Honda Prelude production confirmed, at least for Europe

Honda has confirmed that the Prelude name will be resurrected for a production car. The company announced that the upcoming sports coupe will be sold in Europe, but we’re still waiting to learn if it will come to the US. A concept finished in bright red will make its European debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed later this week.

This year marks a couple of significant anniversaries for Honda. For Americans and Europeans, it’s the 45th anniversary of the Prelude, which debuted in November 1978 as a 1979 model. The second occasion is the 25th anniversary of Honda’s first hybrid, the 1999 Insight. And as it happens, the now-confirmed sixth-gen Prelude will be powered by a hybrid drivetrain.

The Prelude concept was unveiled last year at the Japan Mobility Show (formerly Tokyo Motor Show), with the original concept painted in white. Honda has kept details pretty close to the vest, but it will likely have a version of the Civic Hybrid’s 2.0-liter inline-four mated to a hybrid electric motor. It’s only available with a CVT, but hopefully that will change when it comes to the Prelude.

Honda was one of the few companies that actually put the effort into offering stick-shift hybrids such as the Insight, CR-Z, and Civic Hybrid. Those electric motors offered assistance to the gasoline engines, unlike Toyota’s Prius system that could run on battery power alone up to certain speeds. Honda has since updated their hybrid system to behave more like Toyota’s, which prevents the manual from being an option. But Honda says it is committed to making the Prelude sporty, so perhaps that will change.

Honda is emphasizing that the new Prelude will be fun to drive. Chief engineer Tomoyuki Yamagami said, “Ensuring this model maintains its ‘sporty’ DNA by perfectly blending the efficiency and environmental advantages of electrified driving with an exhilarating experience behind the wheel.” The vagueness of the statement makes us think it could just be a Civic Hybrid wrapped in a sleeker body, but we hope we’re wrong.

Aside from the red coat of paint, the Prelude concept looks to be the same as the white concept seen in Japan and at the Los Angeles Auto Show, complete with the old school “Prelude” script logo on the tail. We’re big fans of the new Prelude and hope to learn more soon, including whether it will come to the US or not.

Additional Images:

Images courtesy of Honda UK.

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12 Responses to Honda Prelude production confirmed, at least for Europe

  1. Fashion victim says:

    the side profile looks odd. reminds me of a late 90s
    audi TT.

  2. Franxou says:

    Has the Prelude always been a coupé version of the Accord? Could this be a coupé based on the now bigger-than-ever Civic?
    Usually, coupés are a sleeker and lower version of a normal car. The Accord was a 4-doors and a 2-doors, and then the Prelude was a coupé made on the same base for I believe most of its life.
    I guess the later Accords, mid-90’s and newer, blurred the lines since the 2-doors had a roofline that was different from the 4-doors, so there was a sedan accord and coupé accord, and then the coupéier Prelude…
    For now it looks like the last 2-doors Civic, but I guess it could be more Accord sized? Or it truly is Civic-sized, and with the hybrid Civic’s underpinnings, it is becoming a coupé version of the Civic?
    Anyway, I am glad to see sporty and fun cars being announced, I hope that it finds its way here, and I really like the old school, curvy Prelude badge! I hope it gets a manual!

  3. Negishi no Keibajo says:

    Time for Toyota to step up the TRD offerings for the new Prius.

  4. BlitzPig says:

    Without a manual option this thing will be DOA. and it should have a normal many speed automatic instead of that soul sucking CVT. The last generation of Preludes were competent, fun to drive GT coupes, let’s hope this new version follows that legacy.

    • Yuyu says:

      Because we all know manual cars sell like crazy, right? Thank God you don’t run any car company, they would be out of business in less than a year

  5. daniel says:

    a generic front that could be a Xiaomi, a rear that could also be one and a side that is reminiscent of Nissan.

    I think the only thing that can differentiate it is the engine management, the gearbox and suspension that is superior to the rest. and a lot of room for improvement (I think the essence of the 90s and that its models became so popular) in addition to an affordable price. Could Honda meet those points? I doubt it.

  6. Alan says:

    It’s really quite excessively bland. And a hybrid. Perhaps better to let the name rest in glory than to resurrect it in mediocrity.

  7. Franxou says:

    I see a lot of harsh comments, but has anyone here actually drove the first Insight, the little CRX-esque manual hybrid two-seater? It was not fast, but it was light and fun!
    Being a hybrid will not kill the car. Being boring to drive absolutely will.
    Please give it a chance before dissing the car, it cannot be worse than no sporty car at all!

  8. BlitzPig says:

    Put the Type R driveline in it. So simple. So effective.

    Then you will have something.

  9. Land Ark says:

    It kinda looks like the last generation Civic coupe and a 350Z had a lovechild.

    I am all for coupes. I don’t care what it looks like or anything else. Just sell 2-door cars. And then we need to buy them!

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