Acura has redone the Integra this year, giving the 1994 Integra GS-R sedan and coupe a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 170 horsepower at a sky-high 7,600 revolutions per minute.
For those of us comfortable with such higher mathematics, that works out to 94 horsepower per liter. Acura says that is more than any normally aspirated (not turbo or supercharged) engine being sold.By comparison, the 300-horsepower, 5.7-liter engine in the Corvette is good for about 53 horse-power per liter.
The Integra is available in three trim levels in either coupes or sedans. Prices on the coupes range from $14,670 to $19,440 for the GS-R. Prices on the sedans will be released in September, when they go on sale, Acura officials said.
Acura lent us the GS-R coupe. It has an overall length of 172.4 inches on a 101.2-inch wheelbase, almost exactly the same as the old model. The 2,667-pound curb weight is 2 pounds heavier.
The Integra also gets projector-beam headlights. Acura says that on low beam, the projector beams reach 13 feet farther than conventional lights and light a 20 percent greater area. The high beams reach 125 feet farther.
Inside, the Integra will look familiar to any Acura or Honda owner: logically located switch gear and instruments, quality feel. In addition, there are dual air bags.
The very tall will find enough headroom, but they may yearn for more legroom and a chance to move farther back from the steering wheel.
As with most coupes, the back seat is for occasional use by the extraordinarily tolerant. It does fold down for carrying large objects.
Visibility is good all around, and unlike many cars, the downward angle of the Integra's hood allows the driver a good view of the front fenders. That angle was possible in part because the 1.8-liter engine is so compact, according to Honda engineers.
The GS-R is billed as a sports/performance model, and a short drive convinces you that it is so. The independent, double wishbone suspension is firm enough to clearly state its sporting purpose. However, it avoids being harsh on rougher surfaces.
At highway speeds, there is the on-center numbness in the steering found in many cars with variable-power assist.
But despite a 64 percent to 36 percent weight distribution, the Integra changes direction very quickly and continues to gratify by offering a balanced feel in turns found in few front-wheel-drive vehicles. Want to suddenly slice back the other way, perhaps as an alternative to going off the road? The GS-R is ready when you are.
Part of the credit for that quick response goes to a significantly stronger body. The coupe's body is 20 percent stiffer in torsional rigidity and 40 percent stiffer in bending than the old car.
The GS-R's 16-valve, 1.8-liter engine matches - and exceeds - the suspension's fluid eagerness.
The lesser Integras have 1.8-liter, 16-valve engines rated at 142 horsepower at 6,300 rpm. The GS-R gets the Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) version of that engine. It is rated at 170 horsepower at 7,600 rpm and 128 foot-pounds of torque at 6,200 rpm.
The VTEC technology is also used in Acura's NSX. The basic idea is to have enough flexibility in a small displacement engine to provide good low-end response combined with power at higher engine speeds.
It works.
The response at low engine speeds is good, although nobody will confuse it with a small V-8. The trick to enjoying the VTEC 1.8-liter is staying on the gas - and in the same gear - much longer than normal people.
Keep pushing on the gas and the rpms build . . . 4,000, 5,000. Don't shift yet . . . 6,000, 7,000. OK, the redline is really 8,000, but we are doing almost 80 mph, so grab fourth gear.
The interesting thing is that as the revolutions and power build, one is aware that there is a tremendous amount of activity under the hood, but it doesn't come back to the occupants as bad vibrations. There is just the sound of fine machinery being worked as Acura intended.
The GS-R is only available with a five-speed gearbox, and it has closer ratios than the other Integras. There is a lightness and precision to the clutch and shifter that make gear changes pleasant, not a chore.
Figure a 0-to-60 mph time of about 6.5 seconds, without trashing the machinery too badly.
Furthermore, driven conservatively, the fuel economy should be good for a car with such performance. The Environmental Protection Agency estimate is 25 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.
Acura says its engineers worked hard to reduce noise, and that may be true, but the Integra still has a moderate amount of road noise, although not any more than other sporty coupes.
The Integra uses ventilated disc brakes up front, solid discs in the rear and a three-channel anti-lock braking system.
Reliability: It is too soon for any reliability information on the 1994 model, but based on Acura's record, it should be excellent.
Crash safety: The federal government has not yet begun the 1994 New Car Assessment Program.
Safety issues: Good points for dual air bags and anti-lock brakes. Excellent handling should help in some emergencies. But the Integra is a smallish vehicle, which may make collisions with larger vehicles an unpleasant if not losing experience.
Conclusion: The Integra GS-R is well-crafted and refined fun. A car for serious enthusiasts. When cars are done so well, some people argue they lack "personality." By that reasoning, Jack the Ripper would be a great companion. The GS-R's personality is eager, spirited and sophisticated.