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Junkyard Gem: 1995 Acura Integra SE Sport Coupe

When Honda introduced the Acura brand to North America for the 1986 model year, there were just two models we could buy here: the Legend luxury sedan (developed in partnership with Rover and sibling to the Sterling 825) and the Civic-based Integra. Most Integras we've seen on the street for the last couple of decades have been the third-generation models sold from the 1994 through 2001 model years, and — like their Civic counterparts — plenty of them have held together well enough to rack up impressive mileage totals. Here's a '95 Integra SE coupe that came close to the 350,000-mile mark during its 27 years on the road, found in a Northern California self-service yard a couple of weeks back. In 1995, the SE trim level was near the top of the American Integra hierarchy (just below the soon-to-be-famous GS-R), priced at $19,890 for the Sport Coupe three-door with five-speed manual transmission. That's about $35,895 in 2022 dollars. Hey, Emperor Akihito's daily-driver was a '91 Honda Integra sedan, so that's a lot of prestige for the price (yes, yes, the Emperor of Japan rides in the back of a Toyota for official duties, but we never could buy a new Toyota Century here). With the Special Edition, you got all the luxury features of the mid-grade LS (including power moonroof, air conditioning, cruise control, and anti-lock brakes) plus 15" alloy wheels, fat Michelin tires, a big decklid spoiler, and a six-speaker AM/FM/cassette audio system. The GS-R's 1.8-liter VTEC engine made 170 horsepower in 1995 (having swapped a '96 GS-R engine into a '92 Civic hatchback, I can tell you it's a pretty wild powerplant by middle-1990s standards), but the non-VTEC version that went into the saner Integras was rated at just 142 horses. The Civic Si that year had a mere 125 horsepower and far less luxury than its wealthier Integra brother, but it also cost just $13,450 (about $25,160 today). These cars were built very well and lasted for decade after decade if not abused, and this car benefited from owners that took good care of it. Unfortunately, the craze for hot-rodded Hondas really got rolling in the middle 1990s, and many of these cars met unhappy endings involving crashes and/or exploded engines. It wasn't many years ago that a car like this would have been stripped clean by junkyard vultures within hours of landing in a California self-serve car graveyard.

2024 Acura Integra Type S revealed as the luxurious foil to the Type R

The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is exactly what we imagined it might be. Acura took all the Civic Type R go-fast parts and shoved them into the Integra, but then added luxuries the Type R is missing and fettled with a few performance bits. Just as was teased ahead of time, the Integra Type S is fitted with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque — thatÂ’s up five horses over the Type R. ItÂ’s fitted with a six-speed manual transmission (no auto available) and sends its power through the front wheels via a helical-type limited-slip differential. The same dual-axis front suspension design pioneered by the Type R to quell torque steer is on display here, so you should expect little to no torque steer from the Integra. Of course, all that extra power meant Acura needed much more cooling capability, leading them to design a much more aggressive and air-hungry front end for the Integra. In fact, every single body panel from the A-pillars forward is unique to the Type S. The larger top and lower grilles and vented hood improve airflow by 170% versus a standard Integra, Acura says. Look to the sides, and youÂ’ll see dramatic fender flares both in front and rear that accommodate the massive 265-section-width Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires that wrap around 19-inch wheels — the Type S is 2.8 inches wider than a standard Integra. For those wondering, yes, itÂ’s the same tire package as youÂ’ll find on a Type R. Out back, youÂ’ll notice substantial diffusers flanking a new triple-tipped center-mounted exhaust. Said exhaust is less restrictive than the Type R, features an active exhaust valve and adjusts depending on the drive mode. Acura says a special “pops and bangs” auditory experience presents itself in “Sport+” mode. The suspension tuning is another differentiator between the Integra Type S and Civic Type R. It uses the same adaptive damper system as the Civic, but Acura adjusted the tune for the Type S in its Comfort, Sport and Sport+ driving modes, presumably to be more street-friendly. Acura emphasizes that this car delivers “ultimate street performance” numerous times in its press release, suggesting that the Integra is set up as more of a daily driver, while the Civic Type R is very much designed to excel on the racetrack.

eBay Find of the Day: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Acura MDX from The Avengers

Planning to dress up as Agent Coulson for Halloween next year? We've got the perfect accessory to complete your Level 7 costume. On eBay Motors at this very moment is an auction for an Acura MDX S.H.I.E.L.D vehicle, one of only 10 made that the seller claims was used in filming of The Avengers.
The crossover is being sold by Scottsdale Motor Company, and while the eBay auction is up to nearly $19,000 with less than four days remaining (at the time of this writing), the dealer's website is asking $42,900 for this piece of movie memorabilia.
What you see is no mere prop, though. This S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle is a proper 2011 MDX, equipped with the available Technology Package and leather from the factory. The flat black paint was even applied by Acura itself, and the graphics were added by the film studio's art department.