Honda Prelude Concept Debuts at 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Celebrating 25 Years of Hybrid Excellence
Honda is set to celebrate a quarter-century of hybrid performance with the European debut of the Prelude Concept at the prestigious 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed from July 11-14. This iconic nameplate promises to deliver the ultimate “joy of driving” by perfectly balancing driving dynamics with fuel efficiency.
The hybrid electric Prelude will join Honda’s fully electrified mainstream line-up for Europe, underscoring the brand’s commitment to a sustainable driving future. Unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show last year, the Prelude Concept is poised to offer exhilarating driving pleasure combined with outstanding efficiency, embodying Honda’s long-term dedication to electrification in a sleek and dynamic package.
The original Prelude made its European debut 45 years ago, showcasing Honda’s cutting-edge technology across five generations until 2001. The new model is set to honor this legacy, blending style and sophistication with a hybrid powertrain to bring back the renowned nameplate with a modern twist.
The name “Prelude” signifies an introductory piece of music, positioning the car as a precursor to future models that will further demonstrate Honda’s commitment to sports performance. This vehicle represents Honda’s promise to deliver the “joy of driving” to customers across Europe.
Tomoyuki Yamagami, Chief Engineer and Large Project Leader at Honda Motor, remarked, “The new Prelude marks the latest chapter in our evolving hybrid story. It’s the product of 25 years of pioneering hybrid research and development. This model maintains its ‘sporty’ DNA, seamlessly blending the efficiency and environmental benefits of electrified driving with an exhilarating driving experience – offering users increased driving pleasure in their daily lives.”
Yamagami added, “The Prelude underscores the ongoing importance of hybrid powertrains within Honda’s electrification strategy, moving us closer to our goal of having 100% of new vehicle sales be battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell by 2040.”
Celebrating 25 Years of Hybrid Performance
This year, Honda celebrates 25 years of pioneering hybrid technology, beginning with the revolutionary Insight coupe, Europe’s first mass-produced hybrid model introduced in 1999. Since then, Honda has led the way in developing petrol-electric powertrains, helping drivers transition smoothly and cost-effectively to an electrified future.
Following the Insight, Honda launched the Civic IMA in 2003, pairing a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a 1.3-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine and a 20-horsepower electric motor to enhance fuel efficiency. In 2010, the CR-Z was introduced, combining Honda’s unique IMA parallel hybrid system with a 1.5-liter petrol engine and manual transmission, offering a balance between engaging driving dynamics and fuel economy.
In 2011, the Jazz Hybrid continued to provide practicality with its “Magic Seats” and 300 liters of boot space, thanks to the compact Honda IMA hybrid system. Five years later, the NSX introduced the most technologically advanced all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain to the supercar segment.
Today, Honda’s mainstream automobile range is fully electrified, with models like the Jazz, Civic, HR-V, ZR-V, and CR-V featuring e
powertrains as standard. These advanced powertrains seamlessly transition between EV, hybrid, and engine drive modes without driver input, combining exceptional ease-of-use with a rewarding driving experience and highly competitive efficiency and emissions.
As Honda marks this milestone anniversary, the Prelude Concept’s debut at Goodwood represents a significant step forward in the brand’s journey towards a fully electrified future.
