Though set to be an Acura model - Honda's premium offshoot that's never made it to the UK - the mere mention of another Integra means the new "premium sport compact" is of interest to PH. We all know why: front-wheel drive icons don't come any more iconic than the original Integra Type R. The second generation was damn near as good, too. And while it would be daft to expect a similar kind of car 20 years later, it seems there's some cause for enthusiasm in the remake.
"Geared for enthusiasts" says Acura of the Integra Prototype, as it's going to be offered with a six-speed manual and limited-slip diff. Given the quality of Honda gearboxes, that's great news. Similarly, it's going to be power by a "high-output" version of the 1.5-litre VTEC turbo. Given the most recent Civic Type R was offered in the States, some might begrudge Honda not using the 2.0-litre engine, but then Acura is also promising a $30k sticker price when it goes on sale in 2022 - something has to give somewhere.
It's easy to forget that, over there, the Acura Integra has been an ordinary sports coupe for four generations as well as an out-and-out fast car hero. Hence a more modest look for this one than Integra fans in other markets might have expected. The first turbo Integra has five doors as well; Honda says its bold look "features a dramatically sloping roofline and liftback tailgate, giving it a distinct coupe-like road presence."
Given some people won't even entertain a 'coupe' with more than two doors (we know you're out there), the Integra Prototype was always going to be off to a tough start; the fact it looks quite a lot like a regular five-door hatch probably won't help its cause to young and trendy people, either. But given nobody on PH is young, trendy, or American, it's probably best we don't pass judgement.
And there are some nice exterior touches tot the Prototype. The Indy Yellow Pearl paint is a heritage colour borrowed from the NSX and not a million miles from the Phoenix Yellow made famous by the original. Note as well the colour-coded Brembo calipers, chunky exhausts, 'Chicane' LED lights and Integra badge in the old font. The Prototype isn't the most dramatic concept ever seen, but it points to a smart enough reality - if one that's a bit plain. Still, that's an Integra trademark, as they've always been known very much more for how they drive than how they look.
"This new Integra will continue to deliver on the original's unique aspirational yet attainable market position, with emotional performance and style, combined with the versatility and utility sought after by today's buyers", said John Ikeda, Acura VP. And the world would be a poorer place without attainable performance cars, even if they look a tad bland. The 2023 Integra will be built in Ohio on the TLX line, with sales commencing in the first half of next year. So expect more details early in 2022, along with - of course - even more Type R rumours...
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