Honda CEO confirms V8 for Acura
Honda Motor Company CEO Takeo Fukui confirmed the numerous rumors that the automaker’s luxury unit, Acura, would be getting an eight cylinder powerplant in the near future. Fukui said that the engine will pump up the RL, Acura’s largest sedan, to make it more competitive in its segment. The RL currently offers a 3.7 liter V6, but it competes against cars that offer a V8 option.
Speaking to Automotive News, Fukui said, “I don’t think that the Acura RL 3.7-liter is sufficient. We can’t compete with other premium brands.”
He said that the V8 engine will “”be completely different from conventional, past-generation ones and have excellent fuel efficiency.”
Given the importance of the California market to Acura, it wouldn’t surprise Leftlane to see Acura unveil the engine - or at least details of it - at next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show. We’ll be there to provide live coverage, so check back here for more updates.
It’s likely that the V8 would also see its way into the TL, which offers a choice of V6 engines. It wouldn’t surprise us to see the V8 appear in Honda products, particularly the Pilot and Ridgeline, though higher gas prices that have been turning buyers away from thirsty SUVs and pickups could negate any need for a Honda V8.
Honda Motor Company CEO Takeo Fukui confirmed the numerous rumors that the automaker’s luxury unit, Acura, would be getting an eight cylinder powerplant in the near future. Fukui said that the engine will pump up the RL, Acura’s largest sedan, to make it more competitive in its segment. The RL currently offers a 3.7 liter V6, but it competes against cars that offer a V8 option.
Speaking to Automotive News, Fukui said, “I don’t think that the Acura RL 3.7-liter is sufficient. We can’t compete with other premium brands.”
He said that the V8 engine will “”be completely different from conventional, past-generation ones and have excellent fuel efficiency.”
Given the importance of the California market to Acura, it wouldn’t surprise Leftlane to see Acura unveil the engine - or at least details of it - at next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show. We’ll be there to provide live coverage, so check back here for more updates.
It’s likely that the V8 would also see its way into the TL, which offers a choice of V6 engines. It wouldn’t surprise us to see the V8 appear in Honda products, particularly the Pilot and Ridgeline, though higher gas prices that have been turning buyers away from thirsty SUVs and pickups could negate any need for a Honda V8.
Acura has made it clear it wants to be a top tier luxury brand but to do this it will need to change its lineup to suit the tastes of wealthy buyers, who are more likely to demand RWD cars with powerful engines.
The company’s CEO Takeo Fukui has now confirmed that a new V8 engine is in the works and is scheduled to arrive within the next 18 months. Speaking with Automotive News, Fukui commented on Acura's lack of premium engines, stating that he didn't think the 3.7L V6 engine found in the current RL was "sufficient" to compete with its rivals.
While the current global economic climate has seen most manufacturers downsizing their engines and focusing on fuel efficiency, Acura is eager to build a top tier brand image. The bigger and more powerful V8 engine should give it the boost it needs in terms of marketability.
However, fuel efficiency has not been completely forgotten by Honda. Referring to the future V8, Fukui remarked that it will be "completely different from conventional, past-generation" engines and that it will "have excellent fuel efficiency".
While Acura plans to launch a new flagship luxury sedan within the next few years, the carmaker’s promise to deliver the V8 engine in the next 18 months means that it will likely debut in the next-generation RL due around 2010.
Another senior Acura executive, vice president Koichi Kondo, also recently revealed that a V10 engine will appear in the NSX replacement due to arrive in 2010 and there’s a strong possibility the supercar will feature a V8 option as well.
The company’s CEO Takeo Fukui has now confirmed that a new V8 engine is in the works and is scheduled to arrive within the next 18 months. Speaking with Automotive News, Fukui commented on Acura's lack of premium engines, stating that he didn't think the 3.7L V6 engine found in the current RL was "sufficient" to compete with its rivals.
While the current global economic climate has seen most manufacturers downsizing their engines and focusing on fuel efficiency, Acura is eager to build a top tier brand image. The bigger and more powerful V8 engine should give it the boost it needs in terms of marketability.
However, fuel efficiency has not been completely forgotten by Honda. Referring to the future V8, Fukui remarked that it will be "completely different from conventional, past-generation" engines and that it will "have excellent fuel efficiency".
While Acura plans to launch a new flagship luxury sedan within the next few years, the carmaker’s promise to deliver the V8 engine in the next 18 months means that it will likely debut in the next-generation RL due around 2010.
Another senior Acura executive, vice president Koichi Kondo, also recently revealed that a V10 engine will appear in the NSX replacement due to arrive in 2010 and there’s a strong possibility the supercar will feature a V8 option as well.
TOKYO--A Honda V-8 may be dead in the water. But a V-10? That's another matter.
Honda wants 10 cylinders for the company's upcoming super sports car, the NSX, says Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo.
"This sort of discussion was made between the American Honda people and R&D people, and some people were questioning whether it's really necessary to have a V-10," Kondo says. "But sports is a special category. We said if we're going to do it, we're going to go to the extreme."
But high performance won't mean high volume.
Kondo expects to sell just 1,000 units a year of the NSX in the United States, where Honda plans to launch the sports car first. The NSX is expected to debut for the 2011 model year.
The car will be priced higher than Nissan Motor Co.'s GT-R but also have better performance, Kondo says. The GT-R starts at around $70,000 and has a turbocharged, 3.8-liter V-6.
The last NSX incarnation had a V-6 midengine layout when it was dropped in 2005.
Honda wants 10 cylinders for the company's upcoming super sports car, the NSX, says Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo.
"This sort of discussion was made between the American Honda people and R&D people, and some people were questioning whether it's really necessary to have a V-10," Kondo says. "But sports is a special category. We said if we're going to do it, we're going to go to the extreme."
But high performance won't mean high volume.
Kondo expects to sell just 1,000 units a year of the NSX in the United States, where Honda plans to launch the sports car first. The NSX is expected to debut for the 2011 model year.
The car will be priced higher than Nissan Motor Co.'s GT-R but also have better performance, Kondo says. The GT-R starts at around $70,000 and has a turbocharged, 3.8-liter V-6.
The last NSX incarnation had a V-6 midengine layout when it was dropped in 2005.
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