Acura Integra thefts promote Civic unrest

An interesting report from AP today says that the Acura Integra was the second most stolen car in the United States last year--and the fourth , fifth, seventh, eighth, and ninth most stolen. That's right, six different Integras ranging from the 1995 model to the 2001 model made the top 10 most popular targets among car thieves, according to CCC Information Group, an industry organization based in Chicago. So why are the Integras so popular? The answer, says an LAPD spokesperson, is that enterprising boy racers steal Integras for their powerful double-overhead cam engines, which they remove and drop into mechanically compatible Honda Civics for use in illegal street racing.

According to AP, Acura realized the theft problem (after more than 10 years, I should hope so) and built extra security into the RSX, which replaced the Integra in 2002. It looks like Honda may have taken notice as well. Based on our time in the 2006 Civic Si, there are no Acura parts required to turn it into a hot rod: just add driver.

Source: Associated Press