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Honda slaps Legend name on JDM Acura RLX

It's been eighteen years since we last saw the Legend nameplate in Acura showrooms here in the US, but in Japan it's still very much alive as Honda's flagship sedan. And now the Japanese automaker has revealed the latest generation.
Set to go on sale across Japan on January 22 - 30 years since the nameplate was introduced - the new Honda Legend is essentially the same model we already know in the States as the new Acura RLX. Only by "essentially," we mean exactly. It is the RLX, only with Honda badges instead of Acura ones. The manufacturer hasn't even changed the grille or the wheels.
Although the RLX is being offered Stateside in two forms, the new JDM Honda Legend will only come in one form, equivalent to our Sport Hybrid, with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive and a hybrid powertrain pairing a 3.5-liter V6 to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission with integrated electric motor. For the privilege of owning the most luxurious car Honda makes, Japanese customers will have to pony up ¥6,800,000 - which about adds up to $59,950 we'd pay for an RLX Sport Hybrid.

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.

Acura recalls some 2022 TLXs for potential slashed tires

Acura has issued a recall that applies to less than 20 units of the 2022 TLX sedan. The cars included in the campaign were manufactured with tires that may have been damaged by part of a robotic arm while being sorted and stored at a Bridgestone facility in Tennessee. Assigned recall number 22V-950 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the campaign includes 19 units of the TLX built on September 1, 2022, and Acura estimates that 95% of them may have been built with damaged tires. The company explains that the tires fitted to these vehicles could have sustained cuts and/or tears because a protective plastic shoe located at the base of a robotic arm used to unstack tires exposed a sharp edge by rotating out of position. Damaging a tire's bead area can cause it to gradually lose air; the problem can also manifest itself through unusual noises or vibrations. The tire pressure monitoring system could warn the driver of an issue. The tires in question are Bridgestone's 235/50R18 Turanza EL440. Acura states that it's not aware of warranty claims, field reports, injuries or crashes related to the issue, and Bridgestone says that human workers are now tasked with loading and unloading tires in its facility. Owners of affected cars will receive details about the recall campaign by mail starting on January 30, 2023. They'll be asked to take their TLX to a dealership to get the tires inspected; new tires will be installed free of charge if the ones on the car fall within the affected date range. Drivers who experienced a problem related to this recall and paid to get new tires installed will be eligible to ask Acura for a refund. Related video: