For years, the Integra->ke1527 represented accessible, sporty refinement, mixed with the renowned dependability of Acura->ke10’s parent company, Honda->ke34. Without question, the Integra was one of the most widely tuned cars in the history of aftermarket performance, and an enormous following of enthusiasts and parts makers remains today. Many clambered to experience the high-rev shriek of the Integra’s VTEC motor at full song. So when Acura halted production in 2006 with the DC5, also known stateside as the RSX->ke274, many lovers of the 2-door, front-drive sport coupe felt left out in the cold.

Now, however, Acura is trying to reclaim those sporty credentials. This year at SEMA->ke216, Acura brought a lightly-modified TLX and it’s twin-turbo GT sibling to showcase what can be done if someone with the intention of going fast buys an Acura. The race car->ke148 is great if your commute consists of qualifying laps and battling for the checkered, but it doesn’t really mean a whole lot to anyone looking for a streetcar. The lightly modified TLX, on the other hand, looks good, but it’s still a grocery-getter on coilovers. While the TLX might make a decent family sedan,->ke142 what Acura really needs is a two-door coupe that is both tunable and cheap enough to appeal to a younger crowd. What Acura really needs is a new Integra, and it looks like that may actually happen.

Speaking to Car & Driver, Acura chief designer Dave Marek was unable to divulge any specifics, but did hint at the possibility of a sporty, entry-level vehicle coming to Acura’s lineup sometime in the future: “A performance brand needs a flagship and it needs an accessible sport car. Not a sports car,->ke506 but a sport car.”

If Acura does come through with an affordable sport car, Marek confesses it might happen in 2017. “There are lots of resources and activity going into making Acura back into what it was,” Marek said.

Click past the jump to read more about the Acura Integra.

Why it matters

In our opinion, quality of life is somewhat dependent on the number of affordable performance cars available in the world. The Integra was an icon of the sport compact scene, a mainstay of having fun on the cheap. The BRZ->ke3973/FR-S->ke3820 and MX-5->ke1185 are both good starts, but we could certainly use at least one more Japanese screamer on these shores. Let’s hope Acura delivers.

Acura Integra

There’s a long history behind the smallest and cheapest car in Acura’s past lineup. The first Integra appeared in the mid 80s, and several iterations eventually followed, including a three-door, a five-door, a four-door, and finally, a two-door. All offered a front-wheel-drive platform that presented superb handling characteristics, and came equipped with small-displacement, rev-happy, four-cylinder engines. Swapping these motors was a breeze, and over time, the hobby of maxing one’s Integra morphed into a full-blown industry. The tuner world has some pretty deep roots when it comes to the Integra, and without it, you can feel the void.