Spinnin' Around.

Once you get past the new sheetmetal and platform, the first thing you notice about the Acura RSX is under the hood: a larger, more powerful engine that's sitting the wrong way around for a Honda.

The RSX, replacement for the eight-year old Integra, is the last model in the Acura lineup to get the five-sided grille, integrated headlights and taillights, and prominent nose badge that marks the offerings from Honda's premium division. Conversely, it is the first front-drive Honda vehicle to have its engine rotated to move the exhaust manifold closer to the catalyst, and the only Acura to adopt a MacPherson strut front suspension.

Powertrain

Look under the hood of the RSX and you'll notice a major difference from its Integra predecessor and even other Hondas: the transmission (not engine) is sitting on the driver's side, and the intake manifold is up front. Honda says this places the exhaust manifold closer to the catalyst for quicker light-off and lower emissions. Oddly, this is the opposite of the layout used in its Global Compact Platform stablemate, the Civic, which was new last year.

That's because the Civic was the first out of the gate, and Honda chose to introduce the car with an "old" engine design rather than hold it for the new generation, "NP2" engines. By 2003, the NP2 four-cylinders, which rotate in the opposite direction of traditional Honda engines, will be found across-the-board. And this will force cars like the Accord, which has both four- and six-cylinder engines to redirect the rotation of its V6s. This is good news for GM, which will get these new V6s, and for Honda, which can use the same supply base as the rest of the industry for its engine ancillaries. But, back to the RSX.

Its aluminum 2.0-liter inline four cylinder engines are fitted with "i-VTEC", which adds continuously adjustable camshaft phasing to Honda's VTEC adjustable valve timing, lift, and duration menu. In base trim, the RSX's engine produces 160 hp at 6,500 rpm, and 141 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Changing i-VTEC's engagement parameters, replacing the dual-stage intake manifold with a single-stage design, raising the compression ratio (to 11:1 from 9.8:1), and using three roller rocker arms per intake valve pairing instead of two pops the power up significantly. As a result, the Type-S produces 200 hp at a heady 7,400 rpm, but torque barely rises with 142 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm.

The cylinder block has cast-in iron liners, and a one-piece aluminum crankshaft carrier with ferrous-carbon bearing cap inserts. A cast-aluminum oil pan is added to the Type-S motor to increase rigidity. While this may seem like overkill, the RSX engine is only slightly larger dimensionally than the Integra's 1.8-liter, and will be subjected to intense aftermarket scrutiny and modification, which Honda--stung by the tepid Gen X response to the redesigned Civic--is encouraging.

The standard five-speed manual features short throws, a hydraulic clutch, and improved clutch friction materials. Internally, it shares much with the Civic's manual transmission, but--due to its relocation to the other side of the car and the change in rotation for the internal components--it's effectively a new gearbox.

This gearbox is joined by the Type-S's six-speed--a new, more compact design, despite the extra gear-that features ratios that are kept close to hold the 200-hp powerplant within its power band. And, since it's likely to be abused at least part of the time, Honda engineers fitted the six-speed with triple-cone synchronizers on the first two gears, and double-cone units on the rest. A wide-angle clutch torsion damper reduces gear rattling, while the combination of a short-stroke clutch pedal, master cylinder with integrated hydraulic damper, and improved friction material are designed to improve clutch feel. It is the only transmission available on the Type-S.

Finally, the RSX offers a five-speed automatic "manumatic" transmission. Another new design, it allows the driver to choose his own gears by moving the transmission lever to the "[+ or -]" gate that sits to the left of the "drive" position. An LED display between the speedometer and tachometer indicates which gear the driver has chosen.

Body and Chassis

Let's face it, the Integra was tired after eight years and two generations had passed it by. The RSX has a more modern structure that uses high-tensile steel to increase bending resistance by 35%, and torsional rigidity by 116%. Yet, on average, the more highly contented RSX is only 100 lb. or so heavier than its predecessor.

Dimensionally, not much has changed. The RSX and Integra have the same 101.2-in. wheelbase, but the new car is 0.2-in. shorter, 0.6-in, wider, 4.5-in, taller, and has a touch more ground clearance. The result is a roomier cabin that doesn't force taller passengers to recline the front seats to clear the headliner, and wider front and rear tracks for improved handling.

NVH problems could have been a problem on such a light, stiff structure, but Honda engineers used computer modeling to determine where best to place noise attenuating materials. A molded-styrofoam cover is fitted over the spare tire, urethane foam seals internal A-pillar gaps, an insulation pad sits between the instrument panel and cowl, and asphalt-based sheets are fitted in the floor and trunk area.

As for the suspension, if you've looked underneath a 2001 Civic, you've seen the basic layout of the RSX. Gone is the double-wishbone front suspension of the Integra, replaced by MacPherson struts with toe-control links. Tie rods are 43% longer, and connect to a torque-sensitive, high-mounted steering rack. And a variable-capacity power steering pump with integral relief valve adjusts assist based on demand, cutting unnecessary fluid flow from 900 rpm, resulting in a fuel economy increase of 0.5%.

The rear suspension remains also is much more compact than the system it replaces. A large, hydroformed lower arm curves between the bottom of the wheel and spring/damper unit, and attaches to the wheel hub by means of a stamped lower wishbone. The combination of the inboard mounted spring/damper unit and straight lateral link unite to form a 'virtual' wishbone. This design--combined with lateral channels between the truncated center tunnel and sills--gives the RSX a flat floor. A four-layer, blow-molded fuel tank sits between the suspension member and ahead of the rear anti-roll bar.

Braking is handled by 10.3-in, ventilated front discs (11.8-in, on the Type-S, and clamped by smaller, more rigid calipers), and 10.2-in, solid rear rotors. Three-channel ABS is standard on both models, as are 205/55R-16 Michelin MXM-4 all-season high-performance tires on 5-spoke cast-alloy wheels.

Pricing

The base RSX starts at $19,950, the Type-S at $23,170. Opting for the automatic adds another $900, and leather an additional $1,000. Acura expects to sell 30,000 RSX's per year. A sportier Type-R (lighter, more horsepower) will arrive within two years with 225 hp.