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Sony Honda EV venture's plan for online sales has dealers squirming

TOKYO/DETROIT — A new joint venture formed by Japan's Sony Group Corp and Honda Motor plans to introduce a premium electric vehicle later this decade, and the automaker's U.S. dealers are anxious to be part of the sales process. Sony Honda Mobility said on Thursday it was aiming to deliver the first of the unnamed EV by 2026, starting in the United States, and will sell them online. The success of Tesla at selling EVs without franchised dealers is putting pressure on established automakers to overhaul their retail networks. That leaves dealers across most brands concerned about their place in the changing world and whether profits will be squeezed. The online aspect of the Sony Honda plan, as well as the lack of details around how the vehicle will be sold and serviced, has raised questions with the Honda and Acura brand dealers. Many nonetheless expect Honda to work through the existing retail network. "These issues are certainly a concern," said Brian Benstock, general manager and vice president of Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura in Queens, New York. "The best path forward is with the dealers." "We have a role (automakers) can't replicate," said Benstock, who also is on the Acura national dealer advisory board and has spoken with Honda officials about the new vehicle. "There's no way that Honda wants to hurt their existing dealer body." Some dealers questioned why Honda would even consider trying to work outside the current U.S. sales network given its national reach. Honda has about 1,100 Honda dealers and 270 Acura dealers. A Honda spokesperson referred questions about the joint venture to the new company. Sony Honda spokesperson Mai Nagadome said there are still a lot of details to finalize, but selling through the dealers has not been ruled out and customers would feel uneasy without some kind of after-sales service process. "The cost of continuing to develop (internal combustion engine) products along with EVs and autonomous tech and software for the next generation vehicles is proving to be quite the challenge," said Peter Hennessy, dealer principal of Atlanta-based Hennessy Automobile Companies, which includes a Honda store. "I get teaming up with Sony, but it should be done in conjunction with the dealer network, not outside it," he added.

2019 Acura RDX undercuts rivals with base price of $38,295

The all-new 2019 Acura RDX will hit dealers on June 1, 2018, and it'll come with a window sticker bearing a base price of $38,295. That's for a front-wheel-drive RDX; adding all-wheel drive brings the base price to $40,295. Standard equipment includes the AcuraWatch safety and driver assistance package, which bundles automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and road departure mitigation. All RDX models, regardless of trim, are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that sends 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission to the drive wheels. That's more power than rivals like Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC300, and Volvo XC60, all of which are cited by Acura as key competitors in the small premium crossover segment. The EPA has given the 2019 RDX estimated fuel mileage ratings of 22 city, 28 highway, and 24 combined, or 21/27/23 with all-wheel drive. That's better than the AWD 2018 RDX's 19/27/22 rating, but under the class-leading 22/29/25 figures of the BMW X3, though the Bimmer has less horsepower and torque than the RDX. Perhaps even more important than the low-for-its-class starting price is the reasonable increase in cost as the trim level rises. Opting for an RDX with the Tech Package will cost $41,495 and bring with it navigation with real-time traffic, perforated leather seating surfaces, an ELS Studio audio system with 12 speakers, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic monitor, and front and rear parking sensors. The new RDX A-Spec package branches off the Tech trim level and adds sportier styling with blacked-out accents replacing chrome, 20-inch wheels, 4-inch exhaust tips, an ELX Studio audio system with 16 speakers, heated and ventilated seats, LED fog lights, and sport seats trimmed in leather and Ultrasuede. A red interior package is optional. At the top of the RDX pyramid sits the Advance trim for $46,395. That model gets cool stuff like a high-tech adaptive damper system, 16-way power driver and passenger seats (heated and cooled up front and heated in the rear), a head-up display, surround view camera, genuine wood trim, and a hands-free power tailgate. It's worth noting that since the A-Spec is based on the Tech and not the Advance trim it's not possible to get the adaptive dampers or fancy front seats packaged with the sportiest-looking RDX model. Here's hoping those bits are added as A-Spec package options at a later date.

Acura introduces a sleeker self-driving test car

As we creep ever closer to an autonomous-car future, one thing is for certain, most of the driverless cars we see being tested look hideous thanks to all the sensors strapped to the roof. Today Acura introduced its second generation Automated Acura RLX Development Vehicle with updated sensors and a more pleasing aesthetic. Gone is the spinning LIDAR system replaced with a more compact and robust version of the light detection and ranging technology. It's also got updated RADAR, camera, GPS and higher performance GPUs and CPUs as well as what Acura is calling "more intelligent software algorithms to support more complex testing scenarios." Acura and its parent company Honda have been testing autonomous cars at its GoMentum Station in the Bay Area since last year with a specially outfitted RLX (shown in the video above with the spinning LIDAR system). This new car will replace that vehicle. This article by Roberto Baldwin originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. Green Acura Honda Transportation Alternatives Technology Emerging Technologies Autonomous Vehicles Videos Sedan transportation gear