I do not need the concept simplified, just the reasoning behind it.
First off, what the other manufacturers are doing or not doing should have little bearing on how Honda proceeds with their model iterations. This isn't rocket science here, just basic product planning for market coverage. I haven't seen a generation of Accord coupe that wasn't popular, as I see them everywhere, so if some exec was pushing to axe the coupe, I'd assume there would need to be a pretty strong case for dropping it.
Besides, when looking for a nice cruiser for commuting year round that also has the power to hang with a pretty broad spectrum of cars performance wise, while simply dusting many more than that, having a FWD option in this segment is a nice choice to have. I would trade the leather interior for a black Si-type interior and add an LSD and call it a day on the top trim...and I think that is the one place they keep failing the coupe...they haven't moved one from the pack and made a focused "Si" type model.
DCR wrote: I do not need the concept simplified, just the reasoning behind it.
First off, what the other manufacturers are doing or not doing should have little bearing on how Honda proceeds with their model iterations. This isn't rocket science here, just basic product planning for market coverage. I haven't seen a generation of Accord coupe that wasn't popular, as I see them everywhere, so if some exec was pushing to axe the coupe, I'd assume there would need to be a pretty strong case for dropping it.
Besides, when looking for a nice cruiser for commuting year round that also has the power to hang with a pretty broad spectrum of cars performance wise, while simply dusting many more than that, having a FWD option in this segment is a nice choice to have. I would trade the leather interior for a black Si-type interior and add an LSD and call it a day on the top trim...and I think that is the one place they keep failing the coupe...they haven't moved one from the pack and made a focused "Si" type model.
The simplified layout helped to amplify the concept, since you did claim confusion with the earlier post.
In my view, saying basic product planning for Honda is like rocket science, is not always a home run. We are talking about the Crosstour, ZDX, CR-Z, from a company that canned the S2000, NSX, Integra, and dropped double wishbones from the Accord (soley to chase the Camry's isolation from driving).
Finally, I have seen plenty of older model, particularly 4th gen, accord coupes. 7th and 8th gen? Only 2 so far.
Having lived in Massachusetts for most of my life, here's my say on FWD vs RWD vs AWD year round: it's 100% down to the driver, not the drivetrain. This may be exaggerated by the number of crazy, reckless drivers up there, though I've seen my share of idiots in Florida, too. Drivetrain has nothing to do with getting into trouble. The driver has everything to do with it. I've stayed trouble-free for all my years up in Massachusetts (save a large amount of students who don't know how to parallel park), in a rusted-through RWD Ford Thunderbird (it didn't even have traction control).
........
All that being said, I do wish Honda didn't drop half of the total color (int/ext) options on the MT accords, this year. I think Honda could build a Si model, but it would be hard to justify vs a... well, you've seen the list. If this theoretical Si Accord is anything like the Civic Si in the Civic lineup, it would be suicidally priced vs it's competition.
DCR wrote: I do not need the concept simplified, just the reasoning behind it.
First off, what the other manufacturers are doing or not doing should have little bearing on how Honda proceeds with their model iterations. This isn't rocket science here, just basic product planning for market coverage. I haven't seen a generation of Accord coupe that wasn't popular, as I see them everywhere, so if some exec was pushing to axe the coupe, I'd assume there would need to be a pretty strong case for dropping it.
Besides, when looking for a nice cruiser for commuting year round that also has the power to hang with a pretty broad spectrum of cars performance wise, while simply dusting many more than that, having a FWD option in this segment is a nice choice to have. I would trade the leather interior for a black Si-type interior and add an LSD and call it a day on the top trim...and I think that is the one place they keep failing the coupe...they haven't moved one from the pack and made a focused "Si" type model.
The simplified layout helped to amplify the concept, since you did claim confusion with the earlier post.
In my view, saying basic product planning for Honda is like rocket science, is not always a home run. We are talking about the Crosstour, ZDX, CR-Z, from a company that canned the S2000, NSX, Integra, and dropped double wishbones from the Accord (soley to chase the Camry's isolation from driving).
Finally, I have seen plenty of older model, particularly 4th gen, accord coupes. 7th and 8th gen? Only 2 so far.
Having lived in Massachusetts for most of my life, here's my say on FWD vs RWD vs AWD year round: it's 100% down to the driver, not the drivetrain. This may be exaggerated by the number of crazy, reckless drivers up there, though I've seen my share of idiots in Florida, too. Drivetrain has nothing to do with getting into trouble. The driver has everything to do with it. I've stayed trouble-free for all my years up in Massachusetts (save a large amount of students who don't know how to parallel park), in a rusted-through RWD Ford Thunderbird (it didn't even have traction control).
........
All that being said, I do wish Honda didn't drop half of the total color (int/ext) options on the MT accords, this year. I think Honda could build a Si model, but it would be hard to justify vs a... well, you've seen the list. If this theoretical Si Accord is anything like the Civic Si in the Civic lineup, it would be suicidally priced vs it's competition.
The only flaw I see here in your logic (and it is a big one), is that you are assuming that your sighting of cars is A) completely accurate and B) in line with experience everywhere else.
I would suggest that there are so many cars in so many places at one time that you can't possibly get an accurate sampling. That doesn't even include regional issues where one brand/type might outnumber another. If you go to Hollywood, you would think BMW's and Bentleys are the best selling cars in the world, but clearly that is not true.
Also, I have seen a tremendous increase in the number of Accord Coupes I see locally since the 8th gen MMC. It seems to be selling extremely well in this area. I also see a fair number of 7th gen coupes and still see some 4th, 5th and 6th gen coupes.