Honda has done something nobody expected: it built a two-door, manual-transmission Integra with a removable targa top, but only as a concept for China, unveiled at the 2025 Guangzhou auto show. Wild, nostalgic, and a little confusing, the car is essentially a Civic hatchback reimagined as a modern-day Del Sol, except it won’t see production and almost definitely won’t leave China.
A Civic Hatch Turned Into A Targa: The GAC-Honda Special
For context, the “Integra” sold in China is not the Acura-branded Integra sold in the U.S. Instead, GAC-Honda (Honda’s Chinese joint venture with GAC Group) markets the Civic sedan and hatchback under the Integra name. This particular show car started life as a standard Civic hatch.
Then the team went wild.
They removed the rear doors, chopped off a huge section of the roof, reinforced the structure (presumably), and turned it into a two-door open-air targa coupe with a removable panel. The result looks like a spiritual successor to the 1990s Honda Del Sol, but with sharper modern lines.
It even keeps the rear seats, which is a hilarious bonus considering almost no targa-top cars bother with them.
Manual Gearbox & Turbo Power Keep The Honda Spirit Alive
Under the hood sits Honda’s familiar 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, paired with a manual transmission, visible in multiple event photos. The only other powertrain offered for this China-market Integra is a hybrid, so the manual-equipped turbo is the enthusiast-friendly choice.
Interior modifications are minimal aside from red accents on the dash and doors. Outside, the red mirrors and white wheels give it a tuner-show vibe straight out of Tokyo Auto Salon or SEMA.
Not A Production Car — And Definitely Not For The U.S. Or GCC
Honda hasn’t issued any specs or plans because, frankly, there aren’t any. This concept appears to be a one-off design experiment meant to generate excitement at the Guangzhou show. There’s no engineering program behind it, no production intent, and no export plans.
Honda is highly unlikely to build a two-door Integra for any market, let alone a targa-top version. This is purely a design stunt.
Still, the project proves two things:
- Honda designers miss fun cars as much as we do.
- The Del Sol deserves a comeback.
Middle East Market Angle: This Integra Won’t Arrive, But The Idea Matters
The GCC market has a strong following for sporty Hondas, Civics, Type Rs, and tuner culture in general. This concept likely won’t come to the UAE or any other Middle Eastern country, but it highlights a direction fans in the region would appreciate: compact performance cars with character.
If Honda ever brought back a proper two-door sports model (Del Sol revival, CR-Z successor, small RWD coupe, etc.), prices in the UAE would likely fall in the AED 95,000 – AED 135,000 range depending on specification. But again, this Integra isn’t on that path.
A Fun Oddity & A Hint Of What Could Be
Honda’s two-door Integra Targa won’t enter production, won’t hit U.S. shores, and won’t reach the GCC, and that’s a shame. It’s bold, playful, and nostalgic in a way Honda hasn’t been for years.
If anything, it reminds the world that Honda can still build fun, quirky cars when it wants to. Now someone just needs to convince them to bring the Del Sol, or something like it, back for real.
