After the Integra’s initial debut, Acura is ready to follow it up with a Type S performance model.
“Ultimate street performance and driver engagement” is what Honda’s luxury arm promises with the new Integra Type S. While the standard car offers a good range of driving dynamics for a reasonable price — especially because it still offers a great 6-speed manual transmission — there’s definitely room for the Integra to reach even farther.
Now, Acura officially confirmed a Type S version for the 2024 model year, complete with “over 300 horsepower” and mated exclusively to a 6-speed manual transmission. Beyond those specs and a limited-slip front differential, the company shared no further details beyond teaser photos of the Type S testing in Japan.
If you’ve been following the latest Honda Civic Type R here, though, then you already have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Right down to the center-mounted triple exhaust pipes, the 2024 Acura Integra Type S should mirror its Honda-badged sibling pretty closely, just with a different body. That includes the 2.0-liter K20C1 VTEC turbocharged engine. In the Type R, that powertrain now manages 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, according to Honda’s official specs. Much like the 1.5-liter Integra matches the Civic Si for output, I’d expect the Integra Type S to achieve the same level as the Civic Type R.
Like the Civic Type R, the Integra Type S clearly packs bigger wheels and tires, as well as upgraded Brembo brakes. There’s also some rear diffuser action going on at the back, though you clearly won’t have a large, boy racer wing on the back to detract from Acura’s more upmarket, luxurious image. Even its Honda sibling has dialed things back a bit in that department, so both cars look far more grown up than the 10th-gen Type R.
What else can we expect?
More details on the 2024 Acura Integra Type S are coming closer to the launch next summer. Really, we’ve known this car was coming for awhile thanks to spy shots showing it out in the wild. What’s more, it makes total sense for Acura to do it based on its own ambitions with the Type S program and catering to enthusiasts’ demands.
If you’re the cynical type, you may well just think of this as a Civic Type R with a classier body. That’s a fair point, granted, but that’s exactly what some folks out there want. The new Honda Civic Type R, as has been the way for awhile, is a great driver’s car. There’s not much that really needs to change, apart from Acura possibly bringing in its Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. Short of that, though, taking the Type R’s performance package and making it feel a bit more luxurious could be just what the Integra needs.
That is, if you can afford to pick one up — pricing is also a question mark for the time being.
