any1 know the answer to this? Just seems wierd....

-siu lung

 

From what i've gathered, the 4-headlight design was very unpopular over in Japan, so they changed it to a more traditional design to sell more cars.

 

Does the JDM front end conform to US 5mph crash testing specs? I thought it didn't.

 

I believe it was done - by result of marketing research, kinda like why we have acura in the states but not in Japan or Europe - thats my guess actually, I know you're lookin' for an exact answer

 

damn - 3 posts all while I was (slowly) typing - well there ya go

 

The USDM front is definitely more distinctive. As cool as the JDM front is, when you put it next to other Japanese cars, like the skyline or silvia or mx-6, it looks ordinary. I happen to think the USDM front is a lot better-looking.

Another theory - look at the previous-generation Celica. It too had 4 circular headlamps. It might have been some kind of competition, although I don't know which model came out first. Pretty sure it was the Celica though, the G3 Teg was introduced as a 1994 model.

 

It's mostly because of the crash tests. The US requires that the front bumper be able to withstand a 5mph crash. Europe and the other countries do not. If you are going to do a conversion, radiator mount needs to be welded to the frame.

 

check it out - #1014 posted right after #1013. Your is 2001 right, have we had this discussion before?

 

Finally...someone who agrees with me on this

 

This is correct. At the time of the model change in '94, the new front end of the Integra was not well received by the Japanese domestic market as it was a radical departure from the previous car. They then made a new front end that borrowed more heavily from the previous design.

The RSX front end is a continuation of the intended evolution - as it more closely resembles the USDM 94+ front end than the JDM one.

 

I heard it was due to marketing. Americans have round eyes, thus round headlights, whereas Japanese have thiner eyes so they went with the thin headlights on the JDM version

 

Uhhh, your not the only one. US spec looks the best seems like they respond to people better in Japan, something like that would never happen here.

 

Ite because the JDM front did not past crash regulations........ that is the reason here in AUstralia anyway, and i would think its the same for the states.

 

I also think the USDM integra front end look alot better than the JDM. I know, It's JDM and we don't have it here, that's why alot of people treasure it. JDM looks too much like the traditional japanese car front. for example, if you put a 94-97 accord, 92 integra, next to a JDM type R , you would realize that both have a lot of resemblence. Now If you put a USDM next to a 94-97 accord, you would be able to distinguish the 2 from miles away.

As for US not having the JDM front, yep, didn't pass the 5mph test. They could have re-make it to pass the 5mph test, but they are just too lazy and didn't want to spend more money, therefore; they just mod the 94-97 front a little and call it a "new look".

 

That's not a cool thing to say ******!

 

im sure he didnt mean any harm by it.

 

Yes, it was to do to marketing. The reason from what I understand was because the original 4 headlight design (93.5) was perceived as too feminine. Just compare a CRX to a Del Sol. As for your suspicion, I'm sorry, but please tell me you were kidding. I really doubt Honda deceided to make the integra more *****ie-eyed to look like their drivers, as your message implies.

Whatever.

 

like the USDM look,myself..

 

Well when the celica came out in 94' they also came out with two other verisons. One was GT-4 which was turbo awd drive Celica with meaner 4 head beams up front. There was another model with slightly different rear and front which was shaped in alot ways like JDM Integra mixxed with a Silva front end...it was call the Curren.

Well in Japan the Integra had the same front end as it did in all other countries but sales slumpped so bad they try redesigning the frontend and then sales went back up. The change did not happen anywhere else except in Japan as in other countries the round lights front end was selling well so there was no need to except for minor outside changes.

 

hahaha - and hey dont bash on me, im asian too, i just happen to think ur response was hilarious...******!

 

No harm meant at all guys; I am just saying that I believe it was a marketing decision; this is what i heard. Marketing is unfortunately brutaly honest in things like that.

Besides, half my family is asian; so I would never say anything racist; sorry if it was taken the wrong way by anyone

 

David Exactly it was all marketing, No other reasoning behind it, chances are that if it had such bad sales in the US and elsewhere we may have had the change in front ends also, As far as passing the 5MPH test, well I'm not going to go try it on my car

 

I know it's not the "best" car in the world, but I think it looks better than most cars out on the roads these days. In other words, I really like the way my 2001 GSR looks. The way people are converting their US car to JDM spec, pretty soon owners of the US spec cars are are going to be the minority. I don't mind that either. Cause then everyone will say, look at that, it's one of those cool looking Integras with the 4 head lights.

I love the way my car looks.


[Modified by 2001 Integra GSR, 5:59 AM 7/13/2001]

 

None done here.

 

Yeah onyx00, you didn't do any harm. But you did make me laugh though.