Editorjali: Acura teħtieġ crossover ieħor

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Kulħadd huwa ħerqan li jaqra Acura l-Aħħar Riti tiegħu, iżda fl-Istati Uniti, irnexxielu joħroġ Audi is-sena l-oħra. Minkejja li ftit li xejn joffru lid-dilettanti u l-partitarji tradizzjonali tal-marka, l-RDX u l-MDX huma suċċessi mhux kwalifikati: l-RDX jaqbeż il-crossovers żgħar kollha mill-baned lussużi tal-Ġermanja (Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK eċċ. ) bl-MDX akbar outsold biss mill- Il-lexus RX u Cadillac SRX rispettivament. Daqs Acura touts l-NSX bħala l-futur tal-marka, dak li jistgħu verament joqgħodu jużaw huwa crossover ieħor, wieħed li slots taħt l-RDX.
Il-bejgħ ta 'Acuras kien roller coaster matul l-aħħar għaxar snin. L-2006 rat il-bidu ta' tnaqqis qawwi fil-bejgħ, b'Acura titlef kważi nofs il-volum tagħha sal-2009, u tmur minn 201,000 unità fis-sena għal ftit aktar minn 105,000 fi tliet snin. Fil-gerżuma tal-kriżi finanzjarja, Acura pprojbixxa proġetti għaljin bħal front-engined, V10 NSX, V8 ippjanat u pjattaformi ta 'wara. Kien hemm saħansitra diskors dwar shuttering il-marka għal kollox.
Evidentement, dan ġara, u l-marka rnexxielha tirkupra triqtha lura. Is-sena l-oħra, biegħet 165,000 unità, bl-RDX u l-MDX jammontaw għal 59 fil-mija tal-volum totali tal-marki. In-nies qed jiġu Acura għall-crossovers, mhux għall-karozzi, għalkemm dik l-istampa għandha titjieb issa li l-RLX ħa post l-RL u t-TL moribund jinsab fi triqtu 'l barra.
Dan ma jbiddilx is-sitwazzjoni, daqskemm l-Integra GS-R qima fidili tista 'ma togħġobhiex. Crossovers huma segment li qed jikber, u forsi l-uniku post qawwi f'suq tal-karozzi dipress globalment. Anke fl-Ewropa, id-dar spiritwali tal-station wagon, crossovers huma prattikament l-uniku segment li mhux qed jiċkien. Acura nnifisha mhix marka globali, iżda s-swieq ewlenin fil-kompetizzjonijiet fi - l-Amerika ta 'Fuq, iċ-Ċina u r-Russja - huma miġnun crossover, speċjalment l-aħħar tnejn, fejn toroq foqra jiddettaw għoli ogħla ta' rikba, u pożizzjoni għolja ta 'sewqan u proporzjonijiet faux-SUV huma kollha karatteristiċi mixtieqa.
Fl-Amerika, CUVs diġà qed jieklu f'segmenti bħal sedans ta 'daqs medju u kbir, filwaqt li crossovers żgħar bħall-Honda CR-V u Ford Escape huma fost l-aktar trakkijiet ħfief popolari. Fl-istess ħin, karozzi żgħar premium bħall-Mercedes-Benz CLA qed jiksbu bejgħ konkwista minn pjanċi tal-isem mainstream bħall-Honda Accord. Ikun iblah li wieħed jassumi li l-Mercedes-Benz GLA li jmiss rebħet tagħmel l-istess mas-CR-V, Escape u vetturi mainstream oħra akbar, iżda bi prezz komparabbli.
Jingħad li Acura qed taħdem fuq vettura ta' daqs GLA għas-suq Ċiniż, ibbażata fuq il-Honda Vezel. Mil-lat tan-negozju, huma jkunu boloh biex ma jġibuhiex hawn. Huwa diffiċli li wieħed jimmaġina li jkun agħar mill-ILX proporzjonat skomdu, li ġie aċċettat mill-post tas-suq, u x'aktarx se jieħu l-ikla tiegħu li tittiekel mill-CLA.
Fejn jidħlu karozzi tal-passiġġieri, il-pjanċi tal-isem Ewropej għandhom Acura msawta lock, stock u barrel. Iżda l-ispazju crossover huwa storja differenti, u l-uniku tiegħu se jikber aktar u aktar. Kompetitur għall-GLA, il-BMW X1 u Audi Q3 jista 'jkun mod biex Acura ddawwar il-vapur, iżżid il-volum għall-marka filwaqt li timmassimizza l-profitt għall-pjattaforma Fit / Vezel u tipprevjeni lill-marki Ewropej milli jkollhom dik ir-rokna tas-suq.

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Everyone is eager to read Acura its Last Rites, but in the United States, it managed to outsell Audi last year. Despite having little to offer enthusiasts and traditional fans of the brand, the RDX and MDX are unqualified successes: the RDX outsells all of the small crossovers from Germanys luxury bands (Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK etc. ) with the larger MDX outsold only by the Lexus RX and Cadillac SRX respectively. As much as Acura touts the NSX as the future of the brand, what they could really stand to use is another crossover, one that slots below the RDX.
Acuras sales have been a roller coaster over the past decade. 2006 saw the beginning of a steep decline in sales, with Acura losing nearly half of its volume by 2009, going from 201,000 units annually to just over 105,000 in three years. In the throes of the financial crisis, Acura canned expensive projects like a front-engined, V10 NSX, a planned V8 and rear-drive platforms. There was even talk of shuttering the brand altogether.
Evidently, that didnt happen, and the brand managed to claw its way back. Last year, it sold 165,000 units, with the RDX and MDX accounting for 59 percent of the brands total volume. People are coming to Acura for the crossovers, not for the cars, though that picture should improve now that the RLX has replaced the RL and the moribund TL is on its way out.
That doesnt change the situation, as much as the Integra GS-R worshiping faithful may not like it. Crossovers are a growing segment, and perhaps the only bright spot in a globally depressed auto market. Even in Europe, the spiritual home of the station wagon, crossovers are practically the only segment that is not shrinking. Acura itself is not a global brand, but the key markets in competes in – North America, China and Russia – are crossover crazy, especially the latter two, where poor roads dictate a higher ride height, and a high driving position and faux-SUV proportions are all desirable traits.
In America, CUVs are already eating into segments like mid-size and large sedans, while small crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are among the most popular light trucks. At the same time, premium small cars like the Mercedes-Benz CLA are gaining conquest sales from mainstream nameplates like the Honda Accord. It would be foolish to assume that the upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLA wont do the same with the CR-V, Escape and other larger, but comparably priced mainstream vehicles.
Acura is said to be working on a GLA-sized vehicle for the Chinese market, based on the Honda Vezel. From a business standpoint, theyd be foolish not to bring it here. Its hard to imagine it would fare worse than the awkwardly proportioned ILX, which hasnt been accepted by the market place, and will likely get its lunch eaten by the CLA.
When it comes to passenger cars, the European nameplates have Acura beaten lock, stock and barrel. But the crossover space is a different story, and its only going to grow further and further. A competitor to the GLA, the BMW X1 and an Audi Q3 could be a way for Acura to turn the ship around, adding volume for the brand while maximizing profit for the Fit/Vezel platform and preventing the European brands from owning that corner of the market.