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The economic downturn has taken a toll on Acura’s product plans for a V10 successor to the NSX, the long-awaited V8 and a rear-wheel-drive architecture.

Just last summer, Acura dealers were told to look forward to a V8 version of the Acura RL. But the program was put on hold by Honda President Takanobu Ito as part of the company’s cost cutting efforts. Also gone was the rear-wheel-drive program, which has now been pushed back to 2015 at the earliest, report Automotive News. Oh, and don’t even get us started on the V10 NSX.

But that doesn’t mean Acura will stop trying to be exciting. While we won’t see the V10 NSX, V8 or the rear-wheel-drive program gain traction until the economy improves, Acura is rumored to be planning a successor to the RSX.

Acura, which left the compact segment at the end of 2006 by dropping the RSX, is planning a successor to battle with the BMW 1-Series, Volvo C30 and Audi’s A3. The vehicle would be based on the next-generation Honda Civic, which arrives in 2011. So don’t expected to see anything until 2012.

Who know – by that time the economy may enable Acura to offer a V10 and V8 as well.

- By: Omar Rana

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