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2002 Acura NSX fondly remembered in MotorWeek's retro clip

After a long wait, the new Acura NSX is finally here, but so far the latest generation is proving polarizing among enthusiasts. Whether it's complaints about the styling, the nearly $200,000 price, or the switch to hybrid power, nearly everyone seems to have a critique about the new sports coupe. That said, nostalgia for the original NSX remains strong, and the latest MotorWeek Retro Review of the 2002 model reminds us how different the new NSX is from the original. The 2002 model year marked the NSX's transition from pop-up headlights to fixed units, and it also features less noticeable styling tweaks along the sides and at the rear. Behind the driver, there is a 3.2-liter V6 with 290 horsepower and 224 pound-feet of torque, and it routes through a six-speed manual to get the coupe to 60 miles per hour in five seconds. There was also an available automatic gearbox with a 3.0-liter V6 that made 252 hp and 210 lb-ft. MotorWeek's review lavishes praise on the way the NSX drives by calling it "almost unflappable" and saying "body roll was almost nonexistent." With traction control off, the coupe changes character by becoming more twitchy and requiring that drivers use a careful balance of throttle and steering. Sounds perfect. Easily the best part of the review is when MotorWeek claims that a second-generation NSX is on the way. Over a decade later, that vehicle is finally, almost, on sale. Will it live up to the red-hot NSX standard of yore? We're about to find out. If you need any more nostalgia, the show previously remembered the '91 NSX, too. Related Video:

There was once a Honda Civic named the Honda Integra

So it turns out there was a Honda Integra that was actually a Honda Civic. This as opposed to the Honda Integra we already knew about that was just like our Acura Integra but with Honda badges sold in different markets. We noticed the oddity while crawling about used car listings (as one is wont to do). A sedan popped up that looked suspiciously like a mid-90s Honda Civic, but there was a shiny Integra badge on the back of it. Surely, this must be somebody’s idea of being funny, right? Wrong. The Honda Integra SJ exists, and itÂ’s essentially a rebadged Honda Civic Ferio. Or "Civic Sedan" as we knew it here. In other words, that means Honda sold two Honda Integras at the same time. One of them was the Integra that we all think of upon hearing the Integra name. The other was just a Civic Ferio that was half-prettied up to increase its appeal. After all, the Integra name was luxury. Maybe you already knew all of this, but the lack of definitive information online and presence of this car for sale prompted us to do a little research. In case you were wondering, SJ stands for Sedan Joyful, so this carÂ’s full name is the Honda Integra Sedan Joyful. It was sold as such from 1996-2001 in Japan. Its mini Wikipedia entry indicates that Honda created the SJ to bring a formal sedan to the Integra range. ThatÂ’s a bit weird, though, as there was literally an Integra four-sedan at the time. You could even get it as the hot GS-R version in the United States. Japanese buyers were even luckier, as Honda offered a sedan version of the Integra Type R there. Since the Integra SJ was a rebadged Civic Ferio, it came with the same equipment and engine. The 1.5-liter D15B four-cylinder engine was being used in the Ferio at this time, so thatÂ’s what the Integra SJ was rocking. ItÂ’s one of HondaÂ’s SOHC VTEC offerings, and it made a very respectable 128 horsepower. The D15B wasnÂ’t as potent as an engine like the B16A2 found in the 1999-2000 Honda Civic Si sold here that put out 160 horses, but it was also down one camshaft. Only the intake valves are affected by the cam here, which results in less power than the DOHC VTEC engines. All that said, the engine still revved to 7,200 rpm, and its power is respectable for the size of car.  ThereÂ’s a third name for the Civic Ferio/Integra SJ, as well. If you go to Thailand, you may come across the Isuzu Vertex, which is yet another rebadged Civic Ferio.

Honda reports $1.9 billion profit in first quarter despite sales lag at home

Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have been living in a world of sunshine and buttercups after their April-through-June financials hit the newswire, and Toyota is doing pretty good as well. Honda? Not so much.
While Japan's third-largest manufacturer saw $1.9 billion in profits, the 5.1-percent jump was lower than expected thanks to a drop in its home-market sales. US sales also took a sting, as Honda hasn't been able to match the SUV and truck demand that are currently permeating the American market, despite an uptick in Accord sales.
Honda's initial forecasts targeted a take of 209.3 billion yen ($2.1 billion at today's rates), and while a $200 million shortfall is nothing to sniff at, we'd hardly take this as Honda being in trouble. And even with the dip, Honda hasn't adjusted its forecast for the fiscal year, which remains at 780 billion yen ($7.9 billion).