Like the Legend, thick chrome trim surrounded the Vigor’s windows. #Acura vigor driverWould you believe that Car and Driver magazine made a big fuss over their disapproval for this relatively simple grille design? If only they could’ve anticipated the 2009 Acura TL. Slim composite headlights and a narrow chrome-ringed trapezoidal grille exaggerated the Vigor’s already wide, low front fascia. Combined with a short front overhang, long wheelbase and short deck, this made for very elegant, rear-wheel drive-like proportions. With a wide track, rakish windshields and flared wheel arches, the Vigor also exuded an aggressive appearance.ĭerived from a Honda meant the Vigor’s styling details were clean and inoffensive, if not a bit too familiar. Placing the engine far back over the axle and angling it 35 degrees right gave way to a long, low hood equally uncharacteristic for a front-wheel driver. Demeanor was often described as very German-like, with its purposefully stiff shocks and balanced variable-assisted power steering providing strong communication with the road. Minimal understeer and lack of noticeable brake fade also contributed to the Vigor’s sporty handling. Vigors featured four-wheel independent suspension, consisting of unequal-length control arms, coil springs, and antiroll bar up front and 1 trailing arm, 3 lateral links, coil springs, and antiroll bar in the rear. A 4-speed automatic was also available, with four-wheel disc antilock brakes standard on every Vigor. Generating 176 horsepower at 6300 rmp and 170 pound-feet of torque at 3900 rmp, the 3100-pound Vigor was capable of zero-to-sixty times in the high-seven range when equipped with its standard 5-speed manual. Longitudinally mounted over the front axle, it gave the Vigor a much more favorable weight distribution than in most front-wheel drive cars 57/43 in the case of the Vigor GS. Among the Vigor’s most notable aspects was its 2.5L SOHC 20-valve inline-five cylinder engine. Contrary to some claims, the Vigor was not closely related to the North American Honda Accord, riding on a different platform and sharing no common body panels.Įffectively replacing the nearly identically dimensioned first generation Legend sedan in Acura’s lineup, the Vigor fit neatly between the Honda Accord and second generation Legend in size, luxury, and even number of cylinders. Acura’s Vigor was closely related to the JDM Honda Vigor (top right) and Honda Inspire (top left), though in terms of its body, it actually shared more in common with the “wide-body” Inspire than its Honda namesake which was only sold in “narrow-body” versions in Japan. Typical of most Japanese cars sold in North America, the Acura Vigor was not an entirely new model, but instead based on a vehicle already sold in Japan. Yet with growing competition and Acura’s flagship Legend growing in size, performance, and luxury, it was also clear that Acura needed a third model to fill the widening gap between Legend and Integra. (first posted ) Acura made quite a splash with its 1986 introduction to the North American market, and it quickly became clear that Honda’s premium brand was here to stay on our shores.
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