Acura Integra Type S at Chevy Chase Cars (Photos)

The Acura Integra badge recalls a time when downtown Bethesda was on the right track, and a brighter future was ahead all around us. Integra was one of the iconic automobile shapes of the 1990s, alongside the Dodge Stealth and Viper, the Toyota Supra, the Subaru SVX, the Mazda RX-7, the Mitsubishi Eclipse, the Ford Probe, and big brother Acura NSX. With its distinctive round headlamps and wing spoiler, the Integra Type R was a stylish and relatively affordable sports car. Two 1990s Integras were immortalized on the silver screen in 2001's The Fast and the Furious.

Now the Integra is back, and Chevy Chase Cars at 7725 Wisconsin Avenue has a Type S on display. It's not quite as iconic in visual design, and it certainly isn't modestly priced. A fourth tailpipe would have been nice. It looks nothing like its 1990s predecessor, which seems like a wasted opportunity. But if your street racing days are over, and you are still pining for your mid-90s wheels, the exhaust note and European handling of the Integra Type S might add a nostalgic zip to your commute and errand runs. 

Get ready for sticker shock, as the $54,395 price is more than you would have paid for a Corvette in those days. You could get an entry level BMW under $30,000 back then. Remember the 90s, when they told you free trade would make cars cheaper? LOL. On a more positive note, this car was assembled right here in the USA, in Marysville, Ohio.

Acura Integra A-Spec on display at Chevy Chase Acura in Bethesda (Photos)

There's no "Living in the 90s" CD in the CD player. There isn't even a CD player. But one of the most 90s cars of the 90s has returned at Chevy Chase Acura at 7725 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. The 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec brings back an iconic name from the final decade of non-dystopian American history.

The display model is in Apex Blue Pearl, with Orchid interior. At an MSRP of $33,300, this Integra is sure to inspire mixed feelings in those who drove or coveted the original during the Bush 41 and Clinton administrations.

To state the obvious, the design bears virtually no resemblance to any iteration of the Integra's initial continuous run from 1986 to 2001. The front end...nope. The back end...not even close. As a 4-door hatchback, it does share its 5-door lineage with its 1987 Integra LS great-great grandparent. But Integra sedans weren't known for having hatchbacks during their more iconic years in the 90s.

Then again, the 90s Integra certainly didn't have Blind Spot Information with Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, Traffic Sign Recognition, Road Departure Mitigation or Collision Mitigation Braking. But for a nameplate whose sedan and GS-R coupe were considered the rich man's Honda Civic, or the poor man's Toyota Supra, respectively, the 2023 Integra design doesn't provide as much of that sense that you had gotten a steal for the relatively-reasonable 90s price paid. 

At least it isn't a crossover. And while there isn't much beyond the name to inspire nostalgia, the new Integra does provide a lot of high-tech bang for the buck. The 200 HP engine has more horsepower than any North American Integra ever did, and is only about a second slower 0-60 than the legendary Integra Type-R. Yet there's also plenty of room for your Trader Joe's haul. But in your post-90s Integra adventures, you won't find yourself behind Mike Tyson in the line to get out of the Apex Building parking garage.

Signs of demand for used cars in Bethesda

Auto dealerships in Montgomery County and across the world are facing supply shortages of both new and used cars due to the pandemic. Chevy Chase Acura at 7725 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda has been actively seeking pre-owned vehicles, which are worth a lot more than usual on the market right now.

Peace in our time at Chevy Chase Cars

Nearly every business is marketing one message or another about the tumultuous turn America has taken in the last week. Chevy Chase Cars is broadcasting a simple one on its electronic sign on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda: Peace.

Chevy Chase Cars Express Store opens at Montgomery Mall

Chevy Chase Cars has opened a new Express Store on Level 1 at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Similar to the Tesla Store at the mall, they have vehicles on display and touchscreens with information about them. Potential buyers can learn about vehicle features and the buying process at the store, and then order their car using the website from their home or office.

The set-up is similar to the
high-tech, high-end customer
experience found at the Tesla Store

Touchscreens show how you can configure your vehicle options and Protection Plans. There is a special Express Store price displayed for each car. You can choose to pay in full, or via lease or credit. It will also show an instant price for the trade-in value of your current vehicle. A "Personal Concierge" functions much like the chat feature dealerships and retail websites increasingly have online. You can even select to have your vehicle delivered to your home.

While Chevy Chase Cars' main dealership is located in downtown Bethesda, your future vehicle may actually be on-site at the mall. A decent size inventory of cars is currently parked outside near the former Sears Auto Center building, in addition to those on display inside the mall.

Touchscreen in showroom
allows buyer to learn about options,
protection plans, delivery method,
and to call on a virtual concierge

Chevy Chase Cars vehicles
parked outside the former
Sears Auto Center at the mall

Chevy Chase Acura to open showroom at Westfield Montgomery Mall

Chevy Chase Acura has displayed some of its latest models in the atrium areas of Westfield Montgomery Mall for a number of years. Now the downtown Bethesda dealership is moving into an actual storefront at the mall, creating an additional interaction point with potential buyers besides their 7725 Wisconsin Avenue location.

They will be opening a Tesla-style mall showroom in the space previously occupied by the Kia Stinger pop-up, yet another mall auto showroom. Other Acuras are parked in lots near the mall, as many dealerships in Montgomery County try to find places to store inventory as they are squeezed by redevelopment.

Chevy Chase Acura expanding in Bethesda

Chevy Chase Acura has expansion plans beyond the Pre-Owned Supercenter it is opening in the just-vacated Chevy Chase Nissan dealership next door. According to the dealership's president, John Bowis, they will soon also be expanding their display of new Acura vehicles. The Pre-Owned Supercenter will have more off-brand vehicles than they offered at Acura before. New customer amenities and more on-site Acura inventory will also be be added.

A major part of their expansion will be in the service department. Service will be accelerated by adding additional bays to get cars moving through the repair process more quickly. Their Body Repair and Paint Shop facilities will expanded. And they will offer full vehicle detailing and reconditioning shop, including ding and dent repairs.

Bowis says Chevy Chase Acura has doubled its sales over the last 5 years alone, and this increased business has led to the expansion of the dealership. More cars sold has also meant that many more Acura customers coming in for service, fueling that department's major expansion.

Chevy Chase Acura is located at 7725 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda.