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Hood vents are the automotive equivalent of bright, scary colors on a tropical frog. They let you know you’re dealing with a serious bit of kit (or at times, a total clown). The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is the former, with a mighty vented hood that contrary to usual practice, is there for aerodynamic help in addition to the cooling benefits.
The aluminum vented hood forms an integral part of the front-end design of the Integra Type S. The aim is to reduce the amount of air flowing under the car. All that air needs somewhere to go, so the air entering the engine bay is instead directed up through the hood vent. This reduces the air pressure under the car, which helps keep the front end planted on the road.
It’s just one part of the broader front-end’s aerodynamic design choices. The front fascia itself, exclusive to the Type S, features a unique splitter and canards on each side to create an air curtain that guides the air around the front wheels.
While the focus is on aerodynamics, the vented hood still has serious cooling benefits to boot. It greatly aids airflow through the radiator, up by a full 170% compared to the stock Integra. The additional airflow is more than welcome to help cool the Type S’s turbocharged engine. With 320 horsepower, it makes a full 120 hp more than the base model, so there’s naturally more heat to deal with from the drivetrain.
Hood vents are a great solution for both cooling and aerodynamics. It’s for these reasons that you’ll often see Miata track rats punching holes in their hoods when their engines grow more powerful and their lap times start to drop. Bringing intake and coolant temps down is always a good thing, and avoiding a buildup of air pressure under the hood can have genuine handling benefits.
Acura has done a great job of neatly integrating the hood vent into the Type S design. It’s subtle and clean, and not immediately visible from most angles. However, when you spot it, you can now knowingly nod before you impress your car friends with an able explanation of the performance benefits.
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