More Honda truck derivatives?

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dimndsonmywndshld@yahoo.com - 18 Jan 2006 18:55 GMT

AutoWeek carries the following:

"Honda's limited light-truck lineup means that it has too few models on
its light-truck assembly lines, Kondo (Koichi Kondo, CEO of Honda North
America Inc.) said at the Detroit auto show last week.

The No. 2 line at the company's Alliston, Ontario, plant builds the
Honda Pilot and Ridgeline and Acura MDX. Honda's plant in Lincoln,
Ala., builds the Pilot and Honda Odyssey.

Those assembly lines are flexible enough to handle more derivatives,
Kondo said."

Perhaps if the Ridgeline were selling better, Honda wouldn't have to
design yet another derivative. And why aren't Odyssey buyers offered an
AWD option?

I suppose this means that unless the next Prelude is a derivative of an
existing car platform, the Civic/CRV/Element or Accord/TL/RDX, it won't
get built, at least not at a USA plant. RDX production on the Accord/TL
line makes it even more likely that these cars might have an AWD option
soon. Unless Honda decides to force AWD buyers into the RDX.

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Kent Finnell - 18 Jan 2006 21:21 GMT

> AutoWeek carries the following:
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> design yet another derivative. And why aren't Odyssey buyers offered an
> AWD option?

The Ridgeline is selling relatively well. It has had 10 consecutive months
of increased sales. They should see boost after three "Truck of the Year"
awards ... Motor Trend, National Auto Writers (?), and Edmunds.

The Odyssey was just redesigned so there will be no AWD option for at least
4 years. Why the hots fro AWD? It's a heavy, complex, costly and gas
drinking system that isn't all that useful for probably 90% of the driving
public.

> I suppose this means that unless the next Prelude is a derivative of an
> existing car platform, the Civic/CRV/Element or Accord/TL/RDX, it won't
> get built, at least not at a USA plant. RDX production on the Accord/TL
> line makes it even more likely that these cars might have an AWD option
> soon. Unless Honda decides to force AWD buyers into the RDX.

Forces? Have the Honda dealers been issued and trained in the use of
firearms by Honda/Accura? BTW, the RDX is not on the Accord/TL platform.

Signature

Kent Finnell
From the Music City USA

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butch burton - 18 Jan 2006 22:51 GMT

have owned accords for over 20 years - wish honda made a real truck -
al la tundra. Toyota is building a new truck facilityin TX and they
reportedly are going after the larger PU truck market - 230/350 with a
diesel option. Honda lags far behind toyota in new products and
ultimately sales. Still a great product-just needs more flavors.

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SoCalMike - 19 Jan 2006 01:41 GMT

> have owned accords for over 20 years - wish honda made a real truck -

just the way the cookie crumbles, i guess. honda has ALWAYS done FWD,
since day1. before that, it was strictly motorcycles.

toyota, isuzu, nissan, and mazda all built RWD cars in the 70s.
basically miniature versions of detroit/european iron. the datsun 510
was a copy of the BMW 2002.

> al la tundra. Toyota is building a new truck facilityin TX and they
> reportedly are going after the larger PU truck market - 230/350 with a
> diesel option. Honda lags far behind toyota in new products and
> ultimately sales. Still a great product-just needs more flavors.

agreed.

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dimndsonmywndshld@yahoo.com - 19 Jan 2006 12:25 GMT

Kent reports "BTW, the RDX is not on the Accord/TL platform. "

A Honda press release says, in part,
"The new Acura SUV will be the first light truck model at the
Marysville plant, joining a lineup that includes the Honda Accord and
the Acura TL. Placed in the Acura lineup beneath the MDX in both price
and size, it will be the fourth performance and luxury Acura model
produced in North America."

I am making the assumption that the RDX platform will be more like the
other cars built at the plant than the trucks built elsewhere.
Otherwise, wouldn't they have built the RDX at one of the truck plants
since they are operating under capacity? In any case, the Accord
platform is the basis for their light truck platform (Odyssey, MDX,
Pilot). When you buy a Honda light truck, you're buying a car.

"Why the hots fro AWD? It's a heavy, complex, costly and gas drinking
system that isn't all that useful for probably 90% of the driving
public."

The AWD systems offered by the TL competitiors (BMW, Infiniti, Lexus)
give them a competitive advantage. Mazda and Subaru offer AWD in their
Accord competitors and Toyota and DM offer AWD in their Odyssey
competitors. These AWD systems are not heavy, complex or especially
gas-guzzling. Adding AWD may allow Honda to capture sales they
otherwise would have missed. There are definite performance advantages
to AWD especially in any low traction situation.

Kent also says "Forces? Have the Honda dealers been issued and trained
in the use of firearms by Honda/Accura? "

Yes they have! Last time I asked a Honda dealer about a car with AWD he
pulled a gun and walked me across the road to an Acura franchise to
drive the new RL. I barely escaped with my checkbook intact.

As more and more engines produce in excess of 250 HP, I wouldn't be
surprised to see more and more AWD systems used to cope with the power.
Anyone who's seen European Touring Car racing over the past decade
knows how much an advantage Audi had with their Quattro system.

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High Tech Misfit - 19 Jan 2006 12:58 GMT

dimndsonmywndshld wrote:

> Kent reports "BTW, the RDX is not on the Accord/TL platform. "
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> and size, it will be the fourth performance and luxury Acura model
> produced in North America."

It still does not imply that it is based on the Accord/TL platform. All
it says is that it will be built at the same plant.

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