Yes, we’re crafting a post focused on the choice of its manufacturer to display the thing in a different color. But, given the nameplate history, there’s good reason for doing so.
As found on Reddit, the crew at Honda decided to bring its Prelude concept car to the racing soirée in Long Beach this past weekend, a choice notable not just thanks to the buzz surrounding the potential return of a storied nameplate but because they chose to slather the thing in a coat of tremendous red paint. The last time we saw this concept, it was presented in Refrigerator White, a fine choice to weather the passage of time and cyclical style but not exactly the shade which sends enthusiast hearts into atrial fibrillation.
Showing the concept in Retail Red it gives it a much sportier look and arguably compliments the car’s shape to a far better degree, at least to our jaundiced eyes. It also gives us a great excuse to dig through Honda archives for numerous photos of red Prelude coupes, a task we enjoyed since this particular trip down memory lane is littered with horsepower and fond recollections.
As for the Prelude concept itself, precisely no new information was given about what Honda may or may not have up its engineering sleeve, though it’s fair to say rumours of this being an all-electric notion have been put to bed. At this stage, those in the know are firmly pointing towards some sort of hybrid powertrain, which is a less offensive use of the historic Prelude name. It’s interesting how something simple as a paint shade can influence the court of public opinion; bright white is often associated with sterile EVs, for example, which could explain the confusion about the Prelude’s supposed powertrain when the concept was first shown.
Nevertheless, we welcome any chance at all of a fresh and sporty two-door coupe to land in a market awash with milquetoast crossovers. In our minds, and the minds of many others, this thing is already being lined up next to a Toyota GR 86.
[Images: Honda]
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