Chrysler may be feeling some pain in the USA, but overseas they are realizing some excellent results. According to a Chrysler spokesperson, international sales are up 14 percent through August of 2006 with 15 straight months of month-to-month increases. The news is even better in Western Europe. Chrysler reported an increase of 35.6% in August 2006 compared with the performance from a year ago, and a sales increase of 15.5% for the year-to-date through August 2006. According to JATO Dynamics, a market information company, Jeep sales were up 25% in Europe through August compared to 2005, much of the increase due to the excellent performances of the new Grand Cherokee and Commander. These impressive sales results have made Chrysler the second fastest growing automotive group in Europe, second only to Fiat, and Chrysler predicts that international sales will account for 9% of total sales by 2007.

Looking at the sales numbers it’s easy to see why the folks at Chrysler were excited about the unveiling of their production version of the two-door Jeep Wrangler and four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited for the first time in Europe at the recently held Paris Motor Show. The Paris Motor Show is a major event that is held every two years. It is a trend-setting showcase for the automotive industry around the world and it attracts participants from all corners of the globe. The newly demo’ed Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited models are powered by a new 2.8 liter diesel engine and feature a broad array of new off-road features. They will hit European dealer showrooms around April of 2006, and Chrysler feels they’ll be a big hit. Why shouldn’t we believe them? They seem to have an excellent grasp on the European market at the moment.

It is good that Chrysler, an American car manufacturer, and Jeep are making themselves known around the world and realizing some excellent results. Now if only we could get our hands on those diesel powered Wranglers here in the good ole’ USA. Then we all might be happy!

Speaking of happy, we have everything you need for your Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee at http://XtremeTerrain.com. Quality aftermarket parts like Interior and exterior accessories, suspension and performance parts, restoration and body parts, travel accessories, and much more can be found at our online store. Just go to http://www.xtremeterrain.com Find automotive equipment and accessories for any Jeep make or model and get our always low prices on anything you need.

The author had an opportunity to ask from the people who make a business survey the in Italy and found that the market of gas for vehicles was a quite interesting because many people do not know that in some countries, the engines of the cars they drive in everyday life have been modified in order to be able to burn other kinds of gas that cost more lower than diesel or benzene.

Italy is a country that uses gas as their fuel, which are Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

The number from LPG Euro cars users association and the number from the manufacturer that produces modification kits for cars for other kinds of fuel indicated that there are 1.3-1.4 million cars that use LPG (or GPL in Italian), while 0.3-0.4 million cars use CGN (or Metano in Italian). Italy is a country that uses these two kinds of fuel the most in Europe, as well as the production of modification kits for cars.

On April 28th, 2006, the price of LPG in Italy was Euro 0.63/liter (USD 0.75), while Benzene was Euro 1.50/liter (USD 1.76), which was 2.35 times difference. It is the normal system that the price of LPG is lower than 2.3-2.5 times of Benzene’s, while CNG’s is around Euro 0.50/Kilogram (USD 0.60). This means that CNG’s price depends on weight, not on volume.

Although LPG’s and CNG’s prices are much lower than diesel and benzene, the growth rate of them in Europe is slightly slow and starts to reach their peak point. We can see from many countries in Europe such as England, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and France, or some countries in Asia such as Japan and South Korea, small-sized cars with low-rate fuel burning engines are more likely to be the majority rather than large-sized cars with high-rate fuel burning engines. Modification of cars for CNG or LPG is more suitable for large-sized cars rather than small ones because it needs some space in the cars to install it, and the installation fees and price for the equipment are high around Euro 1500.00 so that the break-event point will be around 2-3 years or more.

The general property of gas is no color and smell, but what we can smell from it is from the chemical mixed in so that we could notice the gas leak. Gas for cars is the fully burning fuel, and this helps reduce the green house effect which causes the global warming. However, there is also a disadvantage from it. It is a fuel that can harm engines in the long-term because it is gas itself. There is no lubricity property, and it also creates high temperature in burning process.

