New Acura Integra Reveals Manual Transmission
Finally, some good Acura news. Actually, there’s been a lot of that recently. Regardless, there’s more now. Acura has given us confirmation that the new Acura Integra will be getting a manual transmission. That also means that it’ll be the only vehicle in the Japanese brand’s entire lineup to feature the highly coveted gearbox enthusiasts love.
With the introduction of the stick shift, we’re left with many questions about the gearbox’s potential uses and the new sedan’s Type R ties.
The Acura Integra is back with a manual transmission
Thankfully, we’re also learning a few other things about the new Acura Integra besides its (presumably optional) manual transmission. First, that row of switches looks very, very familiar. There’s good odds that’s the same center stack we’re seeing in the new Honda Civic Type R, as well as that of the new Civic hatchback. That means no manual handbrake, and an electronic one instead.
We also got to hear approximately .00005 seconds of the new Acura Integra’s exhaust note. That is, supposing Acura didn’t change the audio. The sound is something distinctly Honda four-cylinder. The two are the same company, after all. Or, perhaps, more importantly, that’s the exhaust from an Acura Integra Type R.
Stick or not, the Integra promises to be fast
Perhaps more likely is that it’s the exhaust note of Honda’s K20C1 motor. In normal human speak, that’s the four-cylinder motor found in the Honda Civic Type R. Odds are, that Honda 4-pot makes its way into what will eventually be the Acura Integra Type R. That would make it the first car with that name stateside in almost two decades. Exciting to be sure.
Supposing that is the case, we can expect the new Integra to be blisteringly quick. While the inclusion of a manual makes sense given Acura’s enthusiast-centric marketing plan, other transmission options are still a mystery. Common sense says a more popular automatic will be on the table. Both Honda and Acura make one, but it’s nothing to write home about.
Honda and Acura have big plans for the brand’s most iconic cars
As the pieces start to fall into place for both the 2023 Honda Civic Type R and the Acura Integra start to fall into place, things look promising for Honda/Acura. The brands are each reviving their enthusiast models to great success; and if the base Integra is anywhere near as good as the 2022 Civic, we’re in for a JDM renaissance here in the States.
