Honda Prelude Concept Returns With Fresh Paint, Tantalizing New Details

As Honda somewhat quietly prepares the return of the historic Prelude nameplate, expected to arrive as a hybrid coupe, we’ve had a closer look at the stylish concept car in a new shade of paint. Shown at the Long Beach Grand Prix amidst the automaker’s recently introduced and forthcoming products, this low-slung two-door compact gives us a better idea of what to expect from the upcoming model.

The new shade of red paint appears to be close to the Rallye Red paint that’s available on the sporty Honda Civic Si and the hardcore Civic Type R hatchback, signaling the coupe’s athletic intentions.

Under the bright lights of the Long Beach Convention Center, the Prelude’s new carbon fiber accents pop in contrast with the paint. The front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser, side mirrors, roof, and spoiler all appear to be made from the lightweight material. While it’s unlikely that a production version of the Prelude will make use of carbon fiber, its application here accentuates the coupe’s racier components.

We’ve noted other similarities between this red Prelude and the white-painted concept we photographed at the LA Auto Show. Both models appear to roll on black 20-inch wheels. Vertical blue stripes on the front to rear bumpers seem to signal the Prelude’s status as a hybrid vehicle. Neither seems to have a fully fabricated interior prepped yet.

Beyond red paint, there’s one other major point of differentiation between this Prelude at the Long Beach Grand Prix and the one at the LA Auto Show. Whereas the debut version sports blue brake calipers to match its front and rear stripes, this newer concept swaps in red stoppers to pair with its body color. Both models have white Prelude branding on the Brembo-sourced calipers, however.

While we don’t have any more details about the Honda Prelude’s powertrain, we’re expecting it to use a version of the Civic Hybrid’s setup, adapted from the midsize Accord sedan. Anticipate something in the ballpark of 181 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque. We suspect Honda will debut the production version of the Prelude at the end of 2024, but this version makes us wonder if we can’t expect something with a little more power. It should be exciting.