite Radio Acura ARX-01a prototype to a third place finish in the American Le Mans Series. The Andretti Green Racing tandem of Franchitti and Herta were aiming for a top podium finish in the speed event, but was greatly challenged by strong contenders Penske Porsches on the fast 2.45-mile of the Mosport International Raceway race track. The Radio Acura ARX-01a prototype fought hard in the 45-minute contest and raced wheel-to-wheel with the Penske machines, which have six straight titles in the ALMS events overall. At the end of the of the Grand Prix of Mosports speed battle, the Andretti tandem of Franchitti and Herta settled for a decent third.

“The XM Acura was awesome today and I think we had the measure of the Penske Porsches today, but we had a couple of little electronic issues which took a few laps for me to work out,” said Franchitti. “We lost the dash and other lights but we were keeping [Romain] Dumas honest. I think we actually had a faster car but it is very difficult to pass here. The Acura ARX-01a chassis was fantastic and the AGR guys had the car right on the money today.”

Another Acura vehicle, which was a Lowes Team entry, almost pocketed a podium finish last weekend, but unfortunately faltered down the stretch of the American Le Mans Series and took the eighth to sixth finish. The no. 15 Acura, which was driven by Luis Diaz and Adrian Fernandez, suffered from an errant piece of bodywork for another race car. The misplaced body part got stuck in the front of this Acura vehicle and had to be removed on a pit stop.

The next Grand Prix of Mosport’s ALMS speed war is set on the first day of September in Detroit.

Acura enthusiasts are sure to have a good traffic with the XM NavTraffic service that will be available as a factory-installed feature on new 2008 models. Acura MDX, RDX, RL, TL will all have XM NavTraffic as a feature.

The XM NavTraffic’s real-time satellite information service for GPS navigation will add 29 new markets, providing XM NavTraffic subscribers in the U.S. access to real-time traffic data in a total of 79 major and secondary North American markets. This began since July 31st of 2007. Aside from this, four current markets will also have the benefit of increased traffic data coverage within their respected metro areas.

The 29 new XM NavTraffic markets include: Albany, NY; Albuquerque, NM; Allentown, PA; Birmingham, AL; Dayton, OH; Grand Rapids, MI; Greenville, SC; Greensboro, NC; Harrisburg, PA; Lancaster-York, PA; Syracuse, NY; Little Rock, AR; Louisville, KY; Mobile, AL; Naples, FL; New Orleans, LA; Oklahoma City, OK; Omaha, NE; Lincoln, NE; Colorado Springs, CO; Tulsa, OK; Portsmouth, NH; Raleigh, NC; Richmond, VA; Rochester, NY; Spokane, WA; Toledo, OH; Tucson, AZ; and Wilkes Barre, PA. Acura drivers in the abovementioned cities will be able to learn about traffic incidents such as road closures, accidents, or construction as they happen in real-time.

“Thousands of drivers have been relying on XM NavTraffic to route around traffic, reducing the time they spend behind the wheel. We’re pleased to expand this convenient service to an additional 29 new markets,” said Roderick MacKenzie, XM’s VP of Advanced Applications and Services.

Having access to XM NavTraffic via the Acura vehicle means that Acura users improves on their riding comfort and get to save time as well.