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The 2024 Acura Integra Type S will have 320 horsepower

The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is launching this summer, but the teaser and information drip campaign is officially in full swing.  Acura just let on that the Integra Type S will produce 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque from its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. For reference, that’s 5 horsepower more than what the Honda Civic Type R makes — its 310 pound-feet of torque figure is the same as the Type R. We make such a comparison, as all the information Acura has dribbled out so far about the Integra Type S has us thinking that itÂ’s going to be very similar to the Type R. The second bit of information Acura revealed today is an approximate reveal window. The final car and all the specs we want are expected to drop at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The race takes place over the April 14-16 weekend, and while we donÂ’t know exactly what day the Type S will be revealed yet, our bet would be for Friday or earlier that week, so Acura can show off the car in person to race fans all weekend long. The teaser photos and teaser video (see directly above) give us a little design and sound preview for the Type S. Just like the camouflaged car, the undisguised version is rocking massive fender flares in both front and rear. These will allow Acura to fit the big 265-section-width tires it has in store for the Type S in addition to giving it a super-aggressive look. The photos also show off a carbon fiber rear lip spoiler, carbon mirror caps, a glimpse at the large rear diffuser and a prominent Type S badge on the front fender.  As for the sound preview, the Integra Type S breathes through a triple-outlet exhaust and sounds far more menacing than the Civic Type R does from the factory. There are even some loud pops and bangs on the overrun that you can hear. For those going frame-by-frame on the video, youÂ’ll also notice the car is painted in AcuraÂ’s Tiger Eye Pearl paint. WeÂ’ve seen this shade on both the TLX Type S and MDX Type S, so it looks like the trend is continuing for Type S models. Look out for more teasers as we approach the final reveal for the Integra Type S, but you wonÂ’t have to wait long because the reveal is well under a month away now. Related video:

Why Acura should build a hybrid Integra successor using NSX tech

Yes, it sounds like a heresy. Yes, the Honda CR-Z was not a good hybrid sports car. Yes, we know the RSX officially replaced the Integra here (but was called the Integra in Japan). But, no, we're not crazy. Well, maybe a little bit. But hear us out. At the moment Acura is a bit of an unfocused mess. Its line-up is thoroughly uninspiring, save for its $200,000 NSX supercar – a great mid-engined supercar with an impressive, performance-oriented hybrid AWD system. And yet few people would draw a line connecting Acura's other SH-AWD hybrids, the RLX Sport Hybrid and MDX Sport Hybrid, to the NSX. The first NSX told the world that Acura built cars with world-class technology and performance, and the Integra carried it to people with normal pocketbooks. Since the new NSX communicates a similar message as its forbearer, so too would a new Integra. Now making an entry-level sports car with hybrid technology is tricky business. As we already established, the Honda CR-Z was a colossal flop. It's balance was all off: heavy, expensive, and not very sporty – and it didn't even get very good fuel economy. However, Honda and Acura can learn from these mistakes. First, to keep costs in check, Acura can borrow from Honda's ever-improving parts bin. It would logical to borrow the excellent Civic coupe platform – something the old Integra did as well. It could also attach the proposed hybrid powertrain to the upcoming Si turbocharged four-cylinder. Some added cost will be unavoidable, since the batteries and motors will have to go somewhere. That will cost some engineering dollars, and inflate the price tag a bit. However, since Acura is a premium brand, it has some wiggle room to bump up the price without losing buyers. Weight is another potential issue this hypothetical hybrid will face, and was one of the chief complaints with the CR-Z. Looking at the RLX and the RLX Sport Hybrid, the hybrid bits weigh about an extra 340 pounds. That's not insignificant, but added to the turbocharged Civic EX-T coupe's 2,900 pound curb weight, you would have a car that would weigh 3,240 pounds. That's comparable to the very fun Mustang EcoBoost. As long as Acura keeps the weight under 3,500 pounds, the brand should have an entertaining coupe on its hands. The final piece of the puzzle is to make sure it isn't compromised. Every bit of hybrid tech in the NSX is there for performance. It helps eliminate turbo lag, and it improves acceleration and handling.

Honda airbags are being stolen

The latest hot target for car thieves might just be the airbag mounted inside your steering wheel. And late-model Honda and Acura vehicles are a particularly hot target right now, for reasons not well understood. USA Today reports that criminals across the country are stealing airbags out of relatively new Honda models for apparent resale online or to black market repair shops. It's a trend that has caught the attention of law enforcement agencies in cities like Miami, New York City and Washington D.C. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that around 50,000 airbags are stolen each year. In Miami-Dade County, thieves stole 875 airbags in 2017, up from just 13 in 2013, according to police records obtained by USA Today. In the Virginia suburbs outside Washington D.C., thieves recently smashed the windows of 10 Hondas at an apartment complex to steal the airbags. Second Lt. Jonathan Bryant told the local Fox affiliate that stolen Honda airbags often end up in chop shops and can command between $300 and $500 each. A quick search of eBay listings for Honda steering wheel airbags turns up results being sold for as high as $700, though most are listing for hundreds less than that. New replacement versions purchased from dealerships approach $1,000. Many dishonest repair shops install the stolen airbags as new and charge the owner or their insurer full price for the replacement, a version of insurance fraud. Last year, police in Coral Springs, Fla. published an alert on the neighborhood social networking site Nextdoor urging residents who own a Honda or Acura to park in a garage or well-lit area, "or if you have another vehicle, pull it as close to your driver's side door as possible," they wrote. "We have seen an increase in airbag thefts, primarily in Acura and Honda models," the posting added. "The suspect(s) often disarm the alarm by cutting the battery, punch the driver side door lock or smash the window. It is believed these criminals take approx. 5-10 minutes to steal the airbag." One theory for the apparent rise in airbag thefts is that a spate of airbag recalls in recent years — including the ongoing recall of nearly 50 million potentially explosive Takata airbag inflators that left suppliers scrambling to make new parts — may have boosted demand for replacements. Most of the vehicles involved are late-model Honda Civics and Accords, but it's not clear exactly why Honda is being targeted.