RE: PH Heroes: Honda Integra Type-R

RE: PH Heroes: Honda Integra Type-R

Wednesday 30th April 2008

PH Heroes: Honda Integra Type-R

The Integra Type-R was hardcore, ballistic and race-car raw. Ollie Stallwood drives a very special Honda...



For many people it was the first time they had seen that badge. It looked like a Honda badge, but it had a red background. Despite models like the CRX and NSX, in nineties Britain Honda was still known for selling cars to people who liked metallic beige and storage areas for boiled sweets. In other markets such as the US and Japan Hondas were seen as young, cool cars but alas not here. Then along came that red badge, and it was attached to the nose of a small coupe, with quad headlights, called the DC2 Integra.The badge on the back said ‘Type-R’, and it was the beginning of a cult.


Available in only three colours - black, red or white - the Integra Type-R may have looked like a pretty two-door but the reality was it was so focused, so hardcore, that we may never see anything quite like it again. It cost £19,500 when it came out in 1996 which, considering a new Civic Type-R costs less than 18K today, seems expensive, but what you got was something very special.

You only have to look at the red front Recaros. They contrast against the grey stock rear seats as if someone’s switched them just to go hill-climbing at the weekend. The car was single-mindedly focused to a point where most other manufacturers, bar perhaps Porsche or Ferrari, would not bother to go. Up front was a 187bhp, 8,400rpm redline screamer of an engine, featuring witchcraft known as VTEC, pushing the car to 60mph in 6.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 145mph. It was a hand-finished 1.8-litre that performed best above 5,500rpm and, due to the fact that Honda had ripped out most of the sound proofing to save weight, you could hear every single one of those revolutions.


You just knew that those small wheels had been selected because they would best suit the handling, and because they were light. The gear knob was made of titanium and was small and precise , matching the neat shift. The bodykit was kept to a minimum, with just a purposeful-looking rear spoiler bolted on to the back.

I’ve heard big things about the Integra Type-R and today I am heading to Bagshot to see if what I have heard is true. PHer Zak Sexton has kindly offered us a drive in his mint 41,000 mile example – UK car #205 – which he has owned for over eight years. The car only comes out for the occasional weekend and holiday driving so we are particularly grateful to get behind the wheel, especially as, in true PH Heroes style, the heavens look like they are about to open up any minute. The car is totally standard and in perfect condition, and I can’t wait to find out what all the fuss is about.


The interior feels a little old fashioned and inside, especially with the big bucket seats, there feels like there is no more room than a small hatchback. Driving along suburban roads the Integra is noisy and hard, and if I’m honest not all that nice to drives. At low revs, with just 131lb ft of torque, the engine doesn’t feel particularly perky and I start to wonder if I am going to be a little disappointed. Then the traffic disappears and the road in front of me is straight.Mindful that this is someone else’s pride and joy I tentatively squeeze thethrottle, letting the revs rise towards 5,000rpm, and as the engine spins it sounds like I should have a heart and ease off. Then it happens. The engine note changes in an instant and all hell breaks loose.This is where Doctor Jekyll becomes Mr Hyde. The motor no longer sounds strained, it is now howling manically, making the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. It is shifting too, magically pulling more acceleration out of thin air, sounding like it will rev forever.

Even though the suspension is hard, body control is impeccable thanks to well-sorted damping and a rigid bodyshell. Everything is starting to make sense. As I power out of a roundabout I discover another of the great tricks up the Type-R’s sleeve. It feels like a rear-drive chassis, instantly adjustable at the back, but incredibly planted to the tarmac. To be honest, below a point the Type-R never feels that fast, but keep the revs up and when you change you’ll be back in the sweet spot and progress becomes very swift indeed. All the time the steering is perfectly weighted and full of feel, and because of the car’s lightness it brakes well too.


I can’t believe I doubted the Integra, while its rawness is addictive its simplicity of purpose is charming. It really does feel like a race car for the road, as if Hondas designers have made a car for enthusiasts, and screw the rest. There really is little else that feels like this, it is a unique experience, and after a few miles I realise I am smitten. You want to drive harder and faster, revving it to 6,000rpm just one last time. After a couple of hours it’s time to take the Type-R back unfortunately. As I drive back into the urban crawl, with lines of slow moving traffic and speed bumps, I realise the Integra doesn’t feel so bad anymore. In fact I’m glad that it doesn’t feel all that refined at low speeds, because that would mean it wouldn’t do the other stuff half as well.

