Acura is the luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda, based primarily in North America. The brand was launched on March 27, 1986, marketing luxury and performance automobiles. Acura sells cars in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, and Kuwait. The company has also previously sold cars in China, Hong Kong, Russia, and Ukraine. Plans to introduce Acura to the Japanese domestic market in the late 2000s did not eventuate due to the financial crisis of 2007–2008.
The Honda CR-X, originally launched as the Honda Ballade Sports CR-X in Japan, is a front-wheel-drive sport compact car manufactured by Honda from 1983 until 1991 with nearly 400,000 produced during this period. The first-generation CRX was marketed in some regions outside Japan as the Honda Civic CRX. Although there are many supposed definitions for the acronym CR-X, the most widely accepted is "Civic Renaissance Experimental".
The Honda Integra, marketed in North America as the Acura Integra, is an automobile produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Honda from 1985 until 2006, and then since 2021. It succeeded the Quint as a more luxurious and sport-oriented derivative of the Civic. The Integra was one of the launch models for Acura in the US in 1986 alongside the Acura Legend. Throughout its production run, the Integra was highly regarded for its handling and performance. The 1995–2001 Integra Type R is widely regarded as one of the best front-wheel-drive cars of all time.
The Honda Civic is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. As of 2023, the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Accord in Honda's global car line-up.
The Honda Accord, also known as the Honda Inspire in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. The Accord nameplate has been applied to a variety of vehicles worldwide, including coupes, station wagons, hatchbacks and a Honda Crosstour crossover.
Honda Type R models are special performance editions of their respective model families.
The Acura Legend is a mid-size luxury/executive car manufactured by Honda from Japan. It was sold in the U.S. and Canada under Honda's luxury brand, Acura, from 1985 until 1995 as both a sedan, which was classified as a full-size car, and a coupe, which was classified as a mid-size car. It was the first flagship sedan sold under the Acura nameplate, until being renamed in 1996 as the Acura 3.5RL. The 3.5RL was the North American version of the KA9 series Honda Legend.
The B-series are a family of inline four-cylinder DOHC automotive engines introduced by Honda in 1988. Sold concurrently with the D-series which were primarily SOHC engines designed for more economical applications, the B-series were a performance option featuring dual overhead cams along with the first application of Honda's VTEC system, high-pressure die cast aluminum block, cast-in quadruple-Siamese iron liners.
The E-series was a line of inline four-cylinder automobile engines designed and built by Honda for use in their cars in the 1970s and 1980s. These engines were notable for the use of CVCC technology, introduced in the ED1 engine in the 1975 Civic, which met 1970s emissions standards without using a catalytic converter.
The Honda D series inline-four cylinder engine is used in a variety of compact models, most commonly the Honda Civic, CRX, Logo, Stream, and first-generation Integra. Engine displacement ranges between 1.2 and 1.7 liters. The D Series engine is either SOHC or DOHC, and might include VTEC variable valve lift. Power ranges from 66 PS (49 kW) in the Logo to 130 PS (96 kW) in the Civic Si. D-series production commenced in 1984 and ended in 2005. D-series engine technology culminated with production of the D15B 3-stage VTEC (D15Z7) which was available in markets outside of the United States. Earlier versions of this engine also used a single port fuel injection system Honda called PGM-CARB, signifying the carburetor was computer controlled.
Honda Canada Inc. is the Canadian regional subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company. Founded in 1969, Honda has been building cars in Canada since 1986 in Alliston, Ontario and head office in Markham, Ontario.
The third-generation Honda Civic is an automobile which was produced by Honda from 1983 until 1987. It was introduced in September 1983 for model year 1984. The Civic's wheelbase was increased by 2–5 inches (13 cm) to 93.7 inches (hatchback) or 96.5 inches (sedan). A three-door hatchback/kammback, four-door sedan, the five-door "Shuttle" station wagon, and sporting CRX coupé shared common underpinnings. This included MacPherson strut suspension with torsion bars in the front and a rear beam with coil springs. However, the body panels were largely different between models. The Civic-based Honda Quint five-door hatchback also underwent a model change, and became the Honda Quint Integra, available as both a three- and five-door fastback. The Quint Integra was sold at the Japanese Honda Verno dealership along with the CR-X. The Civic in Japan was now exclusive to Honda Primo, along with Honda's kei cars as well as superminis like the Honda City.
The Honda Vigor is a premium sedan that was derived from the Honda Accord. It was sold in Japan through the Honda Verno dealer network from 1981 until 1995, and sold in North America from June 1991 until 1994 as the Acura Vigor. Early Vigors were more upmarket versions of the Accord, and served as Honda's flagship until the arrival of the Honda Legend. In 1989, the Vigor would differentiate itself further from the Accord with unique styling and an available longitudinal five-cylinder engine, and a twin to the Vigor was introduced with the Honda Inspire, available at Honda Clio dealerships.
Peter "P.D." Cunningham is an American race car driver and owner of RealTime R&L, Inc., based in Saukville, Wisconsin and currently competing in the Pirelli World Challenge GT Championship. His name and his team, RealTime Racing, have become synonymous with the Honda and Acura brands. Through 2013, he has claimed 91 professional race wins across 12 different North American road racing series and holds numerous World Challenge records.