Even though the gas for cars has nothing to do with our everyday lives, in many countries, it is widely used because of the different price of fuel in each country. If the price is too high, the alternative choice is always considered in users’ calculation, especially with the public cars which run for very long distance each day. The cheaper one means the cheaper cost. Therefore, gas for cars would be a topic that must be talked about whenever the price of gas so high that many people cannot afford to use.

When you next go on vacation the best way to explore a new country is by car. Renting a car allows you to sightsee at your own pace to tourist spots of your own choice. You can easily rent cars from car rental services, but there are certain things you should keep in mind when you are renting a car abroad.

* It is a good idea to make all arrangements from the USA itself before you embark on your vacation. If you rent directly in a foreign land the language and cultural barriers, the foreign currency conversion rates, unfamiliar rental rules and other differences may utterly confuse you. Instead if you rent right from your home country, you are more likely to catch the hidden costs such as late penalties, gas charges and others.

* Make sure your billing starts right from the time of the drop-off. Remember, there are agencies that charge on a full 24-hour basis, even if you use the car for lesser hours per day. Avoid these types of car rental agencies.

* There are various types of discounts that are available on car rentals internationally. For example, the frequent flyer discount, credit card discount, AAA discount or senior citizen discount etc. are the most common type of car rental discounts. Insist on getting the discounts if you qualify for them.

* When you are booking in advance, consider the prospective size of your luggage and the number of people traveling with you. In case the luggage and the size of your group are small you can consider a smaller car. But if you feel you are going to travel with a big group or have big or quite a few luggages, then book a roomier car.

* You should carry an international driving permit with you. It is recognized by some 150 countries. However you must be at least 18 years old to obtain an international driving permit. In the USA, two agencies are authorized to issue the document: the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance.

* Do not expect to rent a luxurious or automatic car in other countries as you would expect to rent back home. For example, if you rent a car of European make, there is a high possibly that you have to drive a manual stick shift car. However, since you are not familiar with your way around in a foreign city it is better that you insist on renting an automatic car even though it comes at a higher price tag.

So you see, driving in the foreign land is much more than laughing about driving on the wrong side of the road! Be prepared and carry the right documents for safe and happy driving abroad.

If you are a prospective car buyer, finding just the right car for you is a decision not to be made lightly. Everyone’s needs are different and when you factor in personal tastes, there’s just no telling what will push you into making the final decision.

It’s easy to get carried away when you shop for a car: the smell of the brand-new upholstery, the satisfying purr of the motor, not to mention the slick salesman promising you outrageous deals, all conspire into making you part with your hard-earned money. Hopefully you will find a great deal for the amount of money that you are willing to pay. However you put it though, buying a car will cost a fair amount of money; you do want a car that is in decent condition and that will last for several years don’t you? It is of utmost importance then to do research on the particular models you are most interested in, know the current market trends in car sales and weigh your options carefully so you are confident of making the right choice when it comes time to whip out your checkbook.

The type of car you choose will be dependent on several factors: are you looking for a roomy, comfortable way to truck your kids to ballet class or soccer practice or are you searching for a rugged, off-road trail warrior who willingly follows were your adventurous spirit leads? Maybe you want to tear it up at the racetrack in a screaming blaze of high-octane performance or perhaps gas mileage and ecological-friendliness are your primary concerns. Either way, consider what your expectations and projected requirements are for your planned vehicle and anticipate your need in the future. You’re family may grow beyond it’s current size or you may have a need to use your vehicle for an expanding business. Think of what’s best for your needs and choose a solid, practical model; this year’s flashy, 2-seater with day-glow paintjob and shiny designer rims might get your pulse racing but is it really what you need and can use many years down the line?

Get up-to-date on the latest models though, so you at least know what’s out there and get a feel for current market rates. Check out what new features and innovations have come out recently; the automobile industry is a fast-paced one and new enhancements are coming out all the time.

