Friday, February 4, 2011

redesign

theprovince.com

driving | C13

takes a step back

2011 tl: New version

By DaviD Booth
Postmedia News

I like the front end of Acuras current TL. Its angular, aggressive and bold, all attributes I thought universally admired. To me, it signals a new Acura, one that eschews the traditional conservatism of recent designs from the Land of the Rising Sun. Acura is about to unleash a brand new TL this year. In fact, it should be here by early summer. Insiders are welcoming the revision, hoping it will rejuvenate the once popular sedans recently flagging sales, a malaise blamed you guessed it on the front grilles over-the-top styling. While Acuras drop in sales as it tried to broaden the TLs appeal is real, it pales in comparison with the massive shellacking Volkswagen experienced in trying to sneak into the luxury segment via the Phaeton. One could argue, with some veracity, that most of Jaguars recent five years in automobile sales purgatory had more to do with the incredible backlash against the ill-conceived X-Type than any stylistic limitations of the lastgeneration XJ. Even successful expansions are muted. Hyundais Genesis, despite being my candidate for the best new car of the millennium, has achieved only middling success on the sales floor. Lexus has also been floundering, looking for new markets to expand into with the sporty IS, the ever-more-Mercedes-like LS and, most recently, the hybrid CT 200h. Yet, without its traditional bread-and-butter RX, the company would be lost somewhere near the bottom of the luxury segments sales charts. Automakers try all kinds of ploys to thwart this conservatism. Naysayers will point to the Minis success with an aha-laden gotcha. Except, of course, that Mini was an established, if not completely iconic, brand before being resurrected by BMW. Mercedes-Benzs answer, Smart, has, despite a few fits and starts, floundered. Rolls-Royce has soared because the ultra-moneyed understood what they were buying. Even Audis recent march upscale was originally a bust. Only by going back to the drawing board and coming up with a plan that saw a slow creep to price parity did the brand elevate its game. Perhaps, thats the lesson then. You can actually move our perceptions only you have to do it in baby steps.

until M{y
2011 MAZDA 3
$
Over 120 International Awards.

NO P{YMENTS

GET 0% {nd

PLUS WE MAKE YOUR FIRST 2 PAYMENTS UP TO $800 ON SELECT CX-7 MODELS

2011 CX-7
%
APR

Over 170 International Awards.

Finance from

16,690 137
*

Well equipped from

Finance from

bi-weekly months for at On nance price from $17,770. Includes freight and PDI. Taxes extra.

60 0

27,990 229
* $

ALL NEW Price from

bi-weekly months for at On nance price from $28,270. Includes freight and PDI. Taxes extra.

60 1.9%
APR

PLUS GET $250 OWNER LOYALTY CASH**

PLUS GET $1,000 OWNER LOYALTY CASH**

STANDARD FEATURES: Traction Control System (TCS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), 16 alloy wheels

STANDARD FEATURES: Traction Control System (TCS) Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) Rain-sensing wipers PowerheateddoormirrorsTirePressureMonitoringSystem

GT model shown, from $38,385 GT model shown, from $25,820

2011 MAZDA 2
$
$
Finance from

0
APR

% PURCHASE FINANCING PAYMENTS FOR 90 DAYS DOWN PAYMENT

2010 MAZDA 5
purchase nancing

2011 MAZDA 3 SPORT

$

2010 MAZDA 6
purchase n ancing

14,390
biweekly for

Well equipped from

17,890
biweekly for

Well equipped from

0
$

for up to OR Get up to

72
months

0
$

for up to OR Get up to

72
months

149 48 0%
On Finance Price from $15,470. Includes freight and PDI. Taxes extra. PLUS GET $250 OWNER LOYALTY CASH**
months at

146 60 0%
On Finance Price from $18,970. Includes freight and PDI. Taxes extra. PLUS GET $1,000 OWNER LOYALTY CASH**
months at

Finance from

APR

cash purchase credit

PLUS GET $500 OWNER LOYALTY CASH**

4,000

cash purchase credit

PLUS GET $1,500 OWNER LOYALTY CASH**

4,000

GS model shown, from $19,590

GT model shown, from $26,920

GT model shown, from $26,190

GT-V6 model shown, from $38,390

V{LUE. EMOTION. ENGINEERING. ZOOM-ZOOM. FOREVER.

VISIT YOUR LOCAL DEALER OR MAZDA.CA FOR COMPLETE DETAILS
North Vancouver MORREY MAZDA 604-984-9211 Pitt Meadows WEST COAST MAZDA 604-465-9111 Port Moody OPENROAD MAZDA 604-461-9111 Richmond SIGNATURE MAZDA 604-278-3185 Surrey FREEWAY MAZDA 604-583-7121 Abbotsford V.I.P. MAZDA 604-857-1600 Burnaby Chilliwack METROTOWN MAZDA WOLFES CHILLIWACK MAZDA 604-795-3700 604-433-7779 Surrey MIDWAY MAZDA 604-538-5388 Surrey WOLFES LANGLEY MAZDA 604-534-0181 Vancouver WOLFE MAZDA 604-294-4299

No payments for 90 days applies to purchase finance offers on all new in-stock 2010, 2011 and 2012 models. The purchaser will repay principal monthly over the term of the contract, commencing 90 days after contract date. **$1,500/$1,000/$500/$250 Owner Loyalty Cash is only available to customers who qualify for the Mazda Owner Renewal Program and is applied against the purchase price of a new 2010 Mazda6/2011 CX-7/2010 Mazda5/2011 Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda3Sport vehicle. No cash surrender value. Visit mazda.ca or see dealer for complete details. 0%/0%/0%/0%/0%/1.9% APR Purchase Financing is available on new 2010 and 2011 Mazda vehicles. Based on a representative agreement using a finance amount of $15,470 for 2011 Mazda2 GX (B5XB51AA00)/$17,770 for 2011 Mazda3 GX (D4XS51AA00)/$18,970 for 2011 Mazda3Sport (D5XS51AA00)$22,470 for 2010 Mazda5 GS (E6SD50AA00)/$24,970 for 2010 Mazda6 GS I4 (G4SY60AA00)/$28,270 for 2011 CX-7 GX 2WD (PVXY81AA00), at a rate of 0%/0%/0%/0%/0%/1.9% APR, the cost of borrowing for a 48/60/60/72/72/60-month term is $0/$0/$0/$0/$0/$1,387, bi-weekly payment is $149/$137/$146/$144/$160/$229, total finance obligation is $15,470/$17,770/$18,970/$22,470/$24,970/$29,657 including freight and PDI of $1,395/$1,595 for the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda3Sport/Mazda5, Mazda6, CX-7. Taxes are extra and required at the time of purchase. Other termsavailableandvarybymodel.*Cashpurchasepricefornew2011Mazda2GXis$14,390($15,390lesscashcreditof$1,000)/2011Mazda3GXis$16,690($17,690lesscashcreditof$1,000)2011Mazda3SportGXis$17,890($18,890lesscashcreditof$1,000)/2011CX-7GX2WDis$27,990includingfreightandPDI.Offervalidonlyonfinancepurchasesofnew2011 CX-7 GX FWD (PVXY81AA00) and 2011 CX-9 GS FWD (QVSB81AA00) and all new 2010 CX-7 and CX-9 models purchased between February 1-28, 2011. Payments will be made by the Dealer, directly to the customer, in payment of actual monthly payments on financed amounts, up to a maximum of $800 in total. Any amounts due in excess of the payments made by the Dealer are the responsibility of the customer. No refunds of any difference if first 2 monthly finance payments are less than $800 in total. No substitutions or cash surrender value. See your dealer for program details. $4,000 credit is available on cash purchases of remaining 2010 Mazda5 and 2010 Mazda6 vehicles. See dealer for details. $75 max. PPSA, licence, insurance, taxes, down payment and other dealer charges are extra and may be required at the time of purchase. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer order or trade may be necessary. Lease and Finance on approved credit for qualified customers only. Offers valid February 1 - 28, 2011 while supplies last. Prices subject to change without notice. Visit mazda.ca or see your dealer for complete details. Images not exactly as shown.
VANSAS16978_1_1

Acura tries new grille approach

2011 acura tL the latest version should be here this summer and aficionados are hoping that the changes will bring better fortune.
submitted photo

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