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A lost cause? Report claims Acura postpones V8 to 2015

11/27/2008, 2:33 AM

By Nick Aziz

While recent comments by Honda president Takeo Fukui indicate Acura might add a V8 engine to its lineup, a new report suggests such a motor won’t arrive nearly as soon as expected. Rumors have indicated the new rear-wheel-drive 2011 RL will get a V8, but company insiders say eight cylinders won’t be an option until 2015.

Mr. Fukui’s recent statement that Acura would introduce a V8 was a general indication of long-term intent, rather than a near-term goal, sources told Edmunds. Currently, the company is aiming for a 2015 model year introduction for a V8 engine, the report says.

If Acura is going to wait five or six years to introduce its first V8, we can’t help but wonder if the program will inevitably be scrapped all together. We suspect the focus on smaller, turbocharged gasoline motors, hybrids, and pure electric cars will make a V8 a hard sell in 2015.

Honda of Europe has made it clear it has zero intention of brining a V8 to European markets, and with American attitudes shifting more toward efficiency, we’d be surprised to see an automaker chose half way into the next decade to introduce its first ever V8.

The good news for performance-minded car shoppers is Acura is planning to gradually switch its entire lineup to a rear-wheel-drive architecture over the next several years. As noted above, that will begin with the 2011 RL, which will offer a choice between a traditional RWD layout, or a RWD-based version of Honda’s SH-AWD system.

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11/27, 3:04 AM

posted by:

carbonsigma

Is the V8 even gonna be around in 2015…

11/27, 3:11 AM

posted by:

pzimet

I don’t know what this even means, to me. 2015 is so far away that the value of this information is totally lost. oh well

11/27, 3:31 AM

posted by:

Don

RWD coming soon? That’s good. If I had to choose I’d take RWD and a 300+ hp V6 over a V8 with AWD. But it’s still a disappointment

11/27, 8:53 AM

posted by:

DrFill

The real lost cause is Acura
DrFill

11/27, 9:13 AM

posted by:

Jordan

it would be absurd to offer a v8 in 2015. in 2015 all our cars will have hover conversion kits and run off of mr. fusions.

11/27, 10:53 AM

posted by:

cjblair

Switching the entire lineup to RWD/ Rear based AWD is a smart move. All the other cars in Acuras competition are configured this way. As for a V8 in 2015? Its too far ahead to say one way or the other. No one knows whats going to happen with fuel, plus cylinder deactivation systems make the bigger engines more flexible for mileage. I’m an advocate for turbocharged motors (or even super-turbo setups) but there are many people out there that would prefer displacement.

11/27, 12:39 PM

posted by:

neptronix

Haha.. postponing it until 2015 means they aren’t going to make one.
Carbon, you’re right. A v8 will probably not exist, at least in cars. For trucks, a v8 always makes sense.
.
God forbid they turbo one of your ultra reliable motors and it only last a mere 15 years instead of 25.
God forbid they offer a car with a manual transmission other than the TSX, and shed a couple hundred pounds on the cars so they actually handle/accelerate well.
God forbid they use a killer inline 6 RWD setup like BMW.
God forbid they put a motor in anything that has enough torque to be enjoyable rather than the bare minimum.

Honda knows how to make the best economy car in the world.. why is it that they completely miss the mark when it comes to luxury?

11/27, 1:28 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

Acura has been on a death spiral since they gave up on some of the best names to ever adorn a Japanese car on these shores. The Legend and the Integra became almost instantly recognizable when the brand was launched to the point where the names- in Honda’s words- overshadowed the brand itself. Who cares? If they were selling faster than the boats could bring them wasn’t that the point of the whole exercise?

11/27, 2:27 PM

posted by:

DrFill

Don’t I know it!
I had a 97 Integra LS, and it was 2 sweet!
I also wanted the Legend when it was redesigned in 92
But the Lexus SC made it look like roadkill
DrFill

11/27, 2:40 PM

posted by:

Impulsive

Who cares?

Just look at that mess in the picture … I wouldn’t care if they wanted to use a V12.

I care less about this company than I do about whether my toothpaste is Crest or Aquafresh.