Ethanol is becoming a very clear option for the alternative fuel market, as more and more countries start using and studying the ways to make ethanol use more popular, this is one kind of revolution that will change the fuel industry forever.

To have a better understanding of what ethanol distillation is, let’s get into the basics of ethanol.

Ethanol fast Facts

•Systematic Name: Ethanol •Other Names: Ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, hydroxyethane, EtOH •Molecular Formula: E2H6O •Physically, ethanol may be described as a colorless, flammable, slightly toxic chemical compound that has a distinctive perfume-like smell. •It is produced from sugar cane and used as automotive fuel in Brazil. Ethanol made out of corn, on the other hand, is being used widely as a gasoline additive and direct fuel in the United States. Straw, meanwhile, is being used to manufacture ethanol as well. •Ethanol is currently the leading biofuel provider in Europe.

Ethanol Distillation

Most of us already have an idea on how distillation happens. Let’s have the production of distilled water as an example. When water is subjected to heat, it is expected that steam would conduct away from a tube. A tube looped and oriented downward and allowed to cool would yield condensed vapor and eventually, water.

For ethanol, simple distillation will not be enough. Fractional distillation would be the best choice. The latter is used for separating mixtures of liquids with varying boiling points - like water and alcohol.

To start the distillation of ethanol, consider the following steps:

1.Prepare a small beaker and/or a simple glass half-filled with the rather miscible mixture of water and alcohol.

2.Cover the beaker or the simple glass jug with a funnel or something similar, so that a balloon can be placed to suck air out of the beaker.

3.After some time, the alcohol vapor and the steam in the mixture just above the liquid in the beaker or glass will reach a state of equilibrium. This should be relative of temperature and even pressure of the environment.

4.With regard to equilibrium, change can no longer be observed in the vapor to liquid ratio in the water to alcohol ratio within either the vapor or liquid mixture.

5.However, because of alcohol’s higher volatility, the ratio of water to alcohol in the vapor state is greater than that of the ratio in liquid state.

6.The occurrence of liquid-against-vapor-states permits the distillation from an escalating concentration of alcohol from the water and alcohol mixture.

And finally, by having sequences of repeated evaporation as well as condensation, a higher alcohol concentration is achieved from the re-condensation of recent vapor state.

This is since the alcohol inside the vapor mixture is at a greater concentration than it was from the liquid mixture from which it was changed into a vapor state.

Drag racing became a sanctioned sport back in the 1950’s, and has remained popular ever since. The World Wide Web gives an excellent, authoritative definition that reads as follows: “Drag racing is a form of auto racing in which cars or motorcycles attempt to complete a fairly short, straight and level course in the shortest amount of time. Drag racing originated in the United States and is still the most popular there. The most common distance is one quarter of a mile, although one eighth of a mile tracks are also popular, especially in the southeastern United States.”

While many people believe that drag racing is a popular sport only in the United States, there are numerous other countries where drag racing has quite a fan base. These countries include Canada, South Africa, Mexico, Malta, Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Greece, England, the Caribbean, as well as many Scandinavian and European countries. At any given time, there are approximately 325 drag racing strips fully operational worldwide

Drag racing is essentially two cars racing against one another down a straight track to see who can cross the finish line first. Since there are no hair pin turns involved, this may sound like an easy feat, however, the driver must be able to have quick reactions times and be able to handle the car effectively. In addition, the car must be tuned to near perfection and operate well under extreme circumstances.

While many people are content to simply haul their dragster down to the local track every Saturday night and compete for bragging rights and trophies, there are many drag racers that take drag racing seriously and attend sanctioned events to compete for big titles and big money.

In professional drag racing, there are only five main categories, and these include Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Modified, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Bike. In the upper racing divisions, dragsters can reach speeds of up to 330 miles per hour! This means that a car performing at this rate of speed could travel the distance of a quarter mile track in a mere 4.45 seconds. If you have never witnessed this in person, it is an awesome sight to behold.

