Alongside its announcement that the Honda Prelude concept will make an appearance at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the company also confirmed that a production variant of the sleek two-door is headed for dealerships. Currently only slated for European and U.K. markets, the revived Prelude nameplate should show up on a vehicle very similar to the remarkably realistic-looking concept.
Although initially believed to be an EV, the Prelude concept is in fact a hybrid. The production version will follow suit, likely making use of the e:HEV powertrain available in the Civic. In overseas markets, the 2.0-liter engine and electric motor make a combined 181 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque, though the U.S.-market 2025 Civic Hybrid makes an even 200 hp. The Prelude’s powertrain specifics have yet to be confirmed, but if it’s indeed based on the Civic platform as suspected, the 200-horse tune of the hybrid powerplant seems likely.
Those Civic bones could also spawn a Prelude Si variant, with 200 hp and 192 lb-ft courtesy of a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder. That sounds like a downgrade relative to the hybrid until you remember the sweet-shifting six-speed manual that shows up in the Si to replace an electric continuously variable transmission on Honda’s hybrid models. Honda could also detune the 2.0-liter turbo found in the Civic Type R – 230 hp would make for one sweet sporty coupe – or it could go for the full red-badge treatment with a 315-hp Prelude Type R.
We’ve reached out to Honda representatives about the Prelude’s potential in American dealers. It’s not unprecedented for the automaker to offer products in Europe that it doesn’t offer here, such as the fourth-generation Fit and the adorably retro E electric car. So until Honda confirms market availability for the U.S., all we have are dreams. Hopefully they’ll become reality sooner than later.
