The Japan Mobility Show has once again astonished us with one of its many sports car concepts. When Honda revealed it would be displaying something sporty in Tokyo, we immediately thought of the NSX and S2000. Honda’s public relations team in the United States later confirmed that the Prelude in question is powered by a hybrid-electric powertrain. A Honda spokeswoman stated that no other information was available other than “that the powertrain is HEV rather than BEV.”
The design of this reinvented Honda Prelude is a departure from the model line. Whereas previous Prelude models resembled rear-drive coupes with long noses, rear-set cabins, and low trunks, this one resembles the recently departed Civic Coupe or even the Accord Coupe.
We wish we had more information about the Prelude Concept’s underpinnings, but we know it will have a hybrid-electric powertrain. Based on the body proportions, we’re also ready to wager that the car will be front-wheel drive. That would not only be true to the model name, but it would also fit into Honda’s performance front-wheel-drive wheelhouse.
“The term ‘prelude’ refers to an introductory or preceding performance,” explained Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe at the vehicle’s press presentation. “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.”
