Note: this is the first in a series of reviews of vehicles I've had the pleasure of driving, day in and day out, for several years.
The Acura Integra Type R. I bought mine in September of 1997. It was my daily driver until the winter of 2001. I then drove it occasionally until 2005, when I sold the car to another enthusiast.
In its prime, the Type R was widely regarded as the greatest FWD sports car of all time. Nicknamed the NSX Jr. by one auto magazine, this was the total package - high-revving VTEC four-cylinder, minimal sound-deadening, stiff suspension, limited-slip differential, and balanced weight. It could keep up with much more powerful RWD cars on track day, and even won the SCCA Touring Car Championship against more powerful BMWs, in a race series where victory brings not only a trophy, but a big pile of lead 'penalty weight' for the next race.
1997 Type Rs are very rare. Under 400 1997s were made, and then Acura changed the front and rear fascia a bit for 1998. The only available color was Championship White, commemorating Honda's first F1 victory.
As a daily driver, an Integra is hard to beat. It is roomy for its size, offers FWD for dealing with inclement weather, and provides a hatchback with split-fold rear seats that go all the way down. You could really load this car up and still have room for two. On top of that, I experienced 25 mpg in the city, and 33 mpg on the highway - in a car that does 0-60 in 6.2 seconds that's nothing to sneeze at.
There were a few downsides to owning a Type R. The stock suspension is very stiff, and if you have back problems, you'll feel 'em. The back issues I experienced were what drove me to retire the car as a daily driver. Also, the cars were serious theft targets - there were many places I simply didn't go because it was highly unlikely that the car would be there when I got done.
All in all, the 1997 Acura Integra Type R is a piece of automotive history, a wonderful weekend track car, and a practical daily driver. If you're contemplating one that has not been heavily modified, I would highly recommend it. I still miss mine.
