Why This 2017 NSX Super Bowl Ad Is Acura’s Hail Mary

Acura unveiled their 2016 Super Bowl ad for its upcoming 2017 Acura NSX. Here’s why although we don’t really need a new NSX ad, Acura desperately needs one.

I can hear the comments during the Super Bowl now, “Oh, that’s the new Acura NSX? Didn’t we see a commercial for this thing like four years ago.” And he’d be right. Earlier today Acura went ahead and unveiled its new ad spots featuring their much-awaited halo car, the 2017 Acura NSX. The rub is this will be the third Acura NSX commercial we’ve seen during the big game and the excitement of a new super car from Acura may have worn off. But since that first Acura NSX ad rolled through our cable lines back in 2012, lots has changed and this new ad spot is exactly what the doctor ordered for Acura.

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First, the ad itself is pretty clever. The Red, White and Blue color scheme is no accident. Made to communicate the cars American origins, this subtle nod to its design and manufacturing in Los Angeles, California and Marysville, Ohio respectively is meant to reinforce the image that this is an American project.

In the background, Van Halen’s 1978 hit, “Runnin’ with the Devil” sest the tone with Van Halen’s vocals breaking through every now and then with David Lee Roth’s infamous tone. Millenials won’t immediately get it but Generation X’ers certainly will.

And it’s no mistake Acura has targeted this certain age demographic. Face it millennials. Only a few of you will be able to afford a brand new NSX. Priced at $156,000 for a base model, it’s only for the wealthy few with enough disposable income. But when Acura’s configurator comes online in February, those Generation X’ers who are just beginning to enjoy the fruits of their labor might find themselves yearning for one of these bad boys from Acura.

Finally, there’s Acura’s new tagline. Just a few weeks ago at the Detroit Auto Show, Acura unveiled a totally new concept dubbed the ” Acura Precision Concept.” The Precision Concept was a design study that clearly marked Acura’s philsophy from now on.  Although it garnered polarizing opinions across the board from enthusiasts to journalists, it was the kick in the pants Acura needed. The Precision Concept solidified Acura’s stance on being a performance car company thats not just focused on sporty luxury.

Moreso, “Acura Precision Concept” hopefully will trickle down to the rest of Acura’s lineup. Colloquially this is known as the Halo Car Affect. For Acura, this isn’t just a brand image shift as it is a mantra for the rest of their products.

Acura’s MDX and RDX have been selling quite well as is the norm for the market right now. Crossovers are hot. But agile SUV’s and crossovers do not define a performance brand.

Acura’s ILX plays second fiddle to serious competition from the BMW 2-series, Audi A3 and even the Buick Verano. It’s hard to say, but at the end of the day, it’s just a luxed up Civic.

Acura’s RLX isn’t all that bad of a platform with plenty of performance and sporty handling. Dull styling and its high entry price have stifled sales. 159 units sold in December will not cut it.

Same goes for the Acura TLX, which in a vacuum is a fine car, but with competition from the BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-Class and Jaguar XE, this front wheel drive sporty sedan is grasping at straws.

Acura has a chance to rebuild on what the NSX will set and what Precision Concept hopes to achieve. When the first NSX was on sale, we had the Integra, RSX (towards the end of the NSX’s run), Legend and Vigor.

When buyers saw the NSX they thought, “Wow, what a great daily that would be. I can’t afford that but I can get this Integra (or RSX, Legend, Vigor.)

The ILX, RLX and TLX don’t have that same charm. Hopefully this lineup of new turbo engines from Honda and design direction can inject some affordable sportiness where it needs it the most.

Next: First 2017 Acura NSX Sells For $1.2 Million At Barrett-Jackson

Which leads to the point of this ad. Americans for the most part have forgotten about that NSX ad from 2012 (and even last year’s one.) This new NSX ad will plant that seed in their head that Acura is not luxury, but performance first. It’s up to Acura to work some wonders with the rest of their lineup.