Prices in Can dollars.
5-Speed $27,300
Auto Sportshift $28,500
Type SH $31,300 (Available Spring '97)
The information I got is from an Acura dealer in Canada: The production of Type R will take place in either February/97 (Feb/Mar arrival) or March/97 (Mar/Apr Arrival). The price is supposed to be around Cdn $32000.
Hi all, back for another installment of the Type-R update/rumor mill: I did get to sit in the Type-R (and NSX) and peek under the hood and this time I brought some paper for notes. The tach registers to 10,000 RPM and redline is 8500 RPM. I couldn't find the UTOG rating, but I did find the tread rating: 140. Pretty low but plenty sticky. Oh and just to throw me/us for a COMPLETE loop, it had the Japanese wheels on it today. The white ones with the thin spokes. I didn't count the number of spokes, but if you've seen the Japanese ones, then you know what I'm talking about. The side bolsters are SUEDE. And seating surfaces are a mesh type of material which also lines the inserts in the doors. No carbon fiber trim, except on the background inside the dash pod. The was a carbon fiber looking material there. I did sit in it and look closely at most things...it mostly looked like a stock GSR except one notable exception, there was no AC button. I'm pretty sure its an option, though. (I've been told that the RS A/C kit will fit - ed.) It does have RED Acura badges They finally put the Type R symbols on. Same as Japanese. Oh yeah, I did notice that there was no rear wiper!!! They did have one of the info stand you find at car show next to it, some info off that:
While walking into work today, my employer had an example of the Integra Type R on display for the Acura dealers meeting next week. Here are some details:
Eucalyptus Green (Looks surprisingly good) Flameco Black Pearl San Marino Red (That's also the color of the Accord SE Coupe) Nordic Mist (Silvery) There's one other color, but I can't remember what it is off the top of my head. It's not yellow or blue, and I don't think it's white.
NSX Engine in a Prelude?
For the people with too much money, sources indicate that an NSX engine
will indeed fit into a Prelude engine bay! The current 270HP NSX V6
engine lists for $24,000....about the same price the Prelude itself. :)
Honda CRV Specifications
Sources indicate the following information for the upcoming CRV:
126HP 2.0l DOHC 16v aluminum alloy inline 4Cyl. PGM-FI 4 speed automatic w/grade logic RealTime 4wheel drive 4 wheel double wishbone suspension Front and rear stabilizer bars Front disc/rear drum brakes with available ABS Variable assist power rack and pinion steering 15inch styled steel wheels / available 15" alloys 205/70R15 all-season tires A/C w/micron air filtration system Power Windows Power door locks Power mirrors Cruise control Front and rear intermittent wipers AM/FM Stereo Dual Airbags Height adjustment on driver's seat 50/50 split folding rear seat with center armrests Removable folding picnic table Two-way rear tailgate and glass hatch combination Exterior spare carrier Remote hatch release Tilt steering wheel Map lights Rear window defroster with timer Tachometer
Canadian Only Acura EL Information
Source indicate:
"the canadian built, and canadian exclusive 1.6EL has indeed arrived.
it is based on the civic sedan platform and shares 60-70% of its
parts. it has a redesigned front and back end, which looks somewhat
accord-like. it is available only in 4 doors and has biiger wheels
and tires as well as a stiffer suspension than its civic counterpart.
15"wheels are standard. also standar is the 1.6L SOHC VTEC engine
producing 127 hp at 6,660 rpm.
most will be sold in canada with a portion being
exported to taiwan. the car starts at $17,800 CAN and comes standard
with dual airbags, 15"wheels, power windows and door-locks, a
security system with remote keyless entry and panic alarm, remote
trunk release, cruise control, tilt steering and 60/40 fold-down rear
seats. it also has standard power heated door mirrors, a rear window
integrated antenna. the 1.6EL also has improvements in noise,
vibration, and harshness from its civic counterpart.
it does indeed replace the 4door integra sedan whose last year of
sales is the 1997 year."
'97 Integra Release Date?
From: Jonathan P.
Word on the street is that the tentative release date for the 1997
Integras is October 20, 1996. This date may slip a few days forward or
back but I expect that it is fairly close.