Author
Discussion

Insight

Original Poster:

607 posts

197 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
Great read, whats the PH Hero rating /10?

dazsmith69

284 posts

191 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
yeah, good read, the original...the best, even the new hot hatches struggle to come close to the excitment of driving one

Road_Terrorist

5,591 posts

241 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
Insight said:
Great read, whats the PH Hero rating /10?
probably 11

zorba_the_greek

677 posts

221 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
Proud owner of one bowtie

Dr G

15,157 posts

241 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
Integra would get a big fat 9 from me - I found the ride even over a really crap surface to be reassuringly sure-footed (I'm not a girl or a pansy, I don't want a squishy, comfy ride).

The 'feel' of the car is like nothing else out there, very special car even to passenger in.

stew-S160

8,006 posts

237 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
damn i miss mine more and more frown

dommo2

1 posts

191 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
Brilliant write up. I own one of these and they are indeed totally unique and the best fun you can have for the money! One small point is that they were released for sale in this country in 1998 not 1996 wink

Eddh

4,656 posts

191 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
Truely amazing cars, i really want one (my reasonable dream car at the moment). Just at 19 trying to find someone to insure me for less than 3 grand might be a bit tricky hehe

stew-S160

8,006 posts

237 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
dommo2 said:
Brilliant write up. I own one of these and they are indeed totally unique and the best fun you can have for the money! One small point is that they were released for sale in this country in 1998 not 1996 wink
and black and red cars got black recaros. and the rev limit kicks in about 8900rpm.

coogy

955 posts

210 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
I love mine to bits! It may not be quick by todays standards but it'll pretty much keep up with anything down a B road. You NEVER get bored of VTEC in a Teg.

Smug. biggrin

coogy

955 posts

210 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
Eddh said:
Truely amazing cars, i really want one (my reasonable dream car at the moment). Just at 19 trying to find someone to insure me for less than 3 grand might be a bit tricky hehe
I got mine about a year 1/2 ago aged 22. Insurance is steep but its worth it!

Eddh

4,656 posts

191 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
coogy said:
Eddh said:
Truely amazing cars, i really want one (my reasonable dream car at the moment). Just at 19 trying to find someone to insure me for less than 3 grand might be a bit tricky hehe
I got mine about a year 1/2 ago aged 22. Insurance is steep but its worth it!
I bet the other option is dropping a B18c out of the JDM ITR into my EK3

Munter

31,319 posts

240 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
It's at the top of my list of FWD cars I'd consider buying as a fun car.

Roastie ITR

494 posts

203 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
I've had mine for 18 months now, really do love driving it. As mentioned above, theres not much out there for the same money that will give you the same performance, handling and reliability.

red_zed

2,662 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
loved mine when i had it- better than the civic type r i had, and, id say, right up there with the S2000 id just sold, too...

even after coming from 2 vtec engines, i still remember the day i picked the teg up and gave it the beans for the first time- id never heard a noise like it, even the S2000 was matched, maybe exceeded.

The composure it had was immense, the focus unmatched.

superb!

hirsty27

506 posts

197 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
The prices of these Type R's seem to hold there value well, I'd be interested to know the production figures.

Good review though, a work mate used to keep raving about these cars, he had a Honda Prelude 2.2 Vtec and then rather oddly got a Alfa Romeo 147 2.0l Twin Spark when the oportunity was there to get a DC2 Type R..DOH!..banghead

I prefer the earlier model with the different headlights. The Integra featured here, ..I've never grown to like the front 'spectical like' headlights.

This 'reving the tits out of it VTEC malarky' is also an acquired taste from what I've been told, I guess I'll have to drive one to see if it's to my taste. It's a shame the interior looks so bland as well.




williamssam

733 posts

219 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
Always wanted one of these. One of those cars i'm just gonna have to own one day, and much more affordable than the others cars on my 'have to own' list wink

briSk

14,291 posts

225 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
a great classic. values do hold up well but they also seem to have dipped a bit over the last year/18mths. although red seems to have come back into favour having arguably been the 'orphan' spec...

stew-S160

8,006 posts

237 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
hirsty27 said:
The prices of these Type R's seem to hold there value well, I'd be interested to know the production figures.

Good review though, a work mate used to keep raving about these cars, he had a Honda Prelude 2.2 Vtec and then rather oddly got a Alfa Romeo 147 2.0l Twin Spark when the oportunity was there to get a DC2 Type R..DOH!..banghead

I prefer the earlier model with the different headlights. The Integra featured here, ..I've never grown to like the front 'spectical like' headlights.

This 'reving the tits out of it VTEC malarky' is also an acquired taste from what I've been told, I guess I'll have to drive one to see if it's to my taste. It's a shame the interior looks so bland as well.
thats the JDM model you prefer. the UK got the quad lights.#
you either love revving the nuts off it, or you love diesels.

briSk

14,291 posts

225 months

Wednesday 30th April 2008
quotequote all
whilst it's a bit more ricer chic..i think the jdm looks really dated... takes all sorts i guess! smile