Acura wants ZDX prototype to compete with luxury brands

[Artour]

NEW YORK AUTO SHOW

Acura wants ZDX prototype to compete with luxury brands

NEW YORK -- April 8, 2009 -- Acura calls the ZDX prototype a luxury four-door sports coupe.

Others may call it a five-door hatchback.

Either way, the ZDX is a sleek-looking model intended to start moving the brand into the Tier 1 luxury category, competing with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. Sales begin this fall.

"The ZDX is truly a luxury performance coupe -- plus," Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales, said in a news release.

"The emotional coupe styling coupled with a luxurious and dramatic interior and surprising versatility allows the ZDX to define its own segment and attract an entirely new customer."

Acura says the ZDX's styling blurs the distinction between coupe, sedan and SUV. All-wheel drive will be available; a V-6 will provide power.

In keeping with the coupe-inspired styling, the rear door handles are concealed in the C-pillar. The all-glass tailgate opens wide to reveal a cargo space with storage under the floor.

The ZDX is 192.4 inches long, 78.5 inches wide and rides on a 108.2-inch wheelbase.

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CA&Date=20090408&Category=ANA05&ArtNo=904089981&Ref=AR&Profile=1168&MaxW=600&border=0&title=1
The Acura ZDX: the rear door handles are concealed in the C-pillar.

[M_TYPE_X]

I'm going to cry in the corner now.

[Homer_Simpson]

Looks like the second coming of the Pontiac Aztec.

[Nissan_Admirer]

Looks like the second coming of the Pontiac Aztec.

LOL ... so true!

[Somnambulist]

WTF is that?
Is it supposed to be an SUV? It's too high to be a sports coupe..

[CX35]

hideous... what the hell happened to Acura??

[M_TYPE_X]

hideous... what the hell happened to Acura??

:ubb_crazy:

[Artour]

Just saw it in person at the NY Auto Show, was not impressed at all.

[Artour]

Acura still wants dealer upgrades. ZDX sales start this fall

NEW YORK, April 13, 2009 — In January, Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales, said he was not pressing dealers to make improvements as they coped with hard times in the auto industry.

But at the auto show here last week, he sent a clear signal: Acura still wants the improvements in dealerships and customer handling. The plan for dealers will be revealed in 12 to 18 months.

The improvement program is part of Acura's plan to take the brand upmarket with vehicles that target BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Conrad said Acura has been referred to "as sort of a Tier 2 luxury brand."

"We have done a good job of delivering on that," he said. "But we are looking to kick it up a notch to become more of a Tier 1 player. That means that we have to meet a higher set of customer expectations. That is something that we are working on, defining what that is."

The company has also extended its partnership with W Hotels -- for which the Acura MDX is a preferred vehicle -- meaning that W will continue using fleets of MDX vehicles as complementary chauffeur cars.

The 2010 Acura ZDX prototype, unveiled at the show, is an all-wheel-drive, five-door hatchback with a steeply raked roof. The car has a panoramic glass roof that stretches from the windshield to the beginning of the rear hatch. Sales start this fall.

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CA&Date=20090413&Category=ANA03&ArtNo=904130364&Ref=AR&MaxW=600&border=0&title=1

Pricing was not announced, but the ZDX will be positioned between the Acura RL and MDX crossovers, said a brand spokesman. The 2009 RL's base sticker is $47,440, including shipping.

[Homer_Simpson]

Seems like they try to make a better FX and then ended up butchering it. Failtown, USA.

That is one hell of an ugly grill, right along with that new TL.

[detroadster]

Those wheels look really familiar. Now where the heck did I see those? Oh, that's right, in the bin marked "2005 TSX spare parts."

http://www.canadiandriver.com/photos/2006/acura/tsx/06tsx_1.jpg

[ZYAL8R808]

"We have done a good job of delivering on that," he said. "But we are looking to kick it up a notch to become more of a Tier 1 player. That means that we have to meet a higher set of customer expectations. That is something that we are working on, defining what that is."

Here's a hint. Many tier 1 luxury buyers factor projected image into their purchase. That means they do NOT want to be seen in ugly cars. There's your definition in a nutshell, numbskull.