In popular culture, turning age 40 is sometimes called being “over the hill.” Many people find renewed purpose and confidence in their 40s, and it can become a time of empowerment. The Acura brand is coming up on four decades in just a couple of months, and it’s a cause worth celebrating. Over the years, I have undertaken a number of restoration projects, including a 1995 Legend coupe. More recently, I acquired a 1986 Legend sedan – a one-owner car – with the intent of restoring it specifically for Acura’s 40th anniversary festivities.
Historic Significance
The date was March 27, 1986, when the Acura Division officially launched as a part of Honda. Acura was the first Japanese luxury brand in the United States (beating Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus, and Nissan’s Infiniti by a few years, even). While critics would pay a premium for a Honda product, the sales numbers spoke for themselves. Even with a shortened 1986 model year, Acura sold over 52,000 units that first year.
The Acura brand has always emphasized performance and high-tech features. The tagline “Precision Crafted Performance” was the guiding mindset behind the brand’s strategy in those early years. The humble beginnings would later give way to some of the most iconic automobiles in history, like the enthusiast-favorite Integra Type R and the mid-engined NSX.
During its launch year, Acura offered only two models:
Integra compact hatchback
The first-generation Integra, with its characteristic 1980s pop-up headlights, was powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC inline-four and could be configured in three-door or five-door hatchback variants. It was a nimble, high-revving car that offered an invigorating driving experience and class-leading economy. It had standard four-wheel power disc brakes, an uncommon feature for small cars of the time.
Legend flagship sedan
The Legend sedan, to be followed a year later by a coupe variant, was an expensive offering for its time at around $18,000. It was powered by a 2.5-liter V6 (Honda’s first V6) offering strong performance for its time, as well as a double-wishbone suspension, a power sunroof, and an audio equalizer. It was a car that took a shot at European luxury brands but did so with an unconventional front-wheel drive platform.
Display Car
Showing just under 103,000 miles on the odometer, my Ascot Gray Metallic and Black Currant Pearl two-tone Legend is largely original aside from normal maintenance items. According to the VIN tag, it was manufactured in June 1986, and according to Acura’s ownership database, it was sold to the original owner on October 27, 1986, from a now-defunct dealership called Manly Acura in Santa Cruz, California. It served as the original owner’s daily driver for the next few decades, but it was donated to charity at 37 years old. By sheer luck, I found it listed shortly thereafter by a small dealership in Sunnyvale, and the rest is history.
The Legend was fully repainted within the last two years under my ownership, and I’m happy to report that it runs and drives fantastically. In fact, I put a couple thousand miles the car last August when attending festivities at Monterey Car Week. Even the cruise control and air conditioning work as designed – a testament to the build quality that went into the car four decades ago in Japan. The car is on display at Acura of Tempe, Arizona, for the next eight weeks.
I look forward to continuing to showcase the Legend throughout the year – most likely entering it at shows like RADwood, the Japanese Classic Car Show, and Honda Cars & Coffee. Stay tuned!
Happy 40th birthday, Acura!