Drag racing has turned into a multimillion-dollar business; with companies paying for ad space on the racecars, as well as race promoters vying for television and radio time, drag racing is enjoying wide exposure. If you have yet to be exposed to drag racing, grab the family or a few friends and head on down to your closest racetrack! A night of drag racing will afford the entire family a wonderful time, as well as a unique experience.

Today’s vehicles are equipped with an array of warning lights. Of course we’re all familiar will the seat belt warning and the door ajar indicator; however, with the automotive industry’s technological advancements there are a number of warning lights that can be quite alarming.

Following is a Question and Answer Guide on some of the more common Warning Light concerns. Note: due to the frequency of the Check Engine Warning Light, it has a section all its own. Visit www.repairtrust.com/check.html.

1) SRS Light (Supplemental Restraint System): the supplemental restraint system is your Airbag System. It may incorporate a variety of active, passive, and even pre-safe technology depending on the vehicle. Given that the SRS System is a safety system, it is well monitored with numerous sensors and automatic self-tests. The slightest malfunction in this system illuminates the SRS light.

“Can the vehicle be driven with an SRS Light on?” Yes, at the owner’s risk. There are thousands of vehicles on the road without SRS technology.

“Is the airbag going to blow up?” It’s unlikely. When the SRS Light is on the system is inoperative.

2) ABS Lights: The Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light is another common occurrence in today’s vehicles. The ABS system helps to keep you from skidding out of control during braking by limiting your wheels from locking up/skidding.

The ABS system is often integrated with traction control and stability systems, all of which are designed to keep you safe during panic stops, wheel slippage, and handling.

“Do I need brakes?” You might, but that’s not why the ABS Light is on. The ABS Warning System does not monitor disc brake pad or disc brake rotor wear (see the Padlight Warning section below)

“Can the vehicle be driven?” Like the SRS system, the vehicle can be driven at the owner’s risk as there are many vehicles still on the market without the enhanced safety features of ABS.

“Why is my ABS light on? How do I reset the ABS Light?” These are simple questions with a multitude of answers depending on the vehicle in question. For a QUICK and FREE solution, follow the information and guidelines for Resetting Check Engine Light, and apply them to your ABS light.

3) Low Coolant Light: The Low Coolant Light will come on when the coolant drops below the coolant level sensor—generally one to two quarts. If this light is on, there are two primary possibilities. The most common is a coolant leak. The other is an electrical fault in the warning lamp circuit. Have them checked out.

“Can it be driven?” If there are no major leaks, the vehicle is not overheating (and does not start to overheat), and there is still some evidence of coolant in the overflow bottle, it can be driven. If you can see coolant leaking on the ground—tow it. When in doubt, always tow it!

4) Red Oil Light On: Stop driving immediately and shut the engine off! If a Red Oil Warning Light comes on PAY ATTENTION.

The best case scenario is that your engine oil is a little low. The second best case scenario is that there is an electrical issue with the Oil Level Warning System circuit.

First, follow your owners’ manual’s instructions to check your oil. If low, add as recommended—make sure you don’t see it dripping or pouring out on the ground, which would indicate a “major” engine leak.

If the oil is not low and your engine is making ticking, knocking, or unusual noises, Tow it!

If everything appears ok, and you’re a bit of a gambler, it may just be an issue with the warning lamp circuit. In this case, get your vehicle checked out at your earliest convenience.

The worst case scenario is internal engine damage.

Note: many of today’s vehicles have very sensitive and sophisticated Oil Level Warning Systems. You may be alerted of oil level too high, or oil level too low. Again, refer to your owners’ manual’s instructions.

So whether it’s a 1993 Ford Aerostar Check Oil Light, or a question of “Why does oil light flash in Saab automobile,” PAY ATTENTION!

