Service: Closed. Parts: Closed. Look for this link on your favorites: Save. Fisher Family Fundamentals. Year Body Model Search. Who Makes Acura Cars? Does Honda Make Acura? New Acura Inventory. Find Your Vehicle Close. The challenge was to create a name that would convey the image and style for which the upscale division would be known. And in September , the new name was officially announced: Acura.
The name was derived from "acu," a form from Latin, meaning mechanically precise or done with precision. In November , potential dealers were gathered for a secret meeting at the Anatole hotel in Dallas. The new dealerships had to be separate facilities from existing Honda dealerships, and couldn't even be adjacent to them. They would also have a distinct look and feel separate from that of Honda dealerships. But there was more in store for the lucky few in attendance that day.
For the first time, people outside Honda headquarters would see the HX and Integra. Reaction to the plan was mixed. While the cars themselves were universally well regarded, Honda was a popular brand, and some dealers thought that any car made by Honda should be available through Honda dealerships.
However, many more saw the wisdom of separating the new cars into a new division with a new image. When dealership selection began in February , the criteria were strict. Potential dealers had to have the capital to afford the construction of a new dealership. Acura management insisted that they be located in key markets, such as Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and others around the country where luxury sales were strong.
Acura would introduce new technologies to existing Honda service managers, and Pugh established new service training centers in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New Jersey. Hired in September , service managers had only a few months to master new Acura technology before the cars went on sale at the end of March And there was a lot of new technology to cover. Not only did Acura feature two completely new engines, including the company's first V-6, but electronic fuel injection, four-wheel disc brakes, double overhead cams and other new technologies would also be standard on all the cars.
As Taylor and Pugh established the dealer, sales and service networks, the newly formed Honda public relations department invited a select group of journalists to Japan for a first look at the cars in November At the Honda test track in Tochigi, the media were able to drive the Legend and Integra for the first time, and learn the difference between the Honda and Acura products. The proof was in the driving. While some popular media still expressed skepticism about the viability of a Japanese luxury brand, Motor Trend disagreed, saying, "We think the odds of Acura's success are heavily in Honda's favor, for the Legend is a terrific debut automobile.
Praise was equally glowing for the Integra. On March 27, , the public finally got to see for themselves what the automotive media meant. When the first 60 Acura dealerships opened, it marked a turning point in the luxury car market. From that point on, luxury benchmarks would not automatically carry a European nameplate.
The Early Years When the first Acuras went on sale, doubt still ran rampant among the general media and Acura competitors. On the day Acura opened its doors, Schmillen appeared in a now-famous joint interview on NBC's Today Show with the then-president of Volvo North America, who summed up most European manufacturer's attitudes to Acura: "With all due respect to the tremendous quality of low-priced Japanese automobiles," he said, "I don't think they will ever be able to penetrate the U.
History proved Schmillen right. By the end of its first year, Acura had sold 52, cars and had grown to dealers. In , sales continued to climb, and Acura posted sales of , vehicles for the calendar year. Not only was this double the previous year's total, it surpassed every European luxury-performance nameplate in the United States including Volvo, silencing even the harshest critics, and proving unequivocally that Acura was a major player in the luxury car market.
Advertising for the Acura line was aggressive, with a look and feel separate and distinctive from Honda advertising. Acura was unafraid to compare itself with the best European brands.
The emphasis was on performance and luxury, and the company slogan of "Precision Crafted Performance" was backed up with a strong link between Acura and the Honda Formula One teams. By the end of Acura had established its luxury car credentials with an award-winning lineup of sedans and coupes.
The Legend and Integra had won comparison test after comparison test, proving the cars' mettle to even the harshest critics. Perhaps the most significant indication of the new division's success came late in , when both Toyota and Nissan announced plans to add their own luxury divisions.
The Challenging 90s As the s gave way to the s, Acura continued to make waves. At the Chicago Auto Show in , Acura unveiled its crown jewel, the third car in its tri-product approach to the luxury market. Having proved it could compete with the world's best luxury cars, Acura took on the rarified realm of exotics with the all-new NSX. The new exotic showcased Acura technological leadership. When the media was finally able to drive production versions of the NSX, the car's technological specifications and world-class performance would have garnered accolades by themselves.
But what made the NSX special was its undemanding personality. After crowning the NSX the winner of a five-exotic comparison test, Car and Driver said, "The winning NSX has it all: stunning looks, a comfortable and inviting cockpit, a rev-forever engine that's perfectly happy motoring around town, and confidence-inspiring handling.
Acura hadn't sat still with its core products either. While the Legend and Integra had helped redefine their segments and were still strong sellers, both were redesigned in the early s. The Integra was larger, boasted a more powerful engine, more luxurious interior and more refined ride and handling. It was followed in by a larger, more powerful and more luxurious Legend sedan and coupe.
In addition, it produces beautiful and very luxurious cars. Since our cars crisscross Quebec, Canada and the United States roads, we also have an impressive inventory of second-hand, certified Acura vehicles.
Whether you're thinking about buying a new vehicle or a used one , at Acura Plus in Blainville you'll have an amazing experience as our experts know all Acura products from A to Z. Come and try it out our models. A brand new Acura awaits you in the showroom. You are welcome or as the Japanese manufacturer would say: Doitashimashite!
A representative will contact you shortly to present you with your credit potential. From that point, there have been many supercars, and most of them Italian. Just like the Italian stallions, it was mid-engined and aerodynamic.
It could reach speeds greater than km per hour and rev to 8, rpm. The NSX ushered in a new era in the supercar world, forcing the industry to rethink their way of building cars. Your email address will not be published.
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