Honda’s legendary car, Prelude
, recently registered a trademark in the U.S.
Is it making a comeback after 20 years?
If you’re a car enthusiast, you’ve probably heard the term ‘JDM‘ quite a lot. Especially after the JDM cars like Supra and Skyline made appearances in the Fast and Furious series, they gained global popularity. The Honda Prelude was one of the JDMs that dominated the 80s and 90s.
Recently, news broke that Honda has registered the Prelude trademark in the U.S. The possibility of a resurrection of the car, discontinued for over 20 years, has become a hot topic in the U.S.
The 2-door coupe Prelude that dominated the 80s and 90s
Honda, which made Civic and Accord successful in the U.S., began development with the goal of making their coupe model a success in the U.S. too, and launched it in 1978 under the name Prelude. After its release, over 310,000 units were sold, of which a whopping 80% were exported. Honda, which made Prelude a success, launched the second-generation model in 1982 with improved design and specifications.
The third-generation model was launched in 1987, and it became a hot topic as it was equipped with a four-wheel steering system, which was a focus of Japanese brands at that time. Unlike now, it was mechanically implemented so that the rear wheels turn according to the steering wheel angle. It also won the Japanese Car of the Year award the same year it was launched. The fourth-generation model, launched in 1991, became sleeker with a streamlined design and the four-wheel steering system was changed from mechanical to electronic.
The fifth-generation model, launched in 1996, was equipped with an electronic limited-slip differential, improving driving performance. Despite its advanced technology that led the era, and even being used as the Japanese F1 Grand Prix safety car, it was discontinued in 2001, giving way to the Accord Coupe.
Honda registers
Prelude trademark in the U.S.
According to the famous American automotive media outlet Motor Trend, Honda registered the Prelude trademark in the U.S. on August 15. It’s registered for cars and car parts.
The registration of the trademark suggests that Honda is considering re-releasing the Prelude. However, registering a trademark does not necessarily mean that it will be launched 100%. Car development can be suspended or canceled at any time depending on the situation.
An electric coupe currently under development
Possibility of naming it Prelude
In April, Honda announced through its EV roadmap that it will launch 30 types of electric vehicles by 2030. Among them, there are two coupes, one is a flagship model and the other is a specialty model. For reference, in Japan, a specialty car refers to stylish coupes like the Toyota Celica or Mazda MX-6.
The flagship model is almost certain to be the successor to the NSX, and industry insiders predict that the remaining specialty model will bear the name Prelude. The electric coupe that Honda is currently developing is scheduled to be launched in 2028.
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