Honda found its sports car stride with the second generation Prelude. Honda’s first attempt was peppy and nimble, but it looked more like a Civic/Accord coupe then its own sports car. Then in 1983, the Prelude received a semi-distinctive design that seemed to borrow the most popular design elements from other countries.
Honda took the slab siding and pop-up headlights of the Americans, and combined it with the overall clean sleekness of the Europeans (someone in the office even suggested the Prelude resembles a shrunken BMW 6-Series of the same era.) Best of all, this was supported by Honda quality, which is an instant recipe for success in the 80s.
The original engine was a 1.8-liter unit that made 100 hp. That didn’t exactly help the front-wheel drive car become a champ at the dragstrip, but it was respectable enough for the era. By the time the second generation bowed in 1987 there was a 110-hp 2.0-liter Si option. Better yet was that under the low, sleek body was a new suspension setup that made this car come alive in the corners.
As Nissan’s 300ZX spent the 80s getting portly, the Prelude quietly stepped up to claim cheap/light Japanese sports car throne. The 1983-87 Prelude set a new tone at Honda that took the company from reliable to outright fun. Eventually the Prelude also beefed up and outgrew its pedigree, but that wasn’t until the 90s.
Today the second generation Honda Prelude is a car that can be picked up for pocket change and maintained for even less. It is the kind of car that never draws enough attention to make owners nervous to park anywhere. This Prelude is the evergreen classic for everyone.