5) Red Brake Warning Lights: Generally, Red Warning Lights mean DANGER. In the case of a Red Brake Warning Light, there may be a hydraulic brake fluid leak. If the brake pedal feels abnormal or spongy—don’t drive—Tow It!

“Can I drive it?” If the car is stopping ok, and you’re a gambler, go ahead. If the brake pedal feels different than usual, or if the vehicle is not stopping properly, don’t drive it!

Note: make sure that your emergency brake is not on or partially engaged, as this will illuminate a Red Brake Warning Light.

6) Yellow Brake Warning Light (Padlight): This is an early warning system for brake pad wear. Essentially, as your disc brake pads wear down, at a certain point a sensor is tripped to alert you that you will need brakes soon.

“Can I drive the vehicle, and for how long?” Yes, you can continue to drive. How long depends on your driving style. City drivers (city driving is generally harder on brakes due to the constant stop and go) will likely need their brakes addressed before someone who does primarily highway driving.

“Will I do more damage to the brakes?” Depending on how long you continue to drive you could conceivably wear your disc brake pads down to the metal backing plate, which could then damage your disc brake rotors and, in rare cases, the disc brake calipers. However, with many of today’s brake systems, the replacement of the disc brake rotors along with the disc brake pads is required or strongly recommended.

Important: It is better to have your brakes checked early to increase the possibility of saving money by not having to replace the rotors. However, many of today’s brake disc pads and rotors require replacement not due to wear, but due to rust and corrosion; thus rotor replacement is often necessary anyway. Brake calipers rarely need replacing during regular brake work.

7) Air Suspension Lights (Airmatic, Air Ride, Hydraulic Suspensions): Suspension Warning Lights illuminate when the suspension’s monitoring system has detected a fault. Often there is a leak—either air or hydraulic fluid.

“Can I drive it?” Sometimes. But if the suspension is lower than usual, and/or the vehicle just doesn’t feel right—Tow It! Extensive damage could result if the suspension drops too low while driving.

Note: air suspension system repairs are best left to the best, state-of-the-art service center you can find, preferably a dealership.

Tire Pressure Warning Light: This recent technological development causes quite a bit of confusion. Put simply, if your tire is getting low on air, your car lets you know via sensors mounted in various places depending on the model.

“What is the low tire pressure warning light reset procedure?” Sometimes the reset procedure is as simple as pressing a button. Other times one has to set the tire pressures, recalibrate the on-board computer, genuflect and cross two fingers. Check your owners’ manual or call a specialist or dealer.

Note: Local shops and franchises (for the most part) lack familiarity with Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems given that this is a fairly recent technological development. You can refer to How to Reset Check Engine Light, and follow the tips, and suggestions for getting it reset.

9) Emission Warning Light: This light is similar to the Check Engine Light. Many European models such as Volvos have this type of Warning System. It’s essentially letting you know that an emissions component has failed or detected a fault. Follow the Check Engine Light information and tips to address this particular warning light.

Note: make sure you take it to a shop equipped to handle emissions work.

10) Resetting Oil Lights (Oil Change Warning Lamps): Whether it’s a Toyota Oil Light Procedure, an Oil Change Warning Light Reset 2005 GMC Envoy, or the process to Reset 1999 M3 Oil Service Light, all require a specific course of action.

Most owners’ manuals have this information. You should find it under maintenance or oil service. You can also call your local mechanic, who resets oil service lights everyday on a variety of models. A dealership will certainly have the information; however, finding someone in a dealership who can translate it effectively may be difficult.

If the above fails, see the process for Resetting Check Engine Light.

Note: several European models require special tools to reset the oil service light, thus it’s best to call or visit a specialist or dealer.

Note: This information is not a substitute for your vehicle’s owners’ manual. It is meant to be a general guide. Always refer to manufacturer vehicle-specific guidelines.

