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Honda spinning off Acura as stand-alone division in bid to wake up brand

Every major automaker has a different way of relating between its various divisions and brands. At Volkswagen, for example, the individual brands seem to operate with a large degree of autonomy. Under the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the two units share a common chief executive, but little else. The relationship between Honda and its luxury division Acura has always been rather close, but that's all about to change.
American Honda Motor Company has always handled sales and marketing in the North American market for both the Honda and Acura divisions, but new reorganization plans call for the two units to be separated under their own direction. Leading the Acura division will be Michael Accavitti, who moves into the position from his role as Senior Vice President for Auto Operations at American Honda. The Honda division will meanwhile be taken over by the current head of Acura sales, Jeff Conrad.
Both will report to John Mendel, the current executive vice president of the Automobile Sales Division that is being rebranded as the American Honda Auto Division. Unlike rivals Lexus and Infiniti - two brands that Acura beat to the market - Honda barely markets its luxury brand outside of North America. Its overseas presence is felt only in China, though we've yet to receive word on how the reorganization might effect that market - or for that matter, any potential of expanding into others.

Honda slaps Legend name on JDM Acura RLX

It's been eighteen years since we last saw the Legend nameplate in Acura showrooms here in the US, but in Japan it's still very much alive as Honda's flagship sedan. And now the Japanese automaker has revealed the latest generation.
Set to go on sale across Japan on January 22 - 30 years since the nameplate was introduced - the new Honda Legend is essentially the same model we already know in the States as the new Acura RLX. Only by "essentially," we mean exactly. It is the RLX, only with Honda badges instead of Acura ones. The manufacturer hasn't even changed the grille or the wheels.
Although the RLX is being offered Stateside in two forms, the new JDM Honda Legend will only come in one form, equivalent to our Sport Hybrid, with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive and a hybrid powertrain pairing a 3.5-liter V6 to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission with integrated electric motor. For the privilege of owning the most luxurious car Honda makes, Japanese customers will have to pony up ¥6,800,000 - which about adds up to $59,950 we'd pay for an RLX Sport Hybrid.

2002 Acura NSX fondly remembered in MotorWeek's retro clip

After a long wait, the new Acura NSX is finally here, but so far the latest generation is proving polarizing among enthusiasts. Whether it's complaints about the styling, the nearly $200,000 price, or the switch to hybrid power, nearly everyone seems to have a critique about the new sports coupe. That said, nostalgia for the original NSX remains strong, and the latest MotorWeek Retro Review of the 2002 model reminds us how different the new NSX is from the original. The 2002 model year marked the NSX's transition from pop-up headlights to fixed units, and it also features less noticeable styling tweaks along the sides and at the rear. Behind the driver, there is a 3.2-liter V6 with 290 horsepower and 224 pound-feet of torque, and it routes through a six-speed manual to get the coupe to 60 miles per hour in five seconds. There was also an available automatic gearbox with a 3.0-liter V6 that made 252 hp and 210 lb-ft. MotorWeek's review lavishes praise on the way the NSX drives by calling it "almost unflappable" and saying "body roll was almost nonexistent." With traction control off, the coupe changes character by becoming more twitchy and requiring that drivers use a careful balance of throttle and steering. Sounds perfect. Easily the best part of the review is when MotorWeek claims that a second-generation NSX is on the way. Over a decade later, that vehicle is finally, almost, on sale. Will it live up to the red-hot NSX standard of yore? We're about to find out. If you need any more nostalgia, the show previously remembered the '91 NSX, too. Related Video: