Acura chief designer Dave Marek made some interesting remarks during the SEMA Show in regards to the need for the brand to return to its roots and add an affordable sport car to its range.
Speaking to Car&Driver magazine, Marek said: “A performance brand needs a flagship and it needs an accessible sport car. Not a sports car, but a sport car.”
We all know that Acura will get the flagship performance model it wants with the new NSX next year, so where does that leave us with the so-called “sport car”?
Well, who can blame us if we turn back the clock and remember the Integra and RSX coupes? Perhaps if not a similar car, Acura could create a direct competitor to the Toyota-baru and the MX-5.
As you would imagine, Marek wasn’t eager to provide more details, but he did acknowledge that Acura made a mistake by abandoning its sporty profile and trying to go more premium.
Marek pointed out that Acura has a new plan now, with a sportier direction for the brand. “There are changes coming, and then there are more changes coming,” he said adding that the facelifted 2016 ILX sedan at the LA Auto Show this month will hint at these changes.
“It’s not what our direction is going to be, but it’s a step in that direction,” said Marek. “There are lots of resources and activity going into making Acura back into what it was.”
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