1997 Acura Integra Type R Sells for an Unreal $151,200 at Amelia Island Auto Auctions
The Amelia Island auto auctions are held every year on the Thursday and Friday before the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The auctions typically bring out a lot of heavy-hitting, high-value cars that many enthusiasts could only afford to drool over, much less actually buy. This year, some of the standouts included a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT California SWB Spider and an AMG Mercedes-Benz SL 500 6.0 “SL Hammer.” Those are indeed rare and collectible cars; however, the real show stopper was a pristine 1997 Acura Integra Type R, which sold for over $150,000.
What is so special about this 1997 Acura Integra Type R?
For the unfamiliar, the Acura Integra Type R first hit the U.S. shores in 1997 and was discontinued after 2001. Unlike today’s market, which is filled with special-edition cars and one-offs, the car market in the late 90s was filled with many boring and bland models. This is why the Integra Type R was so special – it was also a Honda/Acura enthusiast’s dream car back then, much like the current Honda Civic Type R.
Additionally, Acura only planned to build 320 examples of the Integra Type R during its inaugural year. So anyone that was able to afford one at the time surely lucked out – especially since it only retailed for around $25,000. Fast forward 26 years to this year’s Amelia Island auto auctions, and it’s clear that the 1997 Integra Type R has definitely increased in value.
When it was all said and done, this particular 1997 Integra Type R ended up selling for a whopping $151,200. That astronomical price was mainly due to the car’s ultra-low mileage count and pristine condition. Haggerty reported that there were only 6,220 miles on the car’s odometer. However, it isn’t the first time that the car has been sold.
The 97 Integra Type R was no stranger to the auction block
Although the Championship White 1997 Acura Integra stole the show at the Amelia Auto auctions this year, it wasn’t the first time it’d been auctioned off. A quick search shows that the same Integra changed hands after a successful auction run back in 2019 on the popular site Bring a Trailer. Back then, the Integra sold for $82,000 with the same number of miles on the odometer, which shows that it’s definitely appreciating in value.
What makes the 1997 Acura Integra Type R so special?
Aside from the limited unit run, the 1997 Acura Integra Type R is special because of its upgraded engine, suspension, and chassis. Based on the third-generation Integra, the Type R added lower side skirts, a front lip, and a high rear spoiler for more downforce. Under the hood, a high-revving 1.8-liter VTEC engine (B18C5) produced 195 hp and 130 lb-ft of torque at a screaming 8,000 rpm.
That power was routed to the front wheels via a five-speed, close-ratio manual transmission. And as for the rest of the chassis, Honda added more reinforcements to improve its rigidity, stiffer suspension, and lower ride height. Lastly, larger disc brakes were used in addition to stickier summer tires.
Overall, the car was a terror on the race track and fun to drive on the streets. But is it worth over $150,000? Someone obviously thinks so – and we wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up selling for more money later on.
