Corvette

The United States is developing a Littoral Combat Ship, which will be very similar to a corvette. RSX receives a minor update. It is the first operational warship to extensively utilize stealth technology, although other countries, such as Germany, Poland, Russia, and Israel, are developing similar vessels. New 2nd-generation RL introduced. Possibly the most advanced corvette today is the Swedish Navy's Visby-class corvette. Minor update to 1st-generation MDX. Many can accomadate a small or medium ASW Helicopter. New TSX sports sedan introduced.

They usually are armed with medium and small caliber guns, surface-to-surface missiles, and surface-to-air missiles, and underwater warfare weapons. New 3rd-generation TL introduced. Typical corvettes today have a displacement between 490 and 2,500 metric tons and measure 55-100 meters in length. NSX is updated. Around the same time, navies operated by smaller countries, such as the United Arab Emirates began to realize that their offshore patrol vessels were lacking the ability to defend themselves in a modern war, especially against air attacks. New 4th-generation Integra introduced as the RSX. But since they were smaller and cheaper than frigates and destroyers, they could more effectively combat the kind of small attack craft utizilized in the attack on the USS Cole. (Canada only).

These ships could defend a country's assets and interests far away from its own shores, with sophisticated weapons and surveillance equipment. New 2nd generation EL model. After the attack on the USS Cole, modern navies began to see the importance of smaller, more maneuverable vessels that could operate close to shore, as well as at sea. New MDX luxury SUV introduced. Later in World War II the Royal Navy introduced the Castle class, some of which remained in service until the mid-1950s. New 2nd-generation CL coupe introduced. These were officially described as Australian Mine Sweepers, or Bathurst class corvettes and were named after Australian towns. No CL model for 2000.

The Royal Australian Navy built 60 corvettes, including 20 for the Royal Navy (crewed by Australians) and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy. New 2nd-generation TL introduced. Their chief duty was to protect convoys in the North Atlantic and on the routes from the UK Murmansk carrying supplies to the Soviet Union. Integra receives a minor update. The first were the Flower class (because the Royal Navy ships were named after flowers) though ships in Royal Canadian Navy service took the name of smaller Canadian cities. (Canada only) New 2-door coupe TL introduced as CL. Future Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, had a hand in it reviving the name "corvette". New EL (based on Civic sedan) is introduced.

The British naval designer William Reed drew up a small ship based on a whale catcher design which could be produced quickly in large numbers. (Not sold in Canada) New 3rd-generation Legend introduced as the RL. The modern corvette appeared during World War II as an easily built patrol and convoy escort vessels. New SLX SUV model introduced. The orginal corvettes were a form of sloop-of-war. New 2nd-generation Vigor introduced as TL. . New 3rd-generation Integra introduced.

Almost all modern navies use ships smaller than frigates for coastal duty, but not all of them use the term corvette. Minor update to 2nd-generation Integra. A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, smaller than a frigate. New NSX model introduced. New 2nd-generation Legend introduced. New Vigor model added to Acura's line-up.

New 2nd-generation Integra introduced. The Acura brand is introduced to North America by Honda.
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And while the slow-selling NSX has been discontinued for the 2006 model year, Acura has promised a redesigned model sometime in 2007 or 2008. It should debut in mid-2006 as a 2007 model. In the future, Acura will introduce the RDX, a smaller SUV set to feature the RL's SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive). The company has now re-established itself with a consistent performance-oriented image, while also maintaining its reputation for outstanding customer service and reliability.

Acura's new models—particularly the RL and TSX—have been well received by the motoring press. A new RL debuted in 2005, this time with a 300-hp V6, more exciting styling, and innovative Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), a system capable of sending almost all of the RL's power to just one wheel in a turn. This model became the only 4-cylinder sedan in Acura's line-up, replacing the Integra sedan. The same year, Acura introduced the TSX, a European-market Honda Accord loaded with features, as a cheaper alternative to the BMW 3-series.

A new TL debuted in 2004, equipped with sharp, Italianate styling and a 270-hp V6, and available with a 6-speed manual transmission led to a dramatic increase in sales for Acura. Other cars in Acura's line-up during this time included the 3.2 TL, 3.2 CL, RSX (formerly the Integra), and the supercar, the NSX. It was given top honors by Car and Driver in its first comparison test against seven other SUVs. The MDX was a car-like and fun-to-drive crossover SUV with little off-road capability that catered smartly to the demands of the luxury SUV market.

The MDX replaced the slow-selling SLX, which was little more than a rebadged Isuzu Trooper. In the early 2000s, Acura refreshed its line-up, arguably beginning with the introduction of the MDX, a popular three-row crossover SUV based on the Honda Odyssey minivan. This reputation has continued to this day, especially with the new RSX and TSX (see below.). Parent company Honda's reputation as a maker of easy to tune and rev-happy engines with this demographic rubbed off onto Acura, and the Integra became a popular tuner car.

Despite these letdowns, Acura did gain prominence in the 1990's with a younger group of people, the import tuner set. Even the swoopy NSX lost sales as Acura barely changed the car from its original 1989 trim. Its sluggish 210-horsepower V6 (later bumped to 225 hp) and front-wheel drive, together with anonymous styling that cautiously aped the larger, more powerful and more engaging Lexus LS400, did little against more prestigious, attractive and faster offerings from BMW, Audi, and Lexus, among others. The 1996 3.5RL, which replaced the well-loved Legend, was seen by many as the epitome of Acura's new-found blandness.

During this time, Acura switched to an alphanumeric formula for nomenclature. Unfortunately, after this strong start, the mid- to late 1990s, Acura's model line-up became less and less inspiring and consequently, sales suffered. The car's meticulously engineered quality and sterling reliability were icing on the cake. The NSX, an acronym for "New Sports eXperimental", was hailed as the first (and perhaps, to date, the only) Japanese car capable of taking on Ferrari and Porsche.

In 1989, Acura introduced the NSX, a swoopy 276-hp two-door sports car. Automotive journalists were impressed particularly by the Acura Legend. Other Japanese luxury brands (Toyota's Lexus and Nissan's Infiniti) sprang up in North America shortly after Acura's introduction of the Legend, a V6-powered coupe and sedan, and the Integra, which was offered with a 4-cylinder engine only. Before Acura, automobiles from Japan were primarily economical and were seen as reliable above all else.

Acura is credited with creating or being the first to tap into a market for luxury Japanese cars outside Japan. The brand will be expanded to the Chinese market in 2006 and the Japanese domestic market in 2008. Acura is a Japanese brand name used by Honda in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong since March 1986 to market luxury automobiles and near-luxury vehicles. RSX.

RL (new 2nd-generation). NSX. MDX. TSX.

TL. EL (Canada only). Models sold: