When Acura showed the Advanced Sports Car Concept off at Detroit this January, the car drew a lot of wows, but insiders let it be known that the shiny showstand beauty was not for real.
How could it be, when the concept was an engineless, interiorless fiberglass mock-up with blacked-out windows? Wait for the Tokyo Show in October, went the word, when Honda/Acura would show an updated version, much closer to what will appear in the showrooms around 2009, complete with promised V-10 engine.
Now comes word from a source familiar with the program that the Tokyo Show car won’t be for real, either and that secretly, behind the scenes, Acura has completely torn up the whole script and started over. Honda’s top management isn’t happy with either car, so we hear, so it’s back to the drawing board, again, at least in terms of how the finished car will look, although the basic proportions and front-engined V-10 package and all-wheel drive layout will stay…
Adding to the pressure, of course, is the Lexus LF-A and thunderous new Nissan Skyline GT-R, two major league rivals close to production and that at the going rate will beat the Acura into the showroom by years.
Another issue is price. While the NSX ended up a $90,000 car, Acura is thinking about $150,000 for the new V-10 car, which is Aston Martin DB9 money, near enough, so the customer base is set to be far more exclusive even than the NSX….
