Sulu

The GT86 is not a totally new car and it is shared with Subaru, both of which make it cheaper. It uses a Subaru engine and transmission, and also a modified Subaru platform, and then it is sold by both Toyota and Subaru. Costs are shared by Toyota and Subaru, which makes it cheaper to produce and not pricey to buy.

For Honda to design a new RWD platform, just for a new Integra, when they do not have a RWD FR (front-engine, rear-wheel drive) platform now, would make it super expensive. I could imagine an automaker designing a new RWD platform for their flagship (e.g. RLX, but even the RLX is a stretched Accord) but not for a relatively inexpensive, entry-level car, unless that platform were shared with another automaker (and Honda is not known for sharing platforms with other manufacturers).

Besides, a RWD car would not be an Integra. The Integra was an inexpensive, entry-level, small sporty FWD (sporty Civic) car. A sporty ILX could be the new Integra but a new RWD platform would not be an Integra.

SlangBlade

Shared costs or not, they managed to do it, and there's nothing that says the new Integra (or whatever they decide to call it) has to be the same platform as the old Integra. From what I've read, it seems Acura wants to start differentiating itself with more AWD choices/drivetrains. The fact is, no one really knows, so it's hard to state facts. I could see a hatch version of the ILX come to market (supporting your theory), but we'll have to wait and see on that one.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Given its size the ilx IS the new Integra, although this far it's very underwhelming.
I could see them making a hot ilx though, and maybe a 2 door too.

Sulu

The fact that costs were shared between Toyota and Subaru, and the fact that it is NOT a fresh-off-the-drawing-board new car (existing Subaru engine, transmission and platform revised for the Toyota GT86 / Subaru BRZ) kept development costs low. By keeping development costs low, sale prices can be kept low. This is the now-common law of auto-manufacturers -- do whatever is necessary to keep development costs low.

Because Honda does not have a FR (front-engine / rear-wheel drive) platform and longitudinal RWD transmission now, developing a new platform and new transmission would cost tons of money. They could keep costs down by sharing a platform and transmission from another manufacturer (borrow an existing one or share development costs for a new one) but Honda is not known to do that.

The Integra was built on the Civic platform of the day which is now hopelessly obsolete. If they want a new Integra, it should be on the current Civic platform, and the ILX is built on the current platform. The ILX could be the basis of the new Integra; it probably supports AWD also so using SH-AWD on the new Integra is likely.

mmarshall

Size-wise, yes, it's today's Integra. But it doesn't feel or drive like one.


In its time, the 2-door Integra and Integra R models, like Civic hatchbacks, clearly appealed to the young, caps-on-backwards crowd, who wanted to slam their cars and paint them pastel fruit-colors. But that was then, this is now, and many of those former slammers have moved on to either other brands or other automotive interests. (like, for example, the Lexus IS and BMW 3-series).

Having said that, though, the 3Gen Integra with the four small round headlights in front was a superb, and I mean SUPERBLY built car.....especially for the price. It felt like it was carved out of granite, assembled like a Swiss Watch, most of the controls working to fluid/snappy perfection, with perhaps the only annoyance being the somewhat jerky shifts typical of Honda automatic transmissions of that period (1990s).

UDel

That was my point. Putting the integra on a rwd platform and still having a decent interior is going to make it at least $30,000 since they have no platform to share it with unless they go really really cheap on everything else which would defeat the point of going through all that work for a rwd car. It will end up being a pretty low volume car only older buyers can afford which is not what they are looking for.

BoDarville

no, many of those former slammers are hopefully dead or in jail. no disrespect to the other former owners on here, provided you kept your car stock or made only tasteful modifications, but mostly i remember the cars you mentioned as being the root of the term "rice", with fart cans and gaudy aftermarket wings and body kits (not paint matched of course), none of which improved performance or aesthetics in the least