Note: PAY ATTENTION to how you are billed for any of the above warning concerns. Because of their technical nature they can get “unnecessarily” very pricy, quickly.

If you would like a car that looks almost ordinary, but that is as fast as many supercars, buy the BMW M5. Yes, on the outside, this is an ordinary European sedan – but under the hood is a 500 bhp V-10 engine that you might imagine came from a sports-racing car! Will it do 180 mph? No, it could, but it won’t because BMW uses a limiter to prevent you going faster than 155 mph on all its hot cars. Actually, BMW says it will do over 190 mph without the limiter in operation.

The BMW M5 is powered by a very advanced 5.0 liter V-10 engine, ad fits neatly into the standard engine compartment. This is a very special engine, being built in small numbers and at high cost by BMW’s M Center. It’s a 90-degree V-10, which means that it won’t be quite as smooth as some – in theory, at any rate.

ADVANCED 500 BHP V10 ENGINE

Maximum power is 500 bhp at 7,700 rpm – a real screamer this – while the maximum torque of 380 lb ft is produced at 6,100 rpm. Boy, you’re really going to keep this revving if you want to use all that power. Still, when it’s just mooching along at 4,000 rpm, this amazing unit produces quite a chunk of power.

Needless to say, it has all the features you’d expect in a supercar engine, such as a stiff aluminum block, twin overhead camshafts per bank of cylinders and and narrow 4-valve heads. BMW uses its variable valve timing system, and drives the inlet camshafts on each bank by chain, with a gear drive to the exhaust camshaft, a system pioneered by Toyota to save space.

SEVEN-SPEED SEQUENTIAL GEARBOX

Coupled to this marvel of a power plant, which would seem more at home in a slinky coupe, is a seven-speed sequential gearbox. This is the latest development of the BMW sporty semi-automatic. BMW claims it’s the first seven-speed box of its type. Mercedes-Benz has a seven-speed automatic, and Audi has a CVT with seven stages, but these are not quite the same.

Why all these seven-speed boxes? Well, for maximum acceleration, and so that you have the right gear coming out of any corner, the more gears the better. When you’ve got that many gears, the shift pattern gets pretty complicated with a manual box, so they’re going for either automatics or semi-automatics.

To go with the powerful power train are bigger brakes than standard, wider wheels and tires, and stiffer suspension. The handling is surprisingly good for such an ordinary-looking car.

HOT PERFORMER, QUIET LOOKS

The result of putting this engine in the BMW 5 Series is very hot acceleration for such a big car: 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, and 0-125 mph in 15.6 seconds.

Will people pay over $100,000 or so for a 500 bhp sedan? You bet they will. There are a lot of people out there that want supercar performance, but don’t’ want to have to struggle to get in and out of the car. They also want to travel with plenty of luggage, and have room in the trunk for two sets of golf clubs – and more.

And they’ll get a real kick from burning off cheeky guys in sports cars who get in the way. Cars that are much faster than they look, which we used to call Q cars, have quite a market. What’s it like to drive? Well, at normal speeds, the car is very quiet, and you would not know how power you had. In fact, there is a switch on the steering wheel which limits power to 400 bhp. To get the full 500 bhp, you need to press that.

So, most of the time you’ll drive with 400 bhp, and the problem is that the engine does not have a lot of power until you get to 5,000 rpm, an the power keeps coming in until you get to 8,000 rpm. You need deserted roads to use that power, but the car works pretty well in traffic and normal commuting. Not quite so good in everyday use is the gearbox. It does not have a torque converter, so it can be quite jerky when you shift up.

Chrysler may be feeling some pain in the USA, but overseas they are realizing some excellent results. According to a Chrysler spokesperson, international sales are up 14 percent through August of 2006 with 15 straight months of month-to-month increases. The news is even better in Western Europe. Chrysler reported an increase of 35.6% in August 2006 compared with the performance from a year ago, and a sales increase of 15.5% for the year-to-date through August 2006. According to JATO Dynamics, a market information company, Jeep sales were up 25% in Europe through August compared to 2005, much of the increase due to the excellent performances of the new Grand Cherokee and Commander. These impressive sales results have made Chrysler the second fastest growing automotive group in Europe, second only to Fiat, and Chrysler predicts that international sales will account for 9% of total sales by 2007.

