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A Type S Story: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Acura’s Performance Nameplate

Regardless of the type of vehicle we’re talking about, a sporty, performance-oriented variant will always make it more appealing to certain buyers. Acura acknowledged this two decades ago and borrowed the Type S nameplate from its parent company Honda intending to build cars that combined luxury and performance.
Acura RSX Type S 21 photos
Photo: Acura
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During the mid-1980s, Honda launched Acura in North America as a premium brand that initially marketed the executive class Legend and the compact Integra, available as a five-door and three-door hatchback.

The brand's early success encouraged Honda to expand the lineup with high-performance models introducing the innovative NSX in 1990 and the Type R version of the third generation Integra seven years later.

Despite the relative success of the Integra Type R, sales of Acura-branded cars were beginning to drop during the late 1990s, partially due to uninspired designs.

1997 Acura Integra Type R
Photo: Acura
That led the company to rethink its strategy and introduce redesigned models that combined the exciting driving experience provided by a high-performance model like the Type R with the luxury, comfort, and daily driving characteristics that stood at the core of the brand’s initial philosophy.

The strategy gave birth to Acuras that were more fun to drive, and the sportiest of them were given the Type S moniker.

First introduced by Honda on the 1997 NSX and sold exclusively in Japan, the Type S variant was conceived as a middle-ground between the stock trims and the high-performance Type R (or NSX-R). It offered several weight-reducing features to improve performance, but customers could also enjoy the convenience and comfort-enhancing options like navigation, electric power steering, or xenon headlights.

So, Acura’s research and development team decided that the Type S idea was exactly what their brand needed and started developing their own model. Codenamed AC-R, the Accord coupe-based prototype was capable of 166 mph (267 kph) and 1.0 G of grip, but according to former Honda R&D Americas president Erik Berkman, “its real value was getting everyone inside the company jazzed about creating this kind of model under the Acura brand.”

Acura AC\-R Prototype
Photo: Acura
The show car was followed up by the 2001 3.2CL Type S, which featured a 3.2-liter V6 that made 260 hp, 35 hp more than the standard model. It also had quicker steering, 17-inch wheels, and a sport-tuned suspension.

A year after the introduction of the coupe, the sedan also got the same performance-enhancing treatment. Both models were produced until 2003, contributing to Acura’s resurgence.

That same year, the redesigned fourth-generation Integra, which was now called RSX in North America, got a Type S variant. It was powered by a new 200-hp 2.0-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder connected exclusively to a six-speed manual gearbox. The car received some styling changes and a boost of 10 hp in 2005, a year before it was discontinued.

2006 RSX Type S
Photo: Acura
The last Type S of the 2000s was the third generation TL produced from 2007 to 2008. It had a 3.5-liter V6 making 286 hp under its hood, linked to a six-speed manual. The car also came with standard upgrades such as 4-piston Brembo calipers, sport suspension, upgraded wheels, and tires or a distinctive quad exhaust.

Unfortunately for Acura, these models never rose to the level of popularity envisioned by the company, so the Type S project was dropped. Potential customers that wanted a sportier variant could now opt for the A-Spec trims.

However, the Type S story didn’t end in 2008 as the manufacturer revived the performance division last year with the introduction of the second-generation TLX.

Acura TLX Type S
Photo: Acura
Soon to be available in dealerships, it’s marketed as the brand’s best-performing sedan. The TLX Type S packs a 355-hp turbocharged V6 mated to a quick-shifting ten-speed automatic, torque-vectoring super-handling all-wheel drive, a sport-tuned suspension, and Brembo front brakes.

Going forward, the new generation of performance Acuras is also set to include an SUV for the first time, with the company revealing that its upcoming fourth-gen MDX will receive the Type S treatment.

It remains to be seen if the performance division will become more appealing to potential customers this time around, and we’re definitely glad to see it making a comeback. In our opinion, there can never be enough sporty vehicles out there.

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About the author: Vlad Radu
Vlad Radu profile photo

Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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