Honda’s latest Prelude was never designed to be a sports car, and its hybrid automatic-only powertrain shows it’s not about smashing lap records like the Civic Type R.
For Mugen, the Japanese Honda parts firm doesn’t think the Prelude needs to look boring though, and has previewed its upcoming cosmetic upgrades for the coupe.
“Aimed at users who value the essence of their car, such as styling and driving performance”, Mugen’s Prelude upgrades see the two-door car enhanced with a number of aerodynamic upgrades.
These include a carbon fibre front under spoiler, side skirts, rear under spoiler, and rear diffuser, all of which contrast against the white body of the Prelude pictured.
To complement the Prelude’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and ‘S+ Shift system’ – which can simulate gear changes as if it was using a traditional, multi-ratio automatic – Mugen also offers a sports exhaust system, claiming it delivers “a powerful, impressive sound and deep bass from low to high rpm”.
From the factory, the Prelude already has parts from the high-performance Civic Type R, such as wider front and rear tracks, Honda’s unique dual-axis front suspension design (the first appearance on a non-Type R model), as well as four-piston Brembo front brake calipers, painted in ‘Prelude Blue’.
Mugen isn’t the only company looking to enhance the Prelude, with Honda’s in-house HRC brand revealing a HRC Performance Parts concept at last week’s Tokyo Auto Salon.
Honda Australia has previously said the Prelude is coming here in 2026, though it’s yet to determine a price, with Japanese pricing indicating the Prelude could be more than $70,000.
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