2023 Acura Integra Is The Brand’s Final Gasoline Car: Report

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The nostalgia-infused Integra looks set to go down in history as the gasoline-fueled epilogue to Acura as everything after it didn’t have a combustion engine. Automotive News reports that the iconic rebirth serves as ICE’s goose anthem for Honda’s premium division. Emile Korkor, Acura’s assistant vice president of national sales, believes buyers of the Civic-based liftback will be “ready for the next generation, whatever iteration it takes.”

He continued, Integra 2023 will help Acura consolidate its loyal customer base before embracing electrification. The plan is to skip hybrids altogether and focus solely on battery-powered EVs, the first being an SUV linked to Honda’s Prolog 2024. The duo will use General Motors’ bespoke Ultium platform, with plans for both to be built by GM.

Meanwhile, Korkor informed A that the ILX replacement has been well-received by enthusiasts and Acura believes most of the production will be represented by the high-end A-Spec with the Technology Pack. It costs just under $37,000 or about $5,000 more than the base trim level. The new arrival represents a change of strategy as most of the sales for the previous model were represented by the lower configuration whereas the Integra is expected to make most of the volume in the more expensive specs.

Knowing fans would opt for a six-speed manual gearbox, Acura decided to install the clutch pedal only in the top-end trim without making the car too expensive. Because it uses the same platform as the Civic, the company is able to spread development costs and keep the Integra achievable even in fully loaded guise. The fact that it’s also made in the US rather than imported also helps keep prices in check.

Emile Korkor added that “positioning Integra is absolutely critical, as a true gateway to the brand, and a worthy successor to the original Integra.” Production at Honda’s Marysville Car Plant began earlier in the month and Acura dealerships will showcase the car from early June.

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