28 Jun Integra GS-R Debut Review

Integra GS-R review from back in the day.

By Aaron Gaghagen

It’s weird to think of a world in which the Integra GS-R didn’t exist. True, currently, Acura doesn’t sell an Integra GS-R or an Integra GS-R equivalent like the RSX Type S and that sucks, but they did at one time and that’s the important thing. Back then there were few sporty front wheel drive options that kicked as much ass as the Integra GS-R. Yes, there was the OG hot hatch in the GTi (spit!) and the D series powered CR-X and Civic Si hatchback, but they didn’t have the high revving DOHC VTEC power that has become the standard for Honda/Acura performance.

The Integra GS-R's double-wishbone suspension had been proven in Formula One racing cars. The design is compact, efficient and has excellent ride and handling characteristics, with great driver feel and flat cornering.

To put it into historical context we offer this MotorWeek Retro Review video from 1992 on the debut of the Integra GS-R. They said “it’s jewel-like powertrain is a tour de force in effort and output” and “a showcase of how properly applied racing technology can produce more from less.”

Although our Project 1993 Integra isn’t a GS-R, it does feature many of the same qualities that the Integra GS-R shares with all Integras of the same generation.

Nothing but Hondas. That’s exactly what you’ll find at VTEC Academy. Not because some of the other automakers’ cars that inherently drain the life out of the driving experience bore us, but because Soichiro Honda’s passion for motorsports and his company’s ability to express that in the machines they produce make a whole lot of sense.

VTEC Academy is a place for Honda fans who feel the same way and who seek the most accurate technical information and commentary to continue that very legacy and make whatever Honda it is that they drive just a little bit better. And faster.

The editors and contributors of VTEC Academy are some of the industry’s most experienced and trusted, which means the informative, unique perspectives you need are all right here. And, like you, we’re also obsessed with Hondas.

So, subscribe to our channel and hit us up at vtecacademy.com or, if you’re into social media, you can get your daily dose of VTEC Academy on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. We’re always on the look out for cool and fast Hondas.