Acura Sales Dips for March 2007

Automakers have once again started to release their sales figures for the month of March. One car manufacturer that has already reported their sales for the month of March is the luxury division of Honda which is Acura.

The luxury brand owned by Honda is known for producing high performance luxury and near-luxury vehicles. The brand was established in March of 1986 which makes the brand 21 years old at present. Recently, the brand released its 2007 March sales which show a 6.5 percent reduction in their sales for the month compared to last year. Last month, Acura sold 16,986 vehicles while last year, the Acura brand sold 17,524 units for the month of March.

While the brand may have suffered lowered overall sales, they announced that they have set a sales record for light trucks. Acura reported selling 7,209 units of light trucks for the month of March. The record setting sales of light trucks is due to the increasing popularity of the MDX and the RDX crossover sport utility vehicles.

The Acura MDX is a mid-size crossover SUV sold in the U.S. market since the 2001 model year. It is the first crossover SUV to feature a third row seating. The Acura RDX on the other hand is a compact crossover SUV which made its debut at the 2006 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). Its competition includes the BMW X3, the Lincoln MKX and the Land Rover LR2.

Sales for the mid-size MDX reached 4,785 units and that is a sure improvement over last year. In March 200, Acura sold 4,682 units of the popular MDX. Year to date sale of the MDX is also up with 13,268 units sold for the first quarter of the year. Last year, after the first three months, Acura sold 12,833 units of the MDX.

The Acura RDX, on the other hand, is a new addition to AcuraÕs lineup posted strong sales figure of 2,424 units. Year to date sales for the RDX is now at 6,256 units. The best selling model for the Japanese brand is the Acura TL, the entry-level luxury car from the Asian outfit. The TL is the successor of the Acura Vigor and it is also the second best selling luxury sedan in the United States. Sales for the Acura TL reach 5,769 units. This number though is significantly lower than last yearÕs March sale for the model. In March 2006, Acura sold 6,767 units of the TL.

Another fast selling Acura model is the Acura TSX. The TSX is an entry-level sedan slated to compete against the BMW 3-Seiries, the Audi A4, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Saab 9-3, and the Lexus IS. All these cars from HondaÕs luxury brand are known for their smooth operation, as smooth as Volvo wheel bearings.

By Glady Reign.

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The History of Honda's Classic Acura

The classic Acura was one of Honda's biggest gambles. Japanese vehicles had a reputation for being economical above all else, putting functionality over form. Thus, when Honda unleashed the Acura on the Western market, the sense of shock at seeing a Japanese luxury vehicle took a while to die down. Some might argue that the classic Acura design generated a shock that never really died down. After all, the arrival of the Acura heralded the release of more Japanese luxury vehicles into Western markets, something that had been previously unheard of.

Debuting in 1986 after nearly ten years of development and design, Honda released the Acura, which became a success. In 1990, Honda announced plans to expand their manufacturing and research operations in the US, the company's primary market for the classic Acura. At the same time, plans are set into motion dealing with how to release the Acura into other markets, such as Canada and Europe. In 1991, Honda successfully released the Acura into the Hong Kong market, as well as integrated new technology into the design to improve performance. Unfortunately, design problems led to slower sales in the mid-1990s, which prompted Honda to both reduce production and attempt to do a major re-tooling of the overall design of the vehicle. However, at the same time, the niche market of import tuners were drawn to the Acura because it was easy to modify.

The classic Acura designs were eventually revamped in 2000, which did away with what many described as bland design elements. The new designs, combined with technologies to upgrade the performance and fuel efficiency, and decreased costs, allowed Honda to once again make the Acura one of the main import luxury vehicles in the market. Combined with the retained ease of modification that attracted car tuners to them in the previous decade, the effect was a startling resurgence to the initial strong showing that the Acura made when it was first introduced to the market. Later models followed the concept of a luxury vehicle at an affordable price, with good features and some customization options. So far, the strategy has been successful.

In 2004, the classic Acura designs were revamped into the Acura TSX for the European market. Apart from the upgraded design and internal systems, it was also given four-wheel drive and a 4-cylinder engine. Minor modifications were made to make the Acura TSX more suitable for the European market. The new design was received well by the market and quickly became one of the premier import luxury cars in the European market at the time.

However, certain features like rear wheel drive and V8 engines, have become prominent among the competitors of the classic Acura. Honda currently is sticking to its guns in maintaining the simple but elegant design, combined with functional technologies and systems. While opinions vary, there is some worry over the fact that the latest models have not been as tuner-friendly as previous ones. Some speculate that Honda will have to once again rethink the design of the classic Acura in order to keep up.

By Christopher Luck.