You can imagine how many contenders were for each year. Selecting one was tough, but I also did not want to repeat myself year-after-year with the same vehicle or brand. That was how the last list was set up.
I know, this theme is getting old. But, consider the entire story of Honda’s luxury brand. Where it started some 35 years ago with two models – the Integra and Legend. The path where it showed the Europeans and Americans that you can deliver on the promise of offering something special and backing it up with a great dealer network and dedicated staff from the Acura division.
Obviously, the most popular lists on this website revolve around the vehicles I had worked with. My Favorite Vehicles of [insert year here] are ones that fulfill your questions year after year. And, every year, you have opinions on it.
In the meantime, the automotive retail business has been working overtime to reinvent itself. They are hungry for inventory, while production is ramping up under safer conditions along the assembly lines. Used cars are becoming scarce, with some auction facilities laying off personnel. However, the rental car companies are trying to reduce excess fleet in the pall of financial issues due to a reduction in travel.
One of them will be the year of "thinning the herd," which, sadly, can be taken many ways. However, this term is apt for something that have been a trend in the North American automotive market – the elimination of models from their respective lineups.
However, some of those vehicles no longer exist. Brands that have been erased from recent memory. Certain models no longer offered due to market conditions. Entire segments of automobiles withered away into dust.
Let me set the stage here. First of all, I mentioned that Wichita was not on the original plan for this road trip. A friend of mine asked about having me make a stop in there. After seeing that I could, I added the extra miles and the overnight stop to the trip.
OK, before we go crazy, pop some champagne, and blow some noise makers, let’s discuss the reason for this exclamation. Acura needed some vehicles in its lineup to engage customers – just like the old days.
This is it! The final round of this year’s roundup of vehicles that I worked with but appear elsewhere in the mediasphere. This is also among the final group of vehicles being considered for #VOTY19.
Mid-engine cars are not a new phenomenon. They’ve been around for decades. It is a simple set of physics and calculus that provides a car with near-perfect balance and center of gravity thanks to the engine mounted towards the middle of the vehicle.