Looking at the sales numbers it’s easy to see why the folks at Chrysler were excited about the unveiling of their production version of the two-door Jeep Wrangler and four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited for the first time in Europe at the recently held Paris Motor Show. The Paris Motor Show is a major event that is held every two years. It is a trend-setting showcase for the automotive industry around the world and it attracts participants from all corners of the globe. The newly demo’ed Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited models are powered by a new 2.8 liter diesel engine and feature a broad array of new off-road features. They will hit European dealer showrooms around April of 2006, and Chrysler feels they’ll be a big hit. Why shouldn’t we believe them? They seem to have an excellent grasp on the European market at the moment.

It is good that Chrysler, an American car manufacturer, and Jeep are making themselves known around the world and realizing some excellent results. Now if only we could get our hands on those diesel powered Wranglers here in the good ole’ USA. Then we all might be happy!

Speaking of happy, we have everything you need for your Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee at XtremeTerrain.com. Quality aftermarket parts like Interior and exterior accessories, suspension and performance parts, restoration and body parts, travel accessories, and much more can be found at our online store. Just go to http://www.xtremeterrain.com Find automotive equipment and accessories for any Jeep make or model and get our always low prices on anything you need.

The classic Acura was one of Honda’s biggest gambles. Japanese vehicles had a reputation for being economical above all else, putting functionality over form. Thus, when Honda unleashed the Acura on the Western market, the sense of shock at seeing a Japanese luxury vehicle took a while to die down. Some might argue that the classic Acura design generated a shock that never really died down. After all, the arrival of the Acura heralded the release of more Japanese luxury vehicles into Western markets, something that had been previously unheard of. Debuting in 1986 after nearly ten years of development and design, Honda released the Acura, which became a success. In 1990, Honda announced plans to expand their manufacturing and research operations in the US, the company’s primary market for the classic Acura. At the same time, plans are set into motion dealing with how to release the Acura into other markets, such as Canada and Europe. In 1991, Honda successfully released the Acura into the Hong Kong market, as well as integrated new technology into the design to improve performance. Unfortunately, design problems led to slower sales in the mid-1990s, which prompted Honda to both reduce production and attempt to do a major re-tooling of the overall design of the vehicle. However, at the same time, the niche market of import tuners were drawn to the Acura because it was easy to modify.

The classic Acura designs were eventually revamped in 2000, which did away with what many described as bland design elements. The new designs, combined with technologies to upgrade the performance and fuel efficiency, and decreased costs, allowed Honda to once again make the Acura one of the main import luxury vehicles in the market. Combined with the retained ease of modification that attracted car tuners to them in the previous decade, the effect was a startling resurgence to the initial strong showing that the Acura made when it was first introduced to the market. Later models followed the concept of a luxury vehicle at an affordable price, with good features and some customization options. So far, the strategy has been successful.

In 2004, the classic Acura designs were revamped into the Acura TSX for the European market. Apart from the upgraded design and internal systems, it was also given four-wheel drive and a 4-cylinder engine. Minor modifications were made to make the Acura TSX more suitable for the European market. The new design was received well by the market and quickly became one of the premier import luxury cars in the European market at the time.

However, certain features like rear wheel drive and V8 engines, have become prominent among the competitors of the classic Acura. Honda currently is sticking to its guns in maintaining the simple but elegant design, combined with functional technologies and systems. While opinions vary, there is some worry over the fact that the latest models have not been as tuner-friendly as previous ones. Some speculate that Honda will have to once again rethink the design of the classic Acura in order to keep up.