Integra Type S Wins 2024 Road & Track Performance Car of the Year Award - Completes Automotive "Triple Crown"

[hiddenrun]

Some of us are old school Honda guys who are now in the middle part of our career and want something special from Honda. Since my 5th gen Prelude, Del Sol, and '05 S2000, I haven't owned any Honda until I bought my ITS as a sixth car two weeks ago. It will be my primary weekend driver with my family along with my '22 CT5-V Blackwing as a less occasional driver.

Anyway, I want a special RWD car from Honda and I think a bunch of nostalgic 90's kids who drove Hondas back in the day want one too.

I too had a 5th generation Prelude, a 2000 S2000, and a '94 Civic EX (done up as we did 'em back in the mid 90s). If the Integra Type S was rear wheel drive, it'd be pretty much be the perfect car.

And what did my Type S replace? A 2023 CT5-V Blackwing with the 6-speed (Electric Blue, no sunroof, mid-level seats) that I got from Sewell in Dallas... small world! Whereas the Blackwing wasn't the most enjoyable to drive as I do in South Florida, the Type S is an absolute joy every time I get in it.

 

[ST675R]

Perhaps you'd like this Honda VFR800 powered 1959 Berkeley

Love the sound of a V4. I had a 2005 VFR for several years.

 

[grahm]

I too had a 5th generation Prelude, a 2000 S2000, and a '94 Civic EX (done up as we did 'em back in the mid 90s). If the Integra Type S was rear wheel drive, it'd be pretty much be the perfect car.

And what did my Type S replace? A 2023 CT5-V Blackwing with the 6-speed (Electric Blue, no sunroof, mid-level seats) that I got from Sewell in Dallas... small world! Whereas the Blackwing wasn't the most enjoyable to drive as I do in South Florida, the Type S is an absolute joy every time I get in it.

I agree with everyone here on wishing the Type S/R was RWD. FWD is always a compromise. Even so, it's a great car.

But what I really want to hear is why you traded the Blackwing!

 

[Kvtran21]

I hit 33.7 mpg today on a 150 mile trip. You can thank the horrible road conditions for this. Top speed in the 70 mph zone was 50. My return trip I was back down to 26 mpg.

how the heck are people getting anything close to that 26 mpg? I’m at ~700 miles and can’t seem to get my average above 21 mpg . I’m not flooring it or driving it overly aggressively either

 

[Integra23]

how the heck are people getting anything close to that 26 mpg? I’m at ~700 miles and can’t seem to get my average above 21 mpg . I’m not flooring it or driving it overly aggressively either

Just did a 10 hour trip. On the way down i got about 26 on the way back it warmed up and got 28. Cruise set at 84 most of the way along with some triples passing cars and on ramps.

 

[hiddenrun]

But what I really want to hear is why you traded the Blackwing!

My daily driver manual transmission Jeep Rubicon is going back, so I needed another daily driver (which the Integra is). The Blackwing was nothing more than a placeholder until my Carrera S allocation came through, and in late May, I'll be taking delivery of that. So between an Integra Type S and a 911 Carrera S, I'm pretty much covered.

 

[optronix]

My daily driver manual transmission Jeep Rubicon is going back, so I needed another daily driver (which the Integra is). The Blackwing was nothing more than a placeholder until my Carrera S allocation came through, and in late May, I'll be taking delivery of that. So between an Integra Type S and a 911 Carrera S, I'm pretty much covered.

Not gonna wait to see what happens with the 992.2?

I passed up on an MSRP allocation for a 992 Carrera GTS, back in ~2021 when they were still getting $15k+ ADMs for most of them. Gave up the allocation with 8 days left until configuration lock... I just had this sense that at over $160k, the GTS didn't justify the premium over the 718 GTS 4.0 at ~$115k, so that's what I went with. Until I realized I can still get my kicks with an Integra type S at less than half the cost- and fit my dog in it.

If I had to do it all over again I'd probably get a Carrera T, but I just spec'd one out in the configurator at over $140k. IMHO, that's too much for what the Integra gives you at just $52k. The craziest part of all of this is that I honestly don't know when I'd actively choose to drive a Porsche over the ITS. PARTICULARLY because I got the 718 with a PDK... in retrospect that was definitely the wrong choice. As good as that transmission is, I've finally learned my lesson that I can't live without a manual.

Maybe it's easier for me to say that in the middle of winter- I didn't feel compelled to drive my 718 much last winter while I still had it either. But as much soul searching as I can do, I can't honestly say that I miss any of my past Porsches all that much (which also included a 991.2 C2S, manual with rear-axle steering).

I'm hoping the 992.2 introduces a hybrid system with an NA flat 6, hopefully available with a manual. That would possibly get me talking to my Porsche SA again...

 

[hiddenrun]

Not gonna wait to see what happens with the 992.2?

Nah, I'm not worried about getting the "latest and greatest" especially if the 992.2 has a hybrid system. And when you add in the fact that supposedly the .2 is delayed, it might be a while. It makes no difference to me, because I'll never take it to the track and I'm not in it for bragging rights. The S will be spec'd with a manual (of course) and I'm not going to be one of those Porsche owners that trades in his car every couple of years because I missed out checking an option box and just can't live without (fill in the blank with some nonsensical option that Porsche offers).

My track experience is with motorcycles, and even though I did the V-Performance Academy with the Blackwing, I'm not itching to drive a car like that. On that track the CT5-V was a beast, but for the driving I do, it was just too much and not fun. As soon as I got in the ITS, my immediate though was "if the Porsche dealer engages in any shenanigans upon delivery, I'd be just fine with the ITS", and save $150k. However, seeing I waited 2.5 years for an MSRP allocation, I'm pretty sure things will go well. Then I'll daily drive the ITS for the next year (when my oldest kid gets her permit), and then it'll be hers when she's 16. Then my son will learn to drive a stick, and then it'll be his.

I will say that I can't imagine it'll emerge unscathed under their tenure, and that bothers me, but it's better than the '86 Camry that was my parents' hand-me-down car. Must be nice.

 

[optronix]

Nah, I'm not worried about getting the "latest and greatest" especially if the 992.2 has a hybrid system. And when you add in the fact that supposedly the .2 is delayed, it might be a while. It makes no difference to me, because I'll never take it to the track and I'm not in it for bragging rights. The S will be spec'd with a manual (of course) and I'm not going to be one of those Porsche owners that trades in his car every couple of years because I missed out checking an option box and just can't live without (fill in the blank with some nonsensical option that Porsche offers).

My track experience is with motorcycles, and even though I did the V-Performance Academy with the Blackwing, I'm not itching to drive a car like that. On that track the CT5-V was a beast, but for the driving I do, it was just too much and not fun. As soon as I got in the ITS, my immediate though was "if the Porsche dealer engages in any shenanigans upon delivery, I'd be just fine with the ITS", and save $150k. However, seeing I waited 2.5 years for an MSRP allocation, I'm pretty sure things will go well. Then I'll daily drive the ITS for the next year (when my oldest kid gets her permit), and then it'll be hers when she's 16. Then my son will learn to drive a stick, and then it'll be his.

I will say that I can't imagine it'll emerge unscathed under their tenure, and that bothers me, but it's better than the '86 Camry that was my parents' hand-me-down car. Must be nice.

I won't be that guy that tells someone how to raise their kids- I don't even do that with my own brother. But anecdotally, I took the path of getting them basic automatics for their first cars, and I'm glad I did.

My oldest decided after a year or so that yes, he wanted a manual. I obliged and got him a 2012 Civic Si. He absolutely adores that car, has more of a sense of ownership because he chose it- and actually I adore it too; it's far more fun than it has any right to be and it's a major reason I have my Acura right now. My youngest has been driving about a year and he wants an old school ~early-mid 90s Toyota pickup with a manual. That's just his style. I told him I'll get him one as a graduation gift lol; they're currently trending at around $30k+ for solid examples!!!

My point being that the ITS, while very easy to drive, is probably too much car for a brand new, inexperienced driver. Also as you mention, just too nice a car. I initially thought about getting my oldest a brand new BRZ/FR86 as his first car; but where I landed was getting them solid, reliable, boring used vehicles with 5 star safety ratings, and let them come to me with what they want. I'm glad I did it this way.

As for the 911s, I clearly love them and the 992 is no exception. But as much as I railed in its defense over the old school Porsche try hards who said it was "too much of a GT car"- it is a very large sports car. It is somehow still lightweight and still feels like a Porsche, but even compared to the 991 it does feel significantly larger, and more "high tech". For some that may be exactly what they want but I do have to say that it didn't strike the same chords as my 991 did and I didn't actually like it as much as I thought I would. I am interested in the 992.2 just because I'm vastly intrigued by the new McLaren Artura and excited to see what Porsche brings to market with a hybrid 911... but ultimately if it falls even slightly short of my insane expectations I think I'll be in the market for another 991.2 when my kids are done with college. Or a 997! (I won't do a 991.1 because the steering and shifter both suck relative to any other Porsche).

With the ITS, I don't need a "do it all" kind of sports car anymore- which is kind of what the 911 is just cranked up to 11, assuming you don't need to transport multiple people or large dogs. I can be a little more particular in honing in on an "experience"; and I think I need smaller dimensions to nail that completely. Probably a naturally aspirated engine note, too... although the 991.2 was just so perfect a goldilocks kind of car I probably wouldn't pass up an opportunity to grab another one in a perfect spec.

I'd say a new 911 is too expensive now but when a new M3 easily goes for north of $130k, that just means EVERYTHING is too expensive...

 

[koatic]

a microscopic but fast machine that can zip in and out of traffic with ease. I mean in the North American market

Thats why I keep my JDM B18C EG..