tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901376795931624092.comments2014-02-25T03:07:42.208-05:00JD's AutoTalkDAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781924305051169635noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901376795931624092.post-4577160865829869652010-09-20T13:55:14.873-04:002010-09-20T13:55:14.873-04:00Thanks for the comments. Yeah, my ideas may be a l...Thanks for the comments. Yeah, my ideas may be a little off, but hopefully you read the previous entries in this "segmentation" series to get the context.<br /><br />I will let you know from experience that, in the mind of Honda, the TL is competing with the 3 series. I agree with you, it SHOULD be a 5-series competitor, but the pricing makes it lost, cannibalizing both downward against the TSX and upwards against the RL (hence putting this entire discussion under the topic of "segmentation").<br /><br />Finally, again, luxury identity is trickled down from a flag ship - without a true competitive flagship, it's extremely difficult to forge a luxury identity. "Luxury flagship" is defined by S-Class, 7-series and A8 - it is what it is, and Acura has nothing in that segment. That's the primary reason it lacks the connection to the luxury mindset.<br /><br />Lexus started its brand in 1989 with the "LS", because they understood very clearly that that's the segment where attention must be gained.<br /><br />I appreciate the dialog with you, thanks for commenting.DAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09781924305051169635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901376795931624092.post-47272787412662337342010-09-20T13:06:08.382-04:002010-09-20T13:06:08.382-04:00I agree with you that Acura needs to clean up its ...I agree with you that Acura needs to clean up its segmentation, but I don't agree with what you've posted in terms of how the Acura's stack up against BMW's offerings. In my mind, and I believe Honda's, the CSX is the entry level Acura, the equivalent of the BMW 1 series, the TSX is the yuppie car, the 3 series competitor and the TL is the car to compete with the 5 series. I agree the RL doesn't create the proper flagship image for Acura and therefore will never compete with the 7 series, the A8 or the S class Mercedes.<br />I think Acura's are just missing the identity part of the package. It is not a natural progression from one car to the next in the Acura line up. I think you can see the progression from entry level to flagship in much finer detail in any of the german makes. Truthfully Lexus is not completely immune to this lack of progression either. The Japanese makers don't view the progression of the brand the same way and I believe that is a major downfall. Give each car its own identity but keep the identity of the brand consistent. I don't think Acura has done a horrendous job, except on the RL, but it is just not up to par with the German makes for the progression and pricing. You could get some people shopping the TSX against the TL, which really shouldn't happen. That is a result of them both being such different cars with unique abilities and characteristics. I don't think you'd see customers shopping the 3 series against the 5 series. Although, having said that, you would probably have people shopping the 1 series against the 3 series, but that is a factor of BMW's ability to charge too much for the one series. Priced the way it is, I don't really see the point in a 1 series, but that's just me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901376795931624092.post-76811179958546104182008-08-19T22:47:00.000-04:002008-08-19T22:47:00.000-04:00I also don't drive but I really enjoyed this artic...I also don't drive but I really enjoyed this article.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901376795931624092.post-17394819219097842472008-08-19T22:47:00.000-04:002008-08-19T22:47:00.000-04:00Nice articles!I really enjoyed it reading,speciall...Nice articles!I really enjoyed it reading,specially about mobile freedom.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901376795931624092.post-2366790570864565062008-08-19T22:47:00.000-04:002008-08-19T22:47:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901376795931624092.post-66582498326502772972008-07-04T15:20:00.000-04:002008-07-04T15:20:00.000-04:00I should add that demand remains strong beneath th...I should add that demand remains strong beneath the surface - plastic and rubber are made from oil.<BR/><BR/>So, again, reduce demand, buy less plastics and rubber whereever possible. If you regularly drink water, shucks, buy one glass bottle or thermos and fill up with boiled water from home.<BR/><BR/>Wherever you have choice between something made of plastic and something made from another material, go with the other material (assuming it isn't also oil-based).<BR/><BR/>Granted, if you need to replace your tires for safety, by all means, do so. But, if you can make choices to drive less, your tires should wear less.DAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09781924305051169635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901376795931624092.post-68052191612881279472008-02-24T22:42:00.000-05:002008-02-24T22:42:00.000-05:00Drives me nuts, too, mate.Oil companies blame the ...Drives me nuts, too, mate.<BR/><BR/>Oil companies blame the high price of gasoline on government taxes. Government blames the consumer. Consumer blames the oil companies, and around and around we go.<BR/><BR/>Something else that really bugs me - oil companies blame everyone else for the high price of gas, but curiously, it's the oil companies make big profits. Let's be clear - if it was simply a matter of higher costs being passed on to the consumer, then the oil companies would have higher revenues, higher costs, and equal profit. But when their PROFITS increase, it means their cost is irrelevant, they are still making more money than before.<BR/><BR/>Any way you slice it, all the players win, and the consumer loses. While I suppose I must accept it from the private for-profit sector, I don't accept it from so-called civil servants who get paid out of my pocket.DAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09781924305051169635noreply@blogger.com