Acura

Acura
Company typeDivision
IndustryAutomotive
FoundedMarch 27, 1986; 38 years ago (1986-03-27)
FounderSoichiro Honda
Headquarters
Area served
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Panama
  • Kuwait
Key people
Products
BrandsA-Spec, Type-S
ServicesAutomotive financing
ParentAmerican Honda Motor Company
Websiteacura.com

Acura is the luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda,[1] based primarily in North America.[2] The brand was launched on March 27, 1986, marketing luxury and performance automobiles. Acura sells cars in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, and Kuwait.[3] The company has also previously sold cars in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Russia, and Ukraine.[4][5] Plans to introduce Acura to the Japanese domestic market in the late 2000s did not eventuate due to the financial crisis of 2007–2008.[6]

Acura was the first luxury division established by a Japanese automaker.[7] The creation of Acura coincided with the introduction of a JDM Honda dealership sales channel, called Honda Clio, which sold luxury vehicles, joining previously established Honda Verno, followed by Honda Primo the following year. In its first few years of existence, Acura was among the best-selling luxury marques in the US, outselling established brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz.[7] Though sales were down in the mid-to-late 1990s, the brand experienced a revival in the early 2000s, due to drastic redesigns and the introductions of new models.[7][8]

In the late 1980s, the success of the company's first flagship vehicle, the Legend, inspired fellow Japanese automakers Toyota and Nissan to launch their own luxury brands, Lexus and Infiniti, respectively. The 1990 launch of the NSX, a mid-engine exotic sports car, offered a reliable and practical alternative to exotic European sports cars, and introduced Honda's VTEC variable valve timing system to the North American market. The 1993 Legend coupé featured Acura's first use of a six-speed manual transmission mated to a Type II engine. In the late 1990s, Acura produced a Type R version of its compact Integra, which featured a reduced curb weight, a stiffer and lower suspension, and a high-output VTEC engine.

In the early 2000s, Acura introduced new models, including the company's first all-original SUV, the MDX, and two models which replaced the Integra coupé and sedan, the RSX and TSX, respectively. Type-S versions of the RSX, CL, and TL were added to the brand's lineup during that decade. Acura's 2005 RL flagship introduced SH-AWD, a torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system. The 2007 RDX, a crossover SUV, featured the first North American use of a turbocharged Honda engine. A second generation NSX was launched in 2016 and features a twin-turbocharged mid-engine, a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission, and Sport Hybrid SH-AWD.

In 2024, Acura unveiled its new Performance EV Concept at the Monterey Car Week, marking a significant step toward the brand's electrification strategy. This concept vehicle highlights Acura's commitment to integrating advanced technology, focusing on high performance, aerodynamic efficiency, and sustainable mobility. The Performance EV Concept reflects the brand's efforts to reduce environmental impact while pushing the boundaries of automotive innovation.[9]

  1. ^ "Honda's premium brand makes cars and SUVs positioned above the mainstream". www.consumerreports.org. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  2. ^ "Is Acura too American to compete globally?". Automotive News. February 20, 2015. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  3. ^ "Acura Canada sells 500,000th vehicle | the Car Magazine". September 28, 2016. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  4. ^ "Acura models no longer produced or sold in China". autoblog. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "Acura". Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  6. ^ 2007 Mid-Year CEO Speech Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (Japanese)
    Establishing A Sales Channel from the Customer Viewpoint, 2. Accelerating our effort in Japan to strengthen the core characteristics that make Honda unique, Summary of 2007 Mid-Year CEO Speech Archived September 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (English)
    ホンダ、高級車アキュラの国内発売延期 Archived August 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (Japanese)
  7. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference acura was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Can the Integra make Acura great again?". Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "Acura's Late Leap into Electric: Unveiling a Concept Amidst Established Competition | EVmagazine". www.evmagazine.eu.