A Little Birdie Said That There Will Be Another Acura NSX “At Some Point”

by Gabrielle DeSantis

In the past couple of weeks, we have mourned the loss of the legendary Acura NSX and welcomed the return of the Acura Integra. We also learned about the NSX Type-S, which will have 600 hp and will only be produced in a limited quantity. It’s been quite the rollercoaster of emotions when it comes to Acura news as of late, but the light at the end of the tunnel is that there will be another Acura NSX to look forward to “at some point.”

The next Acura NSX could be electrified

The Honda NSX car is pictured at the Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo. | (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

The editors at Motor Trend recently spoke with Acura’s Brand Officer, John Ikeda, about all things Acura, some of which included the recent news about the NSX. According to the publication, Ikeda said, “There will be a next one, at some point, I am sure…There will be another one.” If that’s not reassuring, we don’t know what is.

However, if you have your fingers crossed that the next NSX will be anything like the original, think again. Every automaker knows that they have to flow with the tides when it comes to new innovations and progressive technology. As such, Motor Trend also mentioned that the next NSX will most likely be an electric vehicle, which is fitting given that many automakers are heading toward electrification in the near future.

“We didn’t want to let the NSX die on a vine…”

2022 Acura NSX Type S
2022 Acura NSX Type S | Acura

The Acura NSX has always been the automaker’s “halo car,” which is basically the attractive beacon that has all of the latest and greatest technologies to lure buyers into checking out the rest of the lineup. It’s the car that people drool over, but can’t have, so they buy a TLX instead. From a marketing standpoint, it’s genius. But from an engineering standpoint, a halo car is also a learning experience.

Ikeda told Motor Trend that Acura didn’t “go into it to make a lot of money.” Instead, the automaker used the NSX to find out which direction it wanted to go in the future. “We learned a lot about electrification and fun to drive, which is a staple,” Ikeda said. The Acura NSX Type S is a testament to that notion with its upgrades and updated performance. However, that car is more of a “last hurrah,” which is evident in the fact that the very first one sold for over $1 million during an auction at Monterey Car Week.

Ikeda also told Motor Trend, “We didn’t want to let the NSX die on a vine. To go quietly into the night is not what it deserves.”

The Integra was also brought up

The teaser image of a white 2022 Acura Integra
2022 Acura Integra teaser | Acura

Ikeda also spoke to Motor Trend about the forthcoming 2023 Acura Integra. So far, it sounds like it’s going to be as we expect: an entry-level sports car that will be more obtainable to the masses. The Japanese automaker just needed to get the NSX out of the way first in order to usher in the Integra and take the brand back to its luxury performance roots.

“Now it’s the right time to retire the halo and bring in the volume entry car. It’s time to return to Integra,” Ikeda said.

RELATED: No, You’re Not Being Punk’d–the Acura Integra Returns in 2022

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NADA Vs Kelley Blue Book: Which One Should You Use?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Researching a car on the internet usually ends up in one (or both) of two places: National Dealership Association (NADA) guides, and Kelley Blue Book (KBB). Since its 1918 foundation, KBB has become the gold standard for determining a car’s true market value, with respect to car owners. NADAguides, on the other hand, is a resource for dealerships to determine a car’s worth. With all the misinformation and speculation flooding the internet, it’s good to have one or two credible resources to depend on, but which one gets the final say?

NADAguides: nothing but data

NADAguides started in 1933 and works with professionals in the automotive sector. It collects data from auctions and dealership vehicle sales, and pricing information from sales hosting sites like Autotrader. NADA also uses data from manufacturers and companies that buy and sell used cars to get car values. 

NADA takes into account macro and micro-economic factors as well, including where the vehicle is located and supply and demand. From the website: “Our values are designed and intended to assist users in performing their own valuation of a particular used vehicle”. NADA apparently doesn’t factor in vehicle condition, according to KBB. 

Kelley Blue Book Logo | Kelley Blue Book

Where NADAguides is very clinical with how it curates data, KBB appears more intelligent. In addition to similar resources used by NADA, KBB uses software to predict market trends, and it does so with hundreds of sources. With this software, KBB takes into account where a customer is located, and regionalized values. For all intents and purposes, NADA appears to provide how much a car should cost, whereas KBB shows what a car is worth. 

Which one to use?

Depending on how a customer wants to look at a deal, they might consider using both NADAguides and KBB. While dealerships use NADA, buyers may be able to use it to gain some sort of perspective. Using KBB seems to give a more real-world estimate, especially since it factors in the vehicle’s condition. Either resource is comprehensive enough for basic values, but if a vehicle owner is trying to find a value for their own car, they would probably get a more accurate estimate from KBB.

The price of a used car makes or breaks a deal, for the buyer and the seller. Using NADA gives a good ballpark estimate of why the dealership prices cars the way it does, but KBB might give a better idea of how much the car is worth. Either way, consider the condition of the vehicle. KBB also offers insights as to the best cars to buy within certain parameters.

Dealerships may price a car like new because it thinks the car is in better condition than it is, or is trying to make a customer think so. On the flip side, a vehicle owner trying to place a like-new value on their car that’s been through hell and came back with some dents and faded paint is just as bad. If the dealership price matches the NADA price, look at the condition and cross-reference it with KBB. KBB will probably give a more accurate answer in both cases.

RELATED: Kelley Blue Book Better Buy: 2021 Kia Telluride vs. Subaru Ascent

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Something Smells Funny With Ford’s New Mustang Mach-E GT Ploy

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Ford recently did something interesting to market the 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT electric vehicle. And it might leave customers looking for that new-car smell disappointed. That’s because the Blue Oval created a cheekily named fragrance for consumers who want an all-electric Mustang Mach-E GT but still like the smell of gasoline.

