Then there are the rest of us, the folks for whom the Type R was made.
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Then there are the rest of us, the folks for whom the Type R was made.
Remeber this article? 
BEHIND THE WHEEL / ACURA INTEGRA TYPE RA
New-Age Muscle Car With a Racing Pedigree
By PETER PASSELL
Acura has always had two distinct personalities. Its big sedans, like the TL and RL Series, are practical, reliable and just a tad uninspiring.
But the Integras -- especially the coupes -- are stylish runabouts that make up for their modest creature comforts with zippy performance.
This year, the Honda subsidiary widened this schism with the Integra Type R, an austere, relatively cheap supercoupe with the suspension of a true sports car and a power plant that borrows heavily from Honda's racing technology.
To build this "limited edition" -- only 500 will be offered as '98 models -- Acura's engineers started with the GS-R coupe, the sportiest Integra. Its engine, a 16-valve, 1.8-liter four cylinder, uses Honda's "variable valve timing and lift control" technology -- commonly called VTEC -- for a satisfying thrust at the high end.
They tweaked the technologically sophisticated little power plant to deliver 25 extra horses by, among other tricks, hand-polishing the intake and exhaust ports. They gave the chassis, suspension and interior a makeover, beefing up stressed components while trimming away 93 pounds of expendables -- including much of the sound-deadening material. They changed the tires to fat, low-profile Bridgestones with a high-speed "V" rating. And to keep the car firmly planted at high speeds, they added both a front-end spoiler and rear wing.
The results, apart from a lot of noise, are power to spare and quick, precise handling reminiscent of Acura's awesome NSX sports car. Point the Type R where you want to go, ease off the clutch and let it rip to 7,000 revolutions per minute before nudging the slick five-speed into second. Repeat the above, and reach 70 miles an hour in third gear, where the engine would happily howl all day. The "red line," the fastest speed at which the engine is built to operate for sustained periods, is an astonishing 8,400 r.p.m.
The Type R isn't especially fast by muscle-car standards, reaching 60 m.p.h. in less than seven seconds. It can't match the road grip of, say, a Porsche 911 with its exceptionally wide track and oversized tires. And while the four-wheel anti-skid disk brakes are excellent, the car's stopping distances are no better than a half-dozen competitors.
But for a sticker of $23,535, the price-to-performance quotient of this pocket rocket -- with its effortless cornering, ever-eager engine and forgiving transmission -- is dazzling. Equally remarkable, the steering exhibits none of the instability at full throttle that is so common in powerful front-wheel-drive cars. One of the few other high performers to master torque steer so completely is the $58,000 Audi A8 3.7.
The front seats of the Type R are snug, supportive and trimmed in a soft, suedelike material. All the dials are easy to read, and the controls are Honda-ergonomic. But apart from power windows and an adequate sound system, the comfort and convenience features common in midpriced cars have been sacrificed in the name of weight reduction -- much as American auto makers stripped down their big-engined muscle cars in the 1960's. Forget vanity mirrors, sunroof, cruise control and rear-window wiper. Even air-conditioning is a dealer-installed option -- one that, I suspect, every sane buyer will opt for.
Of course, the truly sane know that cars are primarily about transportation and care more about safety, comfort and reliability than racetrack handling.
Then there are the rest of us, the folks for whom the Type R was made.
INSIDE TRACK: Bet you can't drive one without smiling.
http://nytimes.com/library/aut....html
BEHIND THE WHEEL / ACURA INTEGRA TYPE RA
New-Age Muscle Car With a Racing Pedigree
By PETER PASSELL
Acura has always had two distinct personalities. Its big sedans, like the TL and RL Series, are practical, reliable and just a tad uninspiring.
But the Integras -- especially the coupes -- are stylish runabouts that make up for their modest creature comforts with zippy performance.
This year, the Honda subsidiary widened this schism with the Integra Type R, an austere, relatively cheap supercoupe with the suspension of a true sports car and a power plant that borrows heavily from Honda's racing technology.
To build this "limited edition" -- only 500 will be offered as '98 models -- Acura's engineers started with the GS-R coupe, the sportiest Integra. Its engine, a 16-valve, 1.8-liter four cylinder, uses Honda's "variable valve timing and lift control" technology -- commonly called VTEC -- for a satisfying thrust at the high end.
They tweaked the technologically sophisticated little power plant to deliver 25 extra horses by, among other tricks, hand-polishing the intake and exhaust ports. They gave the chassis, suspension and interior a makeover, beefing up stressed components while trimming away 93 pounds of expendables -- including much of the sound-deadening material. They changed the tires to fat, low-profile Bridgestones with a high-speed "V" rating. And to keep the car firmly planted at high speeds, they added both a front-end spoiler and rear wing.
The results, apart from a lot of noise, are power to spare and quick, precise handling reminiscent of Acura's awesome NSX sports car. Point the Type R where you want to go, ease off the clutch and let it rip to 7,000 revolutions per minute before nudging the slick five-speed into second. Repeat the above, and reach 70 miles an hour in third gear, where the engine would happily howl all day. The "red line," the fastest speed at which the engine is built to operate for sustained periods, is an astonishing 8,400 r.p.m.
The Type R isn't especially fast by muscle-car standards, reaching 60 m.p.h. in less than seven seconds. It can't match the road grip of, say, a Porsche 911 with its exceptionally wide track and oversized tires. And while the four-wheel anti-skid disk brakes are excellent, the car's stopping distances are no better than a half-dozen competitors.
But for a sticker of $23,535, the price-to-performance quotient of this pocket rocket -- with its effortless cornering, ever-eager engine and forgiving transmission -- is dazzling. Equally remarkable, the steering exhibits none of the instability at full throttle that is so common in powerful front-wheel-drive cars. One of the few other high performers to master torque steer so completely is the $58,000 Audi A8 3.7.
The front seats of the Type R are snug, supportive and trimmed in a soft, suedelike material. All the dials are easy to read, and the controls are Honda-ergonomic. But apart from power windows and an adequate sound system, the comfort and convenience features common in midpriced cars have been sacrificed in the name of weight reduction -- much as American auto makers stripped down their big-engined muscle cars in the 1960's. Forget vanity mirrors, sunroof, cruise control and rear-window wiper. Even air-conditioning is a dealer-installed option -- one that, I suspect, every sane buyer will opt for.
Of course, the truly sane know that cars are primarily about transportation and care more about safety, comfort and reliability than racetrack handling.
Then there are the rest of us, the folks for whom the Type R was made.
INSIDE TRACK: Bet you can't drive one without smiling.
http://nytimes.com/library/aut....html
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From: USA
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Re: Then there are the rest of us, the folks for whom the Type R was made. (Bbasso)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Remeber this article?
BEHIND THE WHEEL / ACURA INTEGRA TYPE R</TD></TR></TABLE>
Gee, I could swear I just posted a link to that article a few weeks ago...
BEHIND THE WHEEL / ACURA INTEGRA TYPE R</TD></TR></TABLE>
Gee, I could swear I just posted a link to that article a few weeks ago...
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Re: Then there are the rest of us, the folks for whom the Type R was made. (nsxtasy)
Yes you did
But it was also posted here 8/8/2002, Oh well... so much for working brain cells for me...
But it was also posted here 8/8/2002, Oh well... so much for working brain cells for me...
NICE! 
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From: Homie dont, play that, USA
Re: Then there are the rest of us, the folks for whom the Type R was made. (Bbasso)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> And to keep the car firmly planted at high speeds, they added both a front-end spoiler and rear wing.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Someone needs to point this out to Dave B. He always has his panties in a bunch over it being called a "wing"
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Someone needs to point this out to Dave B. He always has his panties in a bunch over it being called a "wing"
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From: United States of Texas, USA
Re: Then there are the rest of us, the folks for whom the Type R was made. (get RIGHT)
As long as we're waxing nostalgic, remember the first time a fanboi asked you;
"Is that a REAL type-R?"
"Is that a REAL type-R?"
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From: blavica
wings ARE on airplanes and NOT cars...
However, at the moment I could give 2 *****... being jobless SUCKS especially since both me and the lady got laid off on the same day.
Oh fun... christmas for the kids just went to ****.
However, at the moment I could give 2 *****... being jobless SUCKS especially since both me and the lady got laid off on the same day.
Oh fun... christmas for the kids just went to ****.
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From: selling YOU a Honda or Acura
Re: (Dave_B)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave_B »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
However, at the moment I could give 2 *****... being jobless SUCKS especially since both me and the lady got laid off on the same day.
Oh fun... christmas for the kids just went to ****.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Oh ****. When did that happen?
However, at the moment I could give 2 *****... being jobless SUCKS especially since both me and the lady got laid off on the same day.
Oh fun... christmas for the kids just went to ****.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Oh ****. When did that happen?
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From: United States of Texas, USA
Re: (Dave_B)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave_B »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wings ARE on airplanes and NOT cars...
However, at the moment I could give 2 *****... being jobless SUCKS especially since both me and the lady got laid off on the same day.
Oh fun... christmas for the kids just went to ****.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Dint noe... sorry to hear. You'll bounce back, you're a winner. I got a job for you. Get my monies outta that deadbeat in 0-town, I'll pay you a G.
However, at the moment I could give 2 *****... being jobless SUCKS especially since both me and the lady got laid off on the same day.
Oh fun... christmas for the kids just went to ****.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Dint noe... sorry to hear. You'll bounce back, you're a winner. I got a job for you. Get my monies outta that deadbeat in 0-town, I'll pay you a G.
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From: blavica
Monday... on my day off none the less.
It's a royally f u c k e d up situation. Corporate instead of handing down numbers of folks to cut to the managers/directors... they gave specific people. Basically... the company is going down, 3rd quater losses were 220 mil + and before going public, they made the cuts so that to investors they are "working on it"
It's a royally f u c k e d up situation. Corporate instead of handing down numbers of folks to cut to the managers/directors... they gave specific people. Basically... the company is going down, 3rd quater losses were 220 mil + and before going public, they made the cuts so that to investors they are "working on it"
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From: Somewhere in MD, MD, USA
Re: (Dave_B)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave_B »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Monday... on my day off none the less.
It's a royally f u c k e d up situation. Corporate instead of handing down numbers of folks to cut to the managers/directors... they gave specific people. Basically... the company is going down, 3rd quater losses were 220 mil + and before going public, they made the cuts so that to investors they are "working on it"</TD></TR></TABLE>
3rd quarter losses of $220 million? Did they file their IPO yet?
It's a royally f u c k e d up situation. Corporate instead of handing down numbers of folks to cut to the managers/directors... they gave specific people. Basically... the company is going down, 3rd quater losses were 220 mil + and before going public, they made the cuts so that to investors they are "working on it"
</TD></TR></TABLE>3rd quarter losses of $220 million? Did they file their IPO yet?
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Re: (Dave_B)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave_B »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No worries guys. Appreciate the thoughts/support.
Life goes on and all things happen for a reason. Maybe I'll be in NC sooner than I thought.</TD></TR></TABLE>
CT? You n' Boberto in the same town would be off teh hook!
Life goes on and all things happen for a reason. Maybe I'll be in NC sooner than I thought.</TD></TR></TABLE>
CT? You n' Boberto in the same town would be off teh hook!
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