Before Honda decided to bring over the latest Civic Type R to the United States in 2017, the Acura Integra Type R was the only Type R-badged car ever to be sold Stateside.
Surely, that wasn’t enough to grant it collectable status, but for some people it did the trick: after all, Honda is known for being really scrupulous with the use of the Type R badge.
Thankfully, the Integra Type R fully deserved to wear the famous red “R,” as it featured many changes over the regular Integra.
Those upgrades included a lighter weight, stiffer chassis, revised suspension, a big wing in the back, and the “B18C5” naturally aspirated 1.8-liter engine that delivered 195 hp at 7,300 rpm — 55 ponies more than the standard Integra’s 140 horsepower. Curiously, the Acura version sold in the US featured a different face than the Honda-badged model sold in Japan.
Acura sold 3,823 Integra Type Rs in America from 1997 until 2001, but finding one today in stock specification is really hard. That’s because the car was a favorite of tuners, racers and… thieves. Yes, many Integra Type Rs got stolen and dismantled for their valuable components.
Still, Doug DeMuro managed to find a pristine 2001 model in Phoenix Yellow with less than 40,000 miles (64,374 km) on the odometer. His verdict? The similarly-priced Honda S2000 is a better car, but the Integra Type R’s rarity is what drives its value up.