Honda Australia put its hand up for the Integra, because why not?

Based on the Civic platform, the North American market Integra is Honda/Acura’s most aspirational vehicle. The four-door Civic hatch is a fantastic car (and the Type R is life-changing for FWD doubters), but there’s something about the Integra's sleek coupe lines that gets an enthusiast excited.

Speaking to Wheels at the Honda ZR-V's Australian media launch, senior product planner, Arjun Nidigallu, said he and the team put their hands up for the Integra, knowing in all likelihood it wouldn’t make it here.

Working 10 years in advance (as product planners do), there’s a fair bit of dreaming and hope going on, but low-volume sporty specials rarely pass the sniff test.

The Integra, for example, was something that Australia was interested in, but that didn’t pass initial feasibility studies.

3

We wouldn't say no to another vehicle with the Civic Type R's perfect shift feel

“Our challenge is right-hand drive, and what we have available in the right-hand drive market. We're constantly talking about that, and what opportunities there are for right-hand drive markets like ours,” said managing director, Carolyn McMahon.

Made domestically for the left-hand drive North American market, we’re almost certain not to see either the 149kW Acura Integra or 238kW Integra Type S in their current iterations.

Being a small market, Australia is largely at the behest of what countries around it want. Perhaps if Thailand or Japan were keener on an Integra reboot, the sleek four-door would have been greenlit.

3

However, the future (and we’re talking post-2028, here) could see Honda deliver a broader range of body types in right- and left-hand drive markets, especially with the added freedom of electric vehicle platforms.

“There’s nothing in the pipeline, but now is a period of transition. As we get into EV technology, maybe the platforms allow more flexibility around right-hand and left-hand drive conversions… We'll be watching closely to see what might come available for us”, added McMahon.

An all-electric right-hand drive Integra Type R? Or perhaps a mid-engined EV sports car to carry the NSX torch? We can dream, but nothing official is in the works right now.