Honda Racing Integra Type R

Looking for a new track day hero? Your search could just be over

Track days should be all about fun. Forget lap times and ego massage – if that’s your thing you should be racing. Fun comes from being able to challenge yourself and push your car to its limits. Some would insist that in order to challenge yourself you need rear-wheel drive. Having just stormed through Donington’s infamous Craner Curves in hazy rain with only the slightest lift, I feel sufficiently challenged in Lichfield Imports’ front-drive Integra Type-R to forget the rear-drive purist nonsense.

Thing is, most people crave a bit of oversteer on a circuit and think rear-wheel drive is a must to achieve it. This particular Integra Type R, created as a basis for a Japanese race series, built with no interior to speak of, and doing without the road-spec car’s limited-slip diff and ABS, proves beyond doubt that oversteer fun isn’t exclusive to powerful rear-drivers.

So I’ve successfully navigated the daunting Craner Curves, and I’m lined up for Old Hairpin. It’s wet and I’m going in a bit too fast so I dab the brakes on turn-in and hope for the best. The Type-R has already shown an indecent turn of speed on the damp track and now reveals its party piece. The nose turns in with total conviction and the rear of the car begins a gloriously telegraphed slide that starts way before the apex and ends pretty much whenever you like. Confidence duly bolstered, every corner becomes an opportunity for opposite lock. Either a jab of left-foot braking or a well-timed lift of the throttle is a surefire way to put a smile on your face and indulge in the Integra’s fantastic chassis balance.

Lichfield Imports brings the Racing Integra Type-R into the UK and fits either a road pack or a track pack, the latter consisting of full roll cage, racing seats with harnesses, fire extinguisher and chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel. The basic car costs £11,995; the track pack another £1895. We’ve driven the Integra before and came away impressed with its speed but disappointed that a personal import would cost over £20,000. Lichfield’s car is different – at under £14,000 in track guise it’s one of the biggest bargains we’ve come across in some time. To put its abilities into perspective we’ve brought along a Civic Type R, which provides the perfect benchmark. The Civic has always impressed more on track than on the road and it dealt with Donington’s wicked combination of flat-out curves and medium-paced corners with aplomb, feeling well-balanced and very quick. The Integra, however, put clear air between itself and the Civic both in lap times and in terms of sheer enjoyment.

With superior body control that allows faster entry and exit speeds from every corner, better brakes working with less weight, and feelsome hydraulic – rather than electric – power steering letting you know just how much grip is left at the front wheels, it’s a spectacular track companion. Later, co-editor Meaden chases a well-driven Subaru WRX STi and reports that only out of long corners did the Subaru show signs of getting away.

Straight out of the box the Integra isn’t road-legal because it isn’t fitted with lights and a few other essentials, but this is pretty cheap to put right, as this car shows. Although a stripped-out and noisy track car doesn’t sound like a promising recipe for a great road car, the Integra surprises again. On fast roads near Donington it’s a raw but thrilling ride, very far from the weaving, crashy nightmare you might expect.

The peaky nature of the VTEC engine is more of an issue on the road, but the Integra manages to overcome the sometimes lethargic responses of an off-cam Civic due to its lower weight and superior power. The firm suspension and super-reactive chassis help, and it doesn’t seem such a bind to extract maximum performance when the whole car’s egging you on. This is a cohesive package that begs to be thrashed. Lichfield expects some buyers to upgrade their cars to full-blown track day-only specials but if you can’t afford that indulgence then it can make a perfectly livable road car. It’s compromised, but no more than a Lotus Elise.

If you’re looking for a car that’s at home on both road and track this Integra Type R makes a compelling case for itself. Lichfield Imports can supply an Integra with both track and road packs for £14,980, or you can cherry-pick some of the tastier upgrades like a Quaife differential and more powerful brakes if you want an even more focused track weapon. Either way you’re getting a cracking package of pure circuit speed, reliability, low running costs and huge sideways fun.

Rated: Honda Racing Integra Type R

Massive fun, cheap as chips

Not much of an interior


Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1998cc, 16v

Max power: 217bhp @ 8000rpm

Max torque: 152lb ft @ 7000rpm

0-60mph: 6.5sec (est)

Top speed: 140mph (est)

Price: £14-15K (see text)

On sale: Now (Lichfield Imports: 01242 260406)








[Modified by Chui, 12:08 PM 9/23/2002]

 

I love EVO magazine, it doesn't get much better than that for car fans...

 

CAR magazine rates the ITR as the best front driver you can buy.

The whole rear-drive purist thing lives long and hard in Great Britain - but the ITR has made a lot of people change their opinion.

Cool to see that someone is making track cars from these....

 

Download the pdf file of this article (iirc) from http://www.litimports.co.uk/

http://www.litimports.co.uk/evomagazine.pdf

and from another magazine:

http://www.litimports.co.uk/circuitdriver.pdf

 

Thanks, dUnk. Is this magazine worth subscribing to and would you happen to have a phone number to call to subscribe?

 

Wonder why it lists that the car doesn't have an LSD?

That is one of the things that I have grown to love about the R, it's stock LSD and tearing out of corners with my foot to the floor. That and the lack of ABS which again is a wonderful bonus that our car already has,,, and it is so non-intrusive, it almost lets you threshhold brake as it clamps like a vise and Stops you NOW...

Wonder why no LSD or ABS

It says that it offers a Quaife Diff and an upgraded brake setup... too bad, sounds like while it is a very positive writeup that they missed 2 of the very awesome things that the Stock ITR has to offer.


Thanks for the article BTW,

A.

 

I wish my DC2R had 152ft-lb tq

gotta luv the DC5R tho honda

 

 

nice.........................

 

 

I wonder if this is the "new" way [like Lotus did in the 50s and 60s] of producing semi-competition cars. I wonder if the car would be legal to run as a compettion vehicle here in the 'States and if Honda has a calibration strategy in the cards for a Honda/Acura "Racing" RS-X?

Notice the comments on the steering. The Racing version has a simpler [read BETTER] hydraulic system as opposed to the less feelsome variable, electronic one. That alone would make the car much more appealing to me.

 

EVO is simply at the top of the game.
Try it you will love it!
EVO staff is big fan of Lotus 340R, Lancer Evo, WRX, and all the good stuff......only the good stuff.........
Type R cars are often there, like every other two issue, on the track racing against competitors!

EVO is a great buy! PERIOD!