CRX, Integra, Prelude - similar. Why did Honda have all 3 at the same time?

[Azon]

Hi everyone!
Probably I am asking a stupid question, but
why did honda have 3 performance oriented cars in the beginning and mid 90s - CRX, Integra and Prelude? As far as I know the CRX was very similar to Civic with only different body style and firmer suspension, plus some other minor changes, and was the cheapest of the three. CRX shared some of its engines with Integra - ZC and B16A in 1990. Prelude had different engine - B20A, but that engine developed a very similar amount of power - 106 Kw in its top version, and was similar in general design, also none of these cars had turbo. So why did the honda have 3 such similar cars at the same time? Was prelude portrayed as a more luxury car (it was certainly more expensive in Japan than the other 2 cars)?

[Gnafu the Great]

Money. Three models=more money than one model. But seriously, different people like different styles, so they catered to three kinds of people: People who wanted a performance hatchback, people who wanted a Honda coupé, and people who wanted an Acura coupé.

[cls12vg30]

There was one major difference between the CRX and the regular Civic: no back seat! When the first-gen CRX came out it was the smallest car you could buy and just about the smallest car anyone had ever seen.

[Azon]

"Three models=more money than one model"
Can't agree... How much will the development of each car cost?
Why other car makers don't do the same?
Acura isn't very common outside Nothern America, but Prelude is.

[johnnynumfiv]

Originally Posted by Azon

"Three models=more money than one model"
Can't agree... How much will the development of each car cost?

It's not only development of the car, its the amount of money it costs to make the car, the tooling changes for each year, etc. Each model needs to be changed each year which just adds up and up. So one car model is cheaper than three.

[Gnafu the Great]

Originally Posted by Azon

"Three models=more money than one model"
Can't agree... How much will the development of each car cost?
Why other car makers don't do the same?
Acura isn't very common outside Nothern America, but Prelude is.

GM does it all the time, so does Chrysler. Ford does it, too. Why would all the major car manufacturers make more than one model of the same car if it wasn't more profitable?

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

but the thing is honda didnt make 3 models of the same car

the 3 cars in question are completely different

the reason why the american companies like gm and ford have like a gazillion sub companies is to target a wider market

in canada acura sells a car called the EL, its basically the same thing as the civic with a new bonnet, tailights and interior but it is directed towards a totally different market.

by making cars that use the same basic parts you cut production costs and expand the target audience without expanding your investment.

the ford contour and the mercury mystique are technically the exact same car, if you take the badge off them u cant tell the difference. the ford was designed to compete with other cars in america itself while the contour's mission was world wide ... which it failed misserably in.

you can see examples of this all the time, 2 cars which at first glance aren't even close to alike while in reality they can share the same engine gearbox chassis ect.

the reason why i think honda developed 3 completely different cars is because they were targeting specific audiences in 3 areas instead of one wide one. that way they were able to take market share away from its competitors which would justify its higher development costs.

[tron20]

There was one thing with the prelude, before the nsx came along, and before honda started introducing newer technology and gadgets into its other cars, honda used the prelude for its newest gadgets, such as its 4WS system, also its 4 wheel anti lock braking system, etc

The crx imo was designed to be something slightly different to the civic, to compete in the same car market, yet allow people to have different cars, other than one model, the civic.

[85RX7]

My idea is, they did the research and found out what people wanted. The civic was made for the grannies to use as shopping carts, and ricers. The integra was made for smaller families to bum around in. and the CRX (Civic racing eXperiment) Was made for speedy grannies tho wanted 2 extra HP from their little 4 banger.

That pretty much sums it up.

[tron20]

Just to point out CRX stands for Civic Renaissance Model X

[F1LM My Car]

Originally Posted by tron20

Just to point out CRX stands for Civic Renaissance Model X

I didn't know that, thanks.

[85RX7]

New 2 me too.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

May I......

The Prelude was considered the Coupe Version of the Accord, Until it's demise in around 2001, it was meant to be quite decent to drive with ATTS, too.

The Civic Renaissance Model X is, as the name goes, the Civic Coupe, although it lost it's way with Mark 2/Del Sol, and the sales went downhill. The American Civic Coupe isn't usually sold outside America (With a slight jaunt here down under, and as far as i know, never being sold in Japan).

The Integra is and Interesting one, I believe it is the Coupe version of the Domani series from Honda (Japan only, unless you count the Rover 45/25). Or was started out as it's own, seperate brand name.

All three catering to a similar market, but in small, medium or upsized style. Then the Japanese market economy bubble burst, and Honda was left with three coupe models all scrabbling for the same sales. one had to go.

You are the weakest link CRX. Goodbye.

This happened to quite a lot of Japanese manufacturers, Mazda was hardest hit with it's great dream of 5 different brand names (which all ended up selling a different version of the 626, some known as Clef, some known as MS-6) and had so much overcapacity, it ended up bleeding white and requireing a bailout. Honda, known for it's business commonsense, grew organically, rather than by aquisition (thankyou CAR magazine) meaning it didn't over-spend or over-produce, leading to fluctuations in Profits (A la Chrysler).

Regardless, they are all nice cars, but they all just had a slightly differing market.

[MnDriver]

Originally Posted by Azon

Hi everyone!
Probably I am asking a stupid question, but
why did honda have 3 performance oriented cars in the beginning and mid 90s - CRX, Integra and Prelude? As far as I know the CRX was very similar to Civic with only different body style and firmer suspension, plus some other minor changes, and was the cheapest of the three. CRX shared some of its engines with Integra - ZC and B16A in 1990. Prelude had different engine - B20A, but that engine developed a very similar amount of power - 106 Kw in its top version, and was similar in general design, also none of these cars had turbo. So why did the honda have 3 such similar cars at the same time? Was prelude portrayed as a more luxury car (it was certainly more expensive in Japan than the other 2 cars)?

to my me i dont think they intended these cars to be performance oriented cars back then but thats just what i think the CRX was i think the only one they might have thought that way