Honda revives Prelude coupe

HONDA whet the appetite of Prelude fans at Japan Mobility Show (Tokyo Motor Show) last year, teasing the idea of a return for the ‘poor man’s NSX’, showing a concept car that garnered plenty of attention.

The Japanese manufacturer has now confirmed production of the new Prelude for European markets, alongside another public appearance at Goodwood Festival of Speed, but remained tight-lipped on details.

Twenty-plus years after production ceased, the Prelude looks set to take on sporty coupes like the GR86, MX-5 and even the Ford Mustang, but without knowing how much Honda plans on charging customers it may push into a more premium bracket.

The iconic model burst onto the scene in the late 70’s, gaining a strong following for its impressive power-to-weight ratio, nimble handling and sports car styling - made consistently better with each model generation.

At its peak, which was undoubtedly the 90s with the fourth-gen model, the Prelude had a cult following. It was a shower, a goer, and didn’t break the bank. Young adults of the early 2000s jumped at used examples of the affordable daily-driver-come-sports-car, especially after it featured in 2 Fast 2 Furious, but by that point production had ceased.

Details of the new model are scant, but it's unlikely to offer the high-RPM VTEC thrills or boy-racer charm of its predecessors, with Honda confirming a hybrid powertrain that will probably use a CVT - if the brand’s current hybrid powertrains are anything to go by.

Whether it will feature the same hybrid setup as the Civic, which uses a CVT and maxes out at around 150kW, is unknown. However, Honda did confirm that the new Prelude will bring the “joy of driving” to European customers, hinting at a continuation of the legacy model’s sporting DNA.

“Honda has always been committed to creating sporty vehicles,” Honda president Toshihiro Mibe said.

“And the word ‘prelude’ means an “introductory or preceding performance.” This model will become the prelude for our future models, which will inherit the ‘joy of driving’ into the full-fledged electrified future and embody Honda’s unalterable sports mindset.”

No launch date was given for Europe, nor was pricing shared, but confirmation of the new Prelude is a positive sign of Honda’s return to its roots as a producer of cars that balance economy and performance.

Australia did not receive the stunning Integra Type S when it was reborn as it was a US-only model that didn’t make its way to Europe either. The Prelude seems far more likely to wind up on Australian roads, but at this stage we can only hope.