MINICARS: The second color of the Hot Wheels Prelude is a tribute to Electron Blue Pearl

One of the most anticipated Hot Wheels castings of this year has been the fifth-generation Honda Prelude. We showed you the prototype last October, and Hot Wheels’ design team has revealed the first color, silver. Now, they’ve given us some exclusive photos of the second color, and it’s a tribute to one of the most memorable Honda colors of the 90s.

Electron Blue Pearl first appeared as an exclusive color on the beloved 1999-2000 EM1 Honda Civic Si. It quickly became the most desirable paint on the model, its dazzling blue and purplish-pearl tinge fitting in perfectly with the tuner age’s bright colors. It soon made its way to other models, such as the 2000-01 CR-V, models that it was never offered on from the factory (thanks to customizers) and, of course, the BB6 Prelude.

Hot Wheels did make an EM1 Honda Civic Si back in the day, but it never wore EBP, as the fans call it. The casting was adorned with a Wings West body kit and other accoutrements of the day, so it never made complete sense to use this factory color on it without a bunch of other wild graphics.

The Prelude casting, a super-faithful interpretation of the real car from designer extraordinaire and Honda-head Ryu Asada, is the perfect candidate for Electron Blue. Plus, now that we have detailed photos of the car with paint, we can see just how much detail Ryu put into the casting.

The domestic-spec model is right-hand-drive, and appropriately, it has a Japanese license plate. Naturally, the plate hails from Osaka, Asada’s hometown, and the number belongs to a Prelude that his parents once owned there. There’s great detail in the taillights, and even has the raised Honda “H” that is typical of Ryu’s designs. It even features the “PRELUDE” lettering across the rear bumper, a detail often omitted on real Preludes that have seen rear end damage.

Naturally, it includes a large sunroof that serves as a nod to Honda history. The original 1978 Prelude was the first car in Japan to feature an electric sunroof, and it has been a de rigueur feature of Preludes ever since.

Though the first color had a silver with red interior, this one sticks with the more proper black. The casting is fantastic, and we think it will certainly be one of the most desirable castings of this year.

Photos courtesy of Hot Wheels Dream Team

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6 Responses to MINICARS: The second color of the Hot Wheels Prelude is a tribute to Electron Blue Pearl

  1. Thomas Sides says:

    Can’t wait to fight to find this awesome HotWheell in stores. I still drive my 2001 Prelude every day. Only 144k miles and going strong.

  2. Ant says:

    Oof, that’s really nicely done. Always been fond of this generation Prelude.

  3. Glenn Spielman says:

    I thought 1984 was the first year that honda sold the prelude car because i have the duel carburetor car. Whats up with this 1978 prelude car?

  4. Daniel says:

    I owned one of these and it wouldn’t be understating it to say this car is the reason I’m an enthusiast now.

  5. Max says:

    I’ve owned a blue and a silver Prelude of this generation, I have to get them both!

    I wonder if they will ever do the 92 – 96 Prelude.

  6. Greg says:

    Its great that Hotwheels made a casting of this otherwise rare model in diecast form. Now I’m hoping they do a late ’80s Accord sedan or hatchback coupe with the pop up headlights.

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