Acura Integra Type-R Auction Bids Over $30k, Fails to Meet Reserve
The collector car paradigm is shifting – Boomers need not apply.
Fans of Japanese cars, your day has finally come. It’s your chance to say “I told you so” to every cantankerous Baby Boomer who said that Japanese cars would never be worth anything. Having grown up without the Internet and the same access to instantaneous information that we did, they can be forgiven for not having seen the writing on the wall.
Just like the Boomer-fueled muscle car craze of a decade or so ago, people from our age group are starting to accumulate wealth. With that wealth comes a chance to recapture their childhood by buying the cars they dreamed of owning as a kid.
The Acura Integra Type R, like the one seen here, is a prime example. It was one of the first times that Japan sent their best cars stateside for American consumption. Now, clean examples like this car, offered for sale on BringATrailer, command a premium. With just 46,000 miles, this Phoenix Yellow example is a rarity among Type Rs. Even with just 1,350 produced that year, many were raced, used, and abused.
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When it was acquired by the current owner, it was fitted with an AEM cold air intake and an aftermarket stereo head unit. Those once-desirable upgrades were promptly replaced with stock equipment – another testament to the car’s newly-minted status as a collectible. New tires were fitted just last month, and the front and rear bumpers were recently resprayed. There’s a few chips here and there, and a couple dings, but overall, the car looks close to new.
Inside, the original checkered mats are present. The carpet and upholstery appear to be in great shape. Bidders seem to agree, as they ran the bid up to $30,750, where it failed to meet reserve. The demand is there, and these aren’t cheap, throwaway toys anymore. While Integra Type Rs are more than likely permanently out of reach for us, we’re glad that they are finally getting the recognition they deserve.
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