The '90s All Over Again: Acura to Bring Back the Integra
The fun-to-drive sports coupe that you pined for as a teenager is coming back! That’s right, after a 17 year hiatus, Acura is bringing back the Integra!
Hot on the heels of the NSX Type S reveal, Acura posted a teaser of the 2023 Acura Integra. With only a headlight shot and part of a grille as a teaser, there are still so many questions to be asked: Will it be a 2-door hatchback? Will it be a sedan? Will it live up to the legacy of the DC2 Integra?
Acura's announcement isn't completely out of the blue. Over 6 months ago, someone on the 11th Gen Civic Forum spotted this camoflouged prototype of a more modern looking RSX roaming the streets.
Humble Beginnings
In case you forgot, the Integra was one of the luxury brand's initial offerings when Acura launched in the mid-80’s. Although based on the Honda Civic economy car, the Integra made a name for itself as an affordable, fun-to-drive sports coupe.
Along with the Civic, the Integra was one of the two most popular cars for tuners in the '90s. Plus, the 3rd gen DC2 Integra played a leading role in the original Fast and Furious film.
The Creme de la Creme of Acura Integras
In 1997, we reached peak Integra in the 3rd generation DC2 with the limited-edition Integra Type R.
With the removal of the sunroof, air conditioning, sound deadening, stiffer chassis and the legendary B18C5 motor sending 200hp to the front wheels via LSD and close ratio 5-speed gearbox, the Type R was the most performance oriented of Integras.
Acura immediately took the Integra Type R racing and it went to compete and win races around the world. Long with the NSX, the Integra helped Acura establish themselves as a performance luxury brand.
Integra to RSX
The 4th generation Integra, which launched in 2002, got a name change in the US—we know it as the Acura RSX. Though it grew into a larger, more practical hatchback and lost the hard hitting B-series VTEC of the previous generations, the RSX was still fun to drive and the Type S model featured the 200hp K24 engine with a smooth shifting 6 speed manual.
The RSX didn’t garner the cult following that the previous generations of the Integra, and as Acura turned to focus on sedans and SUVs, it was phased out in 2006.
In the years since, Acura has tried to regain their image as a performance luxury brand with various Type S trim models but only more recently have they focused more on the performance aspect with the TLX Type S, 2nd gen NSX and just announced NSX Type S.
Being that the Integra has always shared underpinnings with the Civic, one can only hope that it will share parts with the upcoming 11th gen Civic Type R. We'll have to wait until the 2023 model year to find out!
