Back in July, we brought you news of Honda's plans to build a new V8 engine for its passenger cars. Once again the rumor mills are milling away, with Edmunds' Inside Line reporting that Acura will be bringing a 400+ horsepower V8 luxury sedan to market, with a speculative price tag of $70k. Acura's image problems aren't just that they don't sell a car that's truly competitive with the E-Classes and 5-Series of the world. It's that they aren't viewed as a truly top-tier luxury brand. Just because they price a car in that category, it doesn't mean they'll become part of the German trifecta overnight (see: Cadillac). The near luxury gig works well for Acura, and I argue that there's no shame in topping-out your model line at $45k (other than a future NSX)– and making money while doing it. Rather than another BMW pretender, most enthusiasts would probably prefer the return of truly enjoyable, affordable, and maintainable cars like the Integra and Legend.
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I don’t know what their current sales are like, but Acura’s become almost invisible as a brand in the past few years. I’ve always thought that they need a large RWD sedan with a V-8 to be taken seriously as a luxury brand.
I just hope it that if they do it, it doesn’t look like a stretched-out Accord.
Rather than another BMW pretender, most enthusiasts would probably prefer the return of truly enjoyable, affordable, and maintainable cars like the Integra and Legend.
The thing is the Civic Si and the Honda Accord EX-L do everything the Integra and Legend used to do. If anything, those nameplates should be shifted down to Honda now, where the Legend should be a huge car and the Accord should have retained its size.
Actually, if competing with Merc and Bimmer was the impetus, this would have happened years ago. Honda is not stupid.
Two words: Hyundai Genesis
Mercedes E-Class??? They still make that thing!
Just kidding but in all honesty an E-class is a best an also ran today.
Oh, how is a Honda RWD v8 a BMW pretender? As far as I am concerned they have only been in the V8 game since the 1990s. Now I do know that they have made v8 in the past but really lets give BMW 20 years in the game before we elevate them to the top of the heap. IIAC Lexus beat them to market with a v8 in 1989.
They don’t need a V-8, RWD sedan. What they need is another car like the 2nd Generation Legend. Nothing they’ve made since that car has measured up.
Honda makes some sweet engines. I’d love to see what they do with a V8. And if you’re gonna put a V8 in something it should be rwd.
I’d be more interested in a Honda I6.
Can I get a witness?
Why do the automotive chattering classes maintain the Acura RL needs an eight cylinder engine to compete with the Mercedes E-Class? Most Es are 6-cylinders.
A well-sized, superbly engineered, 6-cylinder, RWD, luxury Acura would be well received here. Many Mercedes owners would leap at the successful merger of German road performance and Japanese quality. The six cylinder Infiniti G and M series are building cachet and making serious inroads on BMW’s turf.
The current Acura RL, aka the JDM Honda Legend, proves a well upholstered, premium priced Honda Accord offers little to this market. Acura’s customer relations also need work.
One issue with the RL, V8/RWD or not, is its too small – it feels more cramped than the TL.
guyincognito :
Honda makes some sweet engines. I’d love to see what they do with a V8. And if you’re gonna put a V8 in something it should be rwd.
I’ll second that. Other than an I6, there’s nothing like a V8. If Hyundai can do a V8, WTF is up with Acura?
They ought to emphasize performance and lightness in an rwd sedan. Toss in some carbon fiber, and allow an MT option. Or a dual clutch. Think performance, performance, performance.
Hell, give the safety crowd a veiled middle finger by making side curtain airbags optional.
@ ihatetrees,
Amen. I vote for the optional I6 as well.
Amen. I6 next gen NSX. And dear God please bring back the grand prix white Type R……..
Honda does have V8’s…just not in production cars. They have one in F1, but that’s obviously unobtainium class, but would be a good start.
The IRL engine was sourced from someone else, so I won’t count it.