[rockerfeller]

New Acura design chief admits company went "a little overboard" with The Beak

By Zach Bowman

Automotive News reports Toshinobu Minami, the new head of global design for Acura, says the company may have gone "a little overboard at some points" with the company's shield grille. Minami said Acura has had bad feedback on the design from multiple directions, but says the company isn't going to "buckle under that pressure." Instead of scrapping the beak design all together, the designer wants to keep the corporate look while simultaneously reaching further out toward a premium design language. Honda, meanwhile, will receive models with a sportier and more active-looking exterior. Acura recently debuted more demure interpretations of the shield grille on models like the ILX and the NSX Concept.

Minami says reactions have been somewhat less vitriolic compared to the past, and the designer contributes that in part to people growing accustomed to the look. It's either that, or we're all just tired of complaining about how awkward the Acura stable looks when the company is happy to run around with its fingers in its ears.

New Acura design chief admits company went "a little overboard" with The Beak

 

[AcuraRLXFan]

i don't think they did go overboard. every brand has their own unique style grille or something on the front facia, this is far different from anything else and looks good imo

 

[JRXL]

i guess it looks good.. i mean.. it is what it is i guess..

 

[cfrp]

It looks good if you make the rest of the car work with it. That's what they need to do.

 

[George Knighton]

The RLX grille is bigger even than the 4G TL grille was in 2009.

The RLX is just wider enough to carry it off better. It's not a stand out visual the way that it was on the 4G TL.

I have to say, though, that after they changed the way the 4G TL looked in 2012, I realized that I liked the 2009 design better!!

 

[cfrp]

I don't like the 2009 design at all

The new 2013 designs are a bit better but still...

It works on the RLX because its a bigger car. It doesnt scream in your face "HEY LOOK AT ME"

 

[cas534]

I just purchased a 2014 RLX Advanced in Bellanova White Pearl and the beak is not a true silverish color to me.

I do not know if it is brushed aluminum or stainless steel and it appears to not be chromed but the color in various lights (artificial to sun) and view angles has a very slight tint or shade of green or blue hue to the large metal trim surrounding the logo.

I had it at the dealership yesterday and he can not see the issue but I can clearly see it when compared to the MDX.

I noticed this issue on all of the RLXs and even the ILX. It is more pronounced on the white models vice the darker colored cars.

 

[rockerfeller]

I just purchased a 2014 RLX Advanced in Bellanova White Pearl and the beak is not a true silverish color to me.

I do not know if it is brushed aluminum or stainless steel and it appears to not be chromed but the color in various lights (artificial to sun) and view angles has a very slight tint or shade of green or blue hue to the large metal trim surrounding the logo.

I had it at the dealership yesterday and he can not see the issue but I can clearly see it when compared to the MDX.

I noticed this issue on all of the RLXs and even the ILX. It is more pronounced on the white models vice the darker colored cars.

would you ever think about altering it? like wrapping it in a different color? I seen a few beaks wrapped in black.

 

[cfrp]

I think Acura needs to redo their grill still..

There are some who still hate it.