11/27, 2:40 PM

posted by:

neptronix

I have an acura integra ls, 95, 2 door, 5 speed. It’s a great car. Best i’ve owned to date.
There is no acura upgrade path available to me.. not interested in the tsx.. nsx is going to be a liiitttle too pricey. older RSX is a very incremental upgrade. I want a bigger motor. A k24 swap in a RSX is enticing but only if you know how to do it yourself.

It’s a shame they are not interested in sport at all other than the super high end nsx.

They are like a japanese Buick… *weeps*

11/27, 2:46 PM

posted by:

Thunder Chicken

Every time I read about the death of the V8 engine I have to laugh. I’ve got car magazines from the early 80’s that said the same thing. Mustangs and Camaros were going devolve into 4-cyl, FWD cars. The Chrysler 2.2 was going to be the next “Small block Chevy” in terms of popularity amongst a new generation of economy-minded hot rodders. The top (most expensive) engine in Mustangs and Thunderbirds was a 2.3 turbocharged 4-cylinder. Corvettes were going to be V6 only. Diesels were going to take over the world. Car magazine advertisements didn’t even mention horsepower, they stressed fuel economy.

Then, 25 years later, gas got cheap again. V8’s are more powerful than ever, and more popular than they’d been in decades – even most Japanese manufacturers have started offering them. Mustangs and Camaros are still RWD with proper V8’s. The Chrysler 2.2 is long gone and unlamented, and Chrysler’s new “mainstream” engines are V8 Hemis. The 5.0 outlasted the 2.3 turbo. Diesel engines are a curiosity (except in Canada, where fuel is much more expensive than USA and TDI Jettas, Golfs and Passats are everywhere).

Which of course led to fuel prices spiking. Suddenly big vehicles with big engines were no longer desirable. Car ads started talking fuel economy again. Magazine writers started dinging cars that got poor mileage during tests. Everyone started bitching about being gouged by oil companies, demanding the government do something. So the government did (35MPG CAFE) and everyone had a cow. Now the V8 engine has one foot in the grave again.

…Then fuel prices once again tanked. Anyone see a pattern?

11/27, 3:00 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

My mother a ‘92 Integra that I had the privilege of thrashing on the odd occasion. Nice car. I still see the odd SC and they still look good too. That’s a model Lexus would have been wise to keep.

11/27, 9:07 PM

posted by:

DrFill

Ah…….a timeless classic
The facelift in 1996 was a crime against nature
You don’t put a mustache on the Mona Lisa!
Just don’t do it!
DrFill

11/27, 11:16 PM

posted by:

wndctboy

The minute people are going to buy big cars with big engines like V6 and V8 it will be an increase demand for oil again and the fuel price will escalate again, this is what the oil companies are waiting for, …So! people? you haven’t learn your lesson yet? So all of you creeps at Honda, focus on your boring looking cars that still sell very good and try to improve that. Nobody needs V8 engines, they will fade slowly in time. Forget about diesels engines, people are to stupid to understand the advantages they bring, powerful, long lasting, easy to maintain, excellent fuel millage and pollution is less than a gasoline engine.
But all those things are not important because we need to show our big balls with big cars and big engines, after all we are Americans.
Yes, I am an european and, I drive a V6 european car, I wish I had options for diesel but maybe some day, all those car companies will get smart again.

11/28, 12:30 AM

posted by:

olds307

lol fukui

11/28, 3:41 PM

posted by:

christianboy10

That one more indication Honda/Acura in a backward mode.Even hyundai offer a V8 these days

11/28, 4:38 PM

posted by:

Borat

Johnny, Integral in Canada was the same as in US? I saw recently last gen Civic with Acura insignia in NYC and wonder if all Acuras were the same north & south of the border.
As far as V8, all pundits were praising Honda for not having one when gas was $4/gallon. Here are my thoughts: if recession will continue and expensive cars wont sell, Honda will not need V8 or maybe even Acura for that matter (yes Johnny you are right since they went that crazy lettering rout name recognition went to ****). If we will have upswing in economy, we will have upswing in oil prices and Acura will be praised for NOT having V8.

12/01, 12:45 PM

posted by:

megeebee

V8, Schmee- Eight. What Acura needs is styling that doesn’t make people either laugh or gag. The current crop are simply hideous. They appear as J C Whitney Catalog upgrades to their higjhly-evident Honda donor vehicles.

Step 2: MUCH better interiors.

.

 
 
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