9.29.96
'97 Prelude Photos
From: Michael Yepes (M_Raven@msn.com)
I just got my Autoweek in the mail and saw the blurb on the NSX with a 3.2L VTEC with 290hp. I read the entire article on the Prelude too. A brief synopsis is that the new prelude has 5 more hp up to 195, the option for the automatic tourque transfer system which can transfer up to 80 percent of the torque to the outside wheel during a turn. This allows the car to be powered through the turn without lighting up the inside tire and understeering into the next lane (did that this morning, it sucks!). Overall the new prelude is faster and handles better than the '96 as was demonstrated on a racetrack where the autoweek guys chased down and passed a 96 lude vtec in the new 97 lude. Other features worth noting is the "normal" dashboard with analogue gauges, a sequential shifting feature for the automatic transmission that looks like a mercedes' and acts like the Porche 911 tiptonic's, but is actually developed from the NSX's automatic with the autoshifter stalk. Just move the lever over from the D position and tip it forward to downshift and pull it back to upshift. Styling is kinda like a mix between the Acura CL and a 1990 prelude. Not aggressive at all. The wheel base is a little longer too and there is more rear head and back seat room.From: Conrad Siao (csiao@michele.gcccd.cc.ca.us)
Pay attention because I have some news about the new 1997 Prelude. I went to a local dealer here in San Diego and talked to a salesperson there. I asked him if the 97 Preludes are in but he said no. BUT, he went to a carshow yesterday only for dealers and he did get to see the new Prelude. He wasn't suppose to show me the 1997 Prelude Catalog but he did and I scanned through whole thing. Here's the highlights of the catalog... There are going to be two trim models... The Prelude and the Prelude SH. The Prelude SH is the higher one. They both have 195hp VTEC engines and that is the only engine available. The new automatic transmission is just like the one in the Acura NSX (SportShift). It comes with a standard CD player with some kind of special feature (I forgot what it was called) that has a microphone in the cabin and picks up irregularities and fixes it. Also there was the ATTS or something like that... its some kind of torque transfer system... The SH comes with a spoiler and special rims. Both cars come with 205/55R16. The Automatic shifter gate is like that on the Acura TL and RL... at least the one that comes with the SportShift mode. The dash is conventional with red lighting. Both come with 160 watt 6 speaker stereo CD system. The exterior does look like the pictures you often find around the net.9.25.96
More Type-R News
Below is part of an e-mail I received:
Also, for what it's worth I can confirm the new large Honda rumor: I interviewed with (a major Honda supplier) this summer. They won the business for the air conditioning system for a new, American made and designed Honda, somewhat larger than the Accord, primarily for the US market. The interesting thing is, I was told it will be rear wheel drive! Based on typical product cycles, though, I think spring '98 is a bit ambitious, as they weren't even in the prototype stage yet.
There has been confirmation that there are going to be 500 Type R's sent over to the US in 1997 and 1998. You can have any color you want, so long as it's white - and the car features the Torsen LSD of the Japanese model, and 195hp. I hope you have a good relationship with your local Acura dealer! The source has driven the new R, and in his words "195hp. BLAST (especially WOT in turns: torsen LSD REALLY works wonders.)"
An anonymous source has supplied the following information:
The 10.96 Road & Track finally showed up. The NSX is said to be getting a minor exterior freshening, a bump in displacement to 3.2L, approximately 300hp, more torque, and a 6 speed transmission will be available. It is also said that the handling will benefit from slight changes to the chassis.
Road and Track states, "Acura will introduce a new model to the Integra line, which is due to hit showrooms sometime in the spring of '97. Not much is known about this new model, which may be called the "Integra R", but if it's the same high- performance version currently being sold in Japan, then we're in for a treat. The "R" in Japan has more power than the GS-R (coming from a highly tuned version of Honda's 1.8 liter VTEC powerplant that incorporates various lightweight components) with output estimated at 200 bhp. Acura says its appearance will be "distintive", so expect aggressive body enhancements such as a different rear spoiler and sporty wheels."
It was reported that the Type-R was unveiled at Big Bear, CA. This rumor seems to be false. Our sources have told us that there has been NO press events regarding the Type-R for the US.
See page 8. Motor is 1.6L SOHC VTEC, good for 127hp, just as in the Civic EX upon which the EL is based. Priced from US$17,000-20,000. I'll try to scan the photo and have it available here next week. It looks different (and better IMO) than the Integra SJ that was reported upon earlier on this page.
Below is an e-mail I received from Dennis Wong
I just dropped off my Integra at Tustin Acura. According to the service rep, Acura unveiled a 1997 Integra GSR-R in Big Bear, CA a few weeks ago. He said that he thinks the GSR-R will be available in US showrooms in 2/97. It's supposed to be similar to the JP version (200 Hp, stripped of power features, big wing, different rims and tires, etc.).As always, take this rumor with a grain of salt.
Thanks to TOV reader David Squier for the tip. I have no idea to whom this link belongs to, but I appreciate his or her efforts towards putting these pictures on the web.
| Dimensions: | Drivetrain: |
| Length: 4490mm | Transmission: 5 speed manual |
| Width : 1765mm | 4 speed automatic with SportShift Mode |
| Height: 1300mm | |
| Wheelbase: 2600mm |
In the 9.96 issue of Road & Track, there is a section previewing '97 models. A blurb about the '97 Prelude indicates that it will be sporting new technology that is referred to as "Direct Yaw Control" torque-split system. It is said to be extremely effective at improving handling.