The biggest perk of owning an EV is avoiding the gas station, so this move from the automotive giant might seem absurd.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT at a glance

The Ford Mustang Mach-E was recently named Car and Driver’s 2021 EV of the Year.

With a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.8 seconds, the Mach-E GT offers spectacular performance for an all-electric vehicle, Ford claims. The all-wheel-drive GT model starts at $59,900 and offers an EPA-estimated driving range of 270 miles. The five-passenger EV produces an exhilarating 480 hp and 634 lb-ft of torque with an electric motor feeding each axle.

Car and Driver points out the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT offers an “attention-grabbing design, handsome and hushed cabin, and instantaneous acceleration.”

Why is Ford using a fragrance to promote the Mustang Mach-E GT?

The Blue Oval is promoting the Ford Mach-E using a fragrance called Mach-Eau | Ford Motor Company

Ford says it designed a “premium fragrance” for consumers with a “fondness for the evocative smells of traditional petrol cars.”

In a recent survey, “one in five drivers said the smell of petrol is what they’d miss most when swapping to an electric vehicle,” Ford claims.

Almost 70% of respondents claimed they would miss the easily identifiable scent to some degree.

“Petrol also ranked as a more popular scent than both wine and cheese, and almost identically to the smell of new books,” the survey revealed.

Unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England, the unique fragrance is affectionately named Mach-Eau.

According to Forbes, the scent “smells pretty nice,” combining the new-car smells of a brand-new engine and interior.

Ford says it tasked Olfiction with creating Mach-Eau. The fragrance combines “benzaldehyde, which is an almond-like scent given off by car interiors, and para-cresol, which is key in creating the rubbery scent of tires.”

Other key ingredients in the strange formula are ginger, lavender, sandalwood, and geranium to create a smoky accent. And an “animal element” helps consumers identify with the history of the Mustang horse.

Though Mach-Eau might appeal to drivers who’ve grown fond of the smell of gas, real gasoline fumes can be toxic.

Inhaling gas fumes is not healthy

Despite the Mach-Eau promotion, Ford isn’t selling the fragrance. Although it sounds like an April Fools’ Day joke, it’s actually a clever marketing ploy to attract attention to the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. 

According to Electrek, the scent is supposed to prompt “traditional car enthusiasts” to look at everything EVs have to offer. Regardless of Ford’s reasoning to go this route, inhaling real gas fumes can be dangerous. Methane and benzene are toxic hydrocarbons found in motor oil and gasoline.

If ingested, these poisonous chemicals can be deadly. “One of the greatest risks of gasoline exposure is the harm it can do to your lungs when you inhale its fumes,” Healthline reports.

According to the National Library of Medicine, benzaldehyde, an ingredient in Mach-Eau, is “not considered a carcinogenic risk to humans.” The chemical is an “aromatic aldehyde,” often found in cosmetics and perfumes.

So, though the scent is safer than sniffing real gasoline, Ford’s Mach-Eau fragrance is still a far cry from the new-car smell consumers have all come to know and love.

RELATED: Is the “New Car Smell” Toxic For You?

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Toyota’s Chip Crisis Just Got Worse

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Toyota’s chip crisis just got worse. While all car manufacturers have been dealing with a combination of problems that have left car manufacturers scrambling to problem-solve and get cars into the hands of consumers, Toyota’s difficulties have just increased. 

2021 Toyota Highlander | Toyota

What is Toyota’s chip crisis?

Microchips are often in new car – and they typically have up to 1,400 chips each. With the current shortage of microchips (also known as semiconductors), this is obviously a large-scale problem. Toyota had been doing a good job of staving off the chip shortage, but even now they’ve been impacted.

It isn’t just Toyota that’s dealing with the chip crisis. All car manufacturers are dealing with the chip shortage, and it’s impacting everyone. In fact, up until now Toyota has dealt with the global chip shortage better than most other car manufacturers. According to Reuters, this is because after the 2011 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster, Toyota came up with a plan that involved stockpiling chips. That foresight led Toyota to be in an advantageous position compared to other car manufacturers. Yet the shortage has caught up even to Toyota, thanks to a surge in Covid cases.

The chip crisis – a shortage of chips worldwide – has been made worse by a resurgence of Covid cases. This means that factories have had to curb production, leading to even less availability of chips.

What does Toyota’s chip crisis mean for car production?

Due to Toyota’s chip crisis, Toyota won’t be able to produce the amount of cars that they’d previously planned. Toyota has just cut its September production numbers by 40% of what it had predicted. 

Still, Toyota maintains that it will be able to meet its annual sales target and production goal of 9.3 million vehicles, though whether that’s true remains to be seen. It might be difficult, considering Toyota has already had to make some adjustments due to Covid – it’s stopped production at plants in Japan and Thailand due to Covid-related parts shortages.

The chip shortage isn’t likely to end anytime soon

With the global chip shortage being continuously hampered and Covid cases on the rise – and no relief in sight, things aren’t going to get better soon. It’s not a surprise that car manufacturers are doing whatever they can to minimize the downsides of a lack of chips. Ford was considering shipping cars without chips and asking dealers to put them in when they could. Now they’ve shut down their Kansas City plant, due to a parts shortage related to the spike in Covid cases in Malaysia. GM, BMW and Nissan are also altering their production plans. Volkswagen predicts  that things are going to be tough in the third quarter. 

It’s likely that things will be unpredictable for some time. Without knowing what will happen with Covid, it’s very difficult to determine how much longer this chip shortage will last. And with even Toyota, who was one of the better prepared car companies, now being impacted by the chip shortage, it’s likely that things won’t improve for the foreseeable future.

RELATED: The 2021 Toyota Tundra Is Way More Reliable Than the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500

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