New Honda Prelude could feature 'manual' gearbox
New Prelude will be based on the Civic, serving as a halo for Honda's electrified technologies
Revived coupe is spotted testing in Germany ahead of 2026 launch
The new Honda Prelude has been spied testing in public for the first time – while the car’s project leader has refused to rule out that the hybrid sports coupe could be offered with a manual-style transmission.
The Japanese firm will revive the long-running model after a gap of more than 20 years with a new version due to go on sale in 2026. The new model will be based on the Civic and is set to serve as a halo product for Honda’s electrified technologies, using an as-yet unconfirmed two-litre hybrid powertrain.
Already revealed as a show car, the new spy shots show the Prelude testing in the German countryside. Although the machine is covered in a camouflage wrap, it is clear that the styling of the show car will be carried over to production.
While Honda has been coy on technical details for the new Prelude, there have been reports in the Japanese and Australian media that in order to meet the car’s sporty brief Honda is planning to fit a manual gearbox – or at least a system that replicates a manual.
Tomoyuki Yamagami, the Prelude’s project lead, refused to disclose technical details about the car, but said that “the joy of driving is a top priority for us", adding that "when you're in charge of developing the Prelude, you understand everyone has a lot of expectations of a coupe."
Asked by Autocar about the manual gearbox reports, Yamagami said: “It’s very hard to answer that. Let me say that I own three cars, and two of them have a manual transmission: one is an Accord Type R, the other a [Porsche 911] 997 because I'm a big fan of manuals.
“I really love manual vehicles, and I can only say that it would be something I’d like [for the Prelude]. With a manual transmission it would be a very fun vehicle to be with.”
Honda has previously offered a manual gearbox on the Civic and Insight hybrids, but it would be complex to install on Honda’s current e-HEV hybrid system. Instead of featuring a combustion engine that drives the wheels and is assisted by a small electric motor, Honda’s system combines the battery and motor into the primary drive system, with the combustion engine acting as a generator to charge the battery.
That means that in delivering power to the wheels the system acts like an electric powertrain, removing the need for traditional gearing. Because of that, it’s likely that any manual-style gearbox system offered on the Prelude would potentially be a simulated version, similar to that offered on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.