After I saw the magazine in Japan. The Honda has already released the news of 97 Prelude offically. The New Prelude will be the secret weapon of Honda in Oct 96. The look is pretty OK only. The back is a little bit like the last Legend. The Honda will still using the 2200cc VTEC engine in 97 Prelude. But this engine can produce more than 220 hp(like 1800cc Integra R produce 180hp). The most exciting thing is the new transmission system in the 97 Prelude. Actually the driver can shift in 3 different ways. 1 (fully automatic) 2. Tiptronic shift (Like F1 car) 3. (+/- switch by the stick). One more thing is the new design that can let the left & right side spinning at different rpm.Thanks again Tsz Wai Lee!
In the 9.96 issue of Automobile magazine, a similar report to the one below appears, lending credence to the rumours. The interesting part is that Automobile's clipping implies that the motors that will appear in these cars will have SOHC VTEC, which makes it all the more impressive that Honda is getting 100hp/litre from them.
According to somebody who read the latest CAR magazine (UK) and e-mailed the following to Tuan Nguyen
In celebration of Honda's coming 50th anniversary and its eventual return to F1, they'll be launching more R models in the summer of '97. Such as a 175bhp, 1.8l Civic R (this is strange, the latest Civic Sir boasts 170hp from 1.6l), a 220 hp Accord R (No mention of Prelude R). These are using the 3rd generation VTECIII, 'frugal yet powerful'. Part of the R package are wider wheels (16inch maybe? Honda IS listening! As for 5 bolts, aren't 4 bolt alloys lighter?:), tauter springs and dampers, quicker steering, stronger brakes, special trim and some subtle aerodynamic aids. If the first 2 are a commercial success, more are likely to follow. I guess this means that R-models are going to be available OUT of Japan! No word on the Integra or NSX Type-Rs though:(The SSM roadster will go into production in 98 as the image leader of the 50th anniversary bash. The front end will be restyled, and a less elaborate interior, but the basic shape and 5cylinder driveline will be carried through. (It is) Likely to cost around 25,000 pound sterling. The alloy-bodied drop-top will roll out of the same assembly lines of the NSX. The NSX is scheduled to stay in production till 2003, and will also eventually benefit from VTECIII technology.
From someone who wishes to remain anonymous:
Can I give you a bit of news supplied by a local, Canadian Acura dealer without having my name or e-mail address listed on your site (that is, anonymously)? If so: He reported that, as you know, the Integra sedan will be discontinued at the end of the current model year. The 97 Integra will be available only in the coupe model. The Integra sedan will be replaced by the 9y Acura EL which he saw, briefly, on stage at a dealer's meeting. He said it appears to be a nice little car, looking somewhat like a previous generation Accord.
Rumours are flying around that the Type R Integra is headed for the US in '97. I have received a few e-mails from different people with this information. Apparently, somebody's service manager at an Acura dealership even told him this, but I'm not sure where everybody else is getting their information from.
From: petery@iceonline.com
Date: Sat, 06 Jul 1996 10:00:39 -0700
Subject: The date that Honda will announce new Prelude
As I surfing around the net!!! That from some Honda online(a web page I forgot the address). The page editor told me that Honda will announce the New Prelude at August 23rd. Just thing that someone might want to know. Thank you!!!
Thank you!!! Mr. petery@iceonline.com!!!One of the best things about the second half of the season is the amount of rumours that spread around. With the teams it usually involves engines so here is a short breakdown of the team and engine tie ups that I have heard about.
Williams - Honda/BMW/Peugeot/Mercedes/Renault
Benetton - Honda/Peugeot
Sauber - Ford/Honda/Hart
Ferrari - Ferrari - this one is JUST a rumour :-)
Minardi - Ford/Ferrari
Arrows - Hart/Honda
It just further confirms that Honda will definitely make a comeback in F1.
Honda Motor Co. will begin manufacturing its popular CR-V sports-utility vehicle at the firm's Sayama plant from autumn, transferring monthly production of 11,000 vehicles from its Suzuka facility in Mie Prefecture, company sources said Monday.
Japan has released the new Prelude with the real car photos. The New Prelude will be more conservative and with strange head lamps. It is equipped with a 5 stage VTEC engine and new wheels control that can let the left and right side spin at different speed. Cool!
With Renault apparently quitting F1 after 1997 and the rumour of BMW returning being quashed. Williams are now being linked, (along with Benetton, Ligier, Arrows and Dome) to a Honda engine deal. While it looks almost certain that Honda will re-enter F1, it is unclear how many teams they will supply.
Check out The Electronic Formula 1 News Service for the Internet for more F1 information.
… now the cool stuff. I went to the East Coast Auto Show at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City today. …2.5 Liter VTEC sportscar. Yup you heard it here first. I got it from Tom Cossari at Classic Auto Group and Douglas Lindsay at Burns Honda. Yes there will be plenty of horses to buck with soon. Rumour has it at 300 naturally aspirated. Can't wait to get one and throw a twin turbo on it. There is a wait though. mid-1996 to early 1997.