Just got back from the Philly autoshow the other day. They had on display an anthracite M Coupe (black/red interior) and I noted the HP and torque figures. 315 hp at 7400 rpm (everyone's heard that number by now...I believe 7400 is the correct rpm, maybe it was a little higher). But more telling for real world driving, at least for how I drive most of the time, is the torque figure...256 lbs-ft peaking at 4900 rpm. So that's only 13lbs-ft more, and 1100 rpm further up the scale. So my guess is, unless you're at the autocross or are just really putting it through it's paces, perhaps you're not going to feel that much of a difference. The redline is, I believe, about 8000 rpm so you'll be able to pull each gear considerably longer, which might be a real advantage at a competition event. But as I short shift it most of the time anyway, I'm thinking I would prefer the relative simplicity of the current M motor (and relatively lower cost). I had an Integra GSR once, and I found that I didn't really like spending a whole lot of time in the V-Tec range (6000-8000). Frenetic, noisey, (though a nice sort of noise), and you kind of felt like you were thrashing it. Problem with that car is it was pretty much a Civic below 6000. If you wanted to pass a 62 Plymouth station wagon you had to press the V-Tec button. Maybe the new M motor will in fact be the best of all worlds--maybe you can short shift it or, as the situation calls for it, rap it out. The magazines will probably say it's night and day. Interesting that they didn't fit any wider a rear tire to it. It's gonna spin like a top! Like the rest of you, I'll be watching with interest.
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