Integra Drag Races Elantra and Jetta, Then Gets Challenged by a Bronco Raptor With a Twist

The question is, what will happen if they go head-to-head down the quarter-mile (402 meters)? Let's look at the stats for a bit, shall we? Both cars have manual transmissions and FWD.

The 2001 ITR seen here runs on a naturally-aspirated 1.8-liter engine that churns out 195 horsepower and 130 lb-ft (176 Nm) of torque. It does have a weight advantage, sitting at 2,560 lbs (1,161 kg). Pricewise, you just have to look at BaT transaction history. The most expensive one sold there went for $112,112!

Meanwhile, the starting price for the Integra A-spec is $35,800 before tax ($1,095 destination charge). With four doors and all the modern amenities, it weighs 3,070 lbs (1,392 kg). But it does have the benefit of a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine that puts out 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft (260 Nm) of torque.

With more torque and a more efficient drivetrain, it should be capable of holding its own against the older model. Some 15 seconds later, we get our answer. The A-spec is 0.2 seconds faster to the quarter-mile than the ITR.

With that test out of the way, it's time to see how it fares against some of its current-day rivals. The Integra is 120 lbs (54 kg) lighter than the Elantra and 200 lbs (90 kg) lighter than the Jetta. But both of its opponents are using bigger, 2.0-liter engines.

The performance figures of the Jetta GLI are up to 228 hp and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque, while the Elantra N is even more potent with 276 hp and 289 lb-ft (392 Nm) of torque. What's even worse is that Acura's sedan is also the most expensive car here.

The quarter-mile challenge reveals the basic math behind this battle: the Elantra N is first to the finish line after 13.8 seconds. The Jetta GLI is 0.8 seconds behind, and we've already seen the Acura at work during the first run. Looking at the trap speed of each car, the Hyundai went up to 105 mph (169 kph), the VW just barely went into the three digits zone, while the slowest one here clocked in at 94 mph (151 kph).

If you're looking for something thrilling to drive with four doors, you'd best look at the new Honda Civic Type R instead. Meanwhile, the Integra has one more grueling test to go through before the day is over. And that's because a Ford Bronco Raptor showed up out of nowhere.

Granted, racing the Raptor under normal conditions just wouldn't be fare. Ford's newest toy has a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 that's capable of delivering 418 hp and 440 lb-ft (596 Nm) of torque. Although it weighs 5,731 lbs (2,600 kg), we've seen this thing run the quarter-mile in just 14.7 seconds.

So the producers of the show came up with a twist: the Bronco Raptor will be taking the dirt lane for this challenge. Even so, it looks like it's just as fast with those beefy tires on. At the end of the day, the Integra was only faster than its predecessor, and now we want to test drive the "Braptor" more than ever before.