Honda Kept This 1983 Prelude for Over 40 Years—and It Has Under 400 Miles

With its hybrid powertrain and no manual gearbox, the all-new Honda Prelude isn’t exactly what fans of the coupe were hoping for, but it has still thrust the Prelude nameplate back into the spotlight. Driving all five previous generations of the Prelude reminds one of simpler times, and how fun these cars still are today. This brings us to an incredibly special 1983 Prelude, a second-generation model that belongs to Honda. Amazingly, this Prelude has never been sold and has covered under 400 miles. Ready to take a trip down memory lane? 

Pop-Up Headlights, Manual Gearbox, and Unassisted Steering

The folks at TFLclassics were lucky enough to get their hands on this piece of 1980s nostalgia. Finished in red and with black wheels, the wedge-like second-gen Prelude still looks good today, and those pop-up headlights will never get old. This particular example was manufactured in July 1982, making it one of the earlier second-gen models ever produced.

This one has a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with dual carburetors. It produces just 100 horsepower and 109 lb-ft of torque in the U.S. specification, but since the car weighs less than a modern Miata, it’s not as slow as the figures suggest. The reviewer had high praise for the five-speed manual gearbox, which he described as very precise despite the longer throw. Heavy yet communicative steering is another trait of many cars from this era, in contrast to newer, electric power steering systems that are more effortless but not as talkative.

The simplistic interior features clear gauges and controls that take a few seconds to figure out. There’s a lot of plastic, yet the second-gen Prelude doesn’t feel cheap, even over 40 years since this model rolled off the production line.

Americans Loved The Second-Gen Prelude

Honda sold 336,599 second-gen Preludes in the United States, making it by far the most popular generation of the car sold here. Later models were quicker and more advanced, but didn’t sell nearly as strongly. Here’s a look at U.S. sales of every Prelude generation.

The new Prelude hybrid is unlikely to sell as strongly as any previous Prelude in the United States, simply because two-door coupes have largely fallen out of favor here. 

These days, neat second-gen Preludes are hard to find. