Could the new Acura Integra be a swankier version of the Civic Type R?
I’m willing to bet many of you share my memory of the old Acura Integra. That is, a three-door liftback coupe — with the DC2 Type R versions sporting a appropriately massive rear wing. Today, Acura gave us another look at the revived Integra coming next year and…hmm. It wasn’t quite what I expected.
Instead, Acura made clear in their statement that the company’s going way back to the Integra’s original roots. The car helped launch the brand back in 1986, alongside the flagship, mid-size Legend. Back then, the DA-generation car did have a liftback coupe version, but also came as a 4-door sedan or a 5-door liftback. Later DB and DC models came in four-door form too. The coupe was hugely popular in its own right, though, for that mix of sportiness and looks, and I just sort of expected that, for some reason. That said, coupes are also falling out of favor in the public at-large, as Honda dropped the Civic Coupe with this generation.
Nevertheless, Acura is still moving forward with the Integra, and this five-door design does look nice and sleek. Add to that the extra doors help with practicality, and this could be a properly good follow-up to the old car that ceased production in 2001. We’ll have to wait and see on that one, but I’m approaching this reveal with some optimism in the wake of Acura’s recent hits like the RDX and TLX.
What would you like to see?
Beyond these two renderings, Acura hasn’t disclosed any more information just yet. That said, it’s always been a solid bet the car will share its underpinnings with the 11th-generation Honda Civic. Based on that, we could well see a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with around 200 horsepower make its appearance here.
What’s more, what about an Integra Type S, huh? I doubt Acura will let that dog lie, and if (when?) we do see it, it should pack Civic Type R levels of performance. That means a beefier turbocharged engine with 300-ish horsepower. Here’s to hoping it will bring a manual transmission into the mix.
Is there anything you’re hoping to see on a new Acura Integra? Let us know in the comments. Speaking of sporty Acuras, check out the new TLX Type S on the track below:
