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Honda stuns fans with new Prelude hybrid coupe
Honda’s fabled Prelude will be revived as a hybrid-electric sports coupe which embodies the “The joy of driving” and sets the tone for future electrified models.
The iconic sports car revival continues at the Japan Mobility Show 2023, as Honda has resurrected a title which has been out of service for over two decades: Prelude.
In a shock move, the Japanese powerhouse unveiled the spiritual successor to its legendary 90s coupe to emphasise that, despite the tumultuous times afoot for the automotive industry, it hasn’t forgotten about its commitment to create the finest sporty vehicles.
Although precious little has been revealed in terms of raw data or specification, we do know that the new Prelude will feature a hybrid powertrain — despite the initial clamour suggesting it could be a full EV. We’ll have to wait with bated breath to find out the nature of the car’s combustion engine, as well as how much electric assistance it will receive.
Image credit: Honda
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Speaking at the coupe’s grand reveal, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Director, President and Representative, Toshihiro Mibe, passionately stated, “The Prelude Concept is a specialty sports model that will offer an exhilarating experience that makes you want to keep going forever and extraordinary excitement you’ve never felt before.
In order to offer the “joy of driving” that only Honda can realise, we are diligently progressing with development, so please keep your expectations high for this model.”
Press shots of the car further indicate that Honda really are serious about the Prelude’s sporting intent. Those 20-inch black alloys appear to be wrapped in Continental’s high performance SportContact 6 rubber. While blue Brembo brake calipers are nestled beneath — so it shouldn’t be short on grip or stopping power.
Judging by the urgency and enthusiasm behind this spontaneous unveiling, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a production-ready variant available before Mazda’s new RX/MX vision comes to fruition.
Where do you think the new Prelude will sit in the market? Will it go head-to-head with the top-rung performance coupes like Porsche Cayman GT4 and BMW M4, or set its sights on more affordable, entry-level coupes, such as Toyota GR86?
Hero image credit: Honda