One of the biggest questions surrounding the launch of the new Acura Integra in everyone’s minds was: will it be available with a manual? The answer came this week, courtesy of a video published by Acura on its YouTube channel.
In it, we get to see a short slideshow of all the gear knobs used on the four generations of Acura Integra models launched so far. The clip includes the knob from the 1986 model, followed by the 1991 Integra, the 2001 Integra Type R, the 2006 RSX Type S and the upcoming 2023 model at the very end. That’s a clear indication that the new version will be featuring a six-speed manual gearbox.
That’s great news for most enthusiasts and fans of the model, as they have been holding their breath in anticipation, ever since Acura confirmed the return of the iconic model. It is also a dash of color in a world dominated by automatic transmissions these days. The rest of the details surrounding the new Integra are scarce and we’re expecting more of them as we get closer to its official reveal. The new Integra is expected somewhere in 2022 as a 2023 model.
Most likely, the Japanese car maker will base it on the same platform the new Civic is using, but with a different styling overall. The manufacturer also patented the “Integra Type S” nameplate which definitely hints at some sort of performance variant. Fans of the brand will definitely be hoping for a car using the high-performance 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine in the Civic Type-R but we’re not sure that’s going to happen.
Hoping for such a development can’t hurt though and if it would become reality, it could be a best-seller. The main problem Acura faces in this regard though is the possibility of cannibalizing the sales of the Civic Type-R and that’s why we may never see such a car materialize under the Integra nameplate.
