- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 4 seats
- Engine
1.8i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
141kW, 172Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 7.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 80000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Honda Integra Type R 1999
Honda's third-generation Integra coupe package of the 1990s was reasonably typical of the Japanese two-door theme.
Like the Toyota Celica and the Integra's own stablemate, the Prelude, the idea of offering a smart looking, four-cylinder personal coupe was a great way of tapping into a market populated by younger buyers with plenty of money.
And like the main competition, the Integra was typical of the breed in terms of its performance and handling. But that changed in 1999 with a model called the Type R.
After generations of cars from a variety of manufacturers that were more style than substance, the Type R was a four-wheeled revelation.
Not only did it have true sporting ability, it also possessed some real attitude, although the rear spoiler and dark alloy wheels meant it didn't really look terribly different to the more pedestrian Integras.
But when settled into a pair of proper racing bucket seats, behind a smaller, sports steering wheel you began to notice the lengths Honda had gone to improve the car's performance: an alloy gear-knob and aluminium panels were there to improve power-to-weight ratio.
A casualty in the name of weight saving was the ditching of much of the car's sound-deadening material, making the Type R a rowdy little customer. But, if anything, the extra racket inside the car only added to the experience. True, a freeway trip from Melbourne to Sydney probably would have left you bleeding from the ears, but there were always the more pedestrian versions of the car for such endeavours.
The secret to the Type R's raw appeal was a rave-party of an engine, which measured just 1.8 litres but used Honda's clever VTEC arrangement. It was capable of cranking out a rousing 141 kW of power. Of course, it needed to be revved to about 8000 rpm to achieve this feat, but that was really just part of the fun. And when you did whip it mercilessly, it returned the input with a cracking soundtrack and a distinct hike in acceleration as the tachometer needle passed 5800 rpm.
Honda's decision to fit the Type R with a five-speed manual gearbox also worked. An automatic just wouldn't have felt right, nor would it have performed anywhere near as well. With short, closely bunched ratios for maximum acceleration at the expense of highway cruising ability (the engine was turning 3500 rpm at 100 km/h) it was a delightful shifter with a slick, tight, short-throw action.
A clever differential meant that even though the Type R stuck with the basic Integra's front-wheel-drive, it delivered a much higher level of front-end grip. In turn, that made it tremendous fun to shove into corners, since it was reluctant to understeer - or push its nose wide - even at race-track velocities.
Of course, lots of grip is only part of a winning combination and the Type R managed to deliver the whole enchilada by also offering high levels of feel and feedback. The VTEC engine erupted in a torrent of both decibels and kilowatts, the suspension mounts seemed to be right under the driver's seat and the gearshift was one of those think-it-into-the-next-gear jobs.
There are now a couple of things to consider carefully before deciding whether the original Integra Type R is for you. The first is the possibility that you will be buying a car that has been thrashed for most of its life.
Honda's engineering and quality materials mean that this isn't necessarily the end of the world but a Type R without the odd squeak and rattle by now would be rare. The highly strung engine has been known to burn a little oil, so, again, you need to be the type of owner who will take the time to dip the oil each Saturday and make sure it's topped up.
But, perhaps most importantly, you need to be absolutely sure that you aren't really in the market for a nice little car. Because if you are, although it looks great, the rabid little Honda is most definitely not for you.
What to pay
Never a cheap car given its size and values have held up well on the back of its reputation for huge giggles. About $20,000 to own one; $25,000 buys one with service history and a dealer warranty.
The competition
Not much else comes close to the Type R's combination of visceral thrills and actual ability. A Subaru WRX gets the performance right but is a bit more clinical, while things such as Nissan's 200SX provide a similar level of involvement but can be prohibitively expensive to insure thanks to their turbocharged engines and reputation for being owned by crash-happy drivers.