Acura RSX – Swan Song

When Honda launched the Acura brand in 1986, two models powered the fleet: the Integra and the Legend. Since then, many other models have been added to the Acura lineup and eventually the Integra was renamed the RSX and then the Legend was given the RL designation. After two decades of service, the Integra / RSX is in its last year of production. Read on for reasons Honda Motor Company will take down this once popular salesperson.

Flying bridges – When Honda created Acura, the company wanted a “bridge model” to be included in the mix to help Honda owners transition to Acura. Back then, it was thought that the price difference between the two brands would be too much for many Honda owners. So the Integra was built and priced only slightly higher than the more expensive Honda model, but well below the current Legend price. With this pricing plan in place, Honda accurately believed that Integra / RSX owners would eventually go for a more upscale Acura. Today, however, Honda is actively separating the two brands with individual research and development departments at stake. Additionally, Acura is repositioning itself to better compete against Infiniti and Lexus, two Japanese luxury brands without a bridge model.

Invest elsewhere – Related to the first point, the RSX had to change. The current model is old and the money to create a new model would take away the bottom line of the company. Acura has mentioned that a coupe version of its popular TL sedan is likely to be introduced to satisfy any consumer demand for a luxury coupe.

Changing consumer tastes – While a sports coupe has its advantages, the market for this type of car is limited and shrinking. Chevrolet gave up the Camaro, the Pontiac the Firebird, while the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Ford Mustang manage to stay. Neither of these cars is at Acura’s level of luxury and consumer interest has steadily waned for the past five years.

In New NS? – Acura’s discontinued NSX, a two-seat sports car, is rumored to make a return. Although sales will likely be limited to fewer than 10,000 models annually, the high-priced NSX would be the “halo” model for the Acura fleet. Acura dealerships in the US want the car and it seems that many Honda Motor Company do.

In its heyday, the Integra was a popular seller and a frequently stolen car. Hard-to-find parts made the Integra a popular target for thieves; Expect this problem to get worse as the RSX stops occurring altogether. So if you don’t have an alarm system installed on your Integra / RSX yet, please do so today. The Integra / RSX you currently drive may be the last one you have; Don’t let thieves make that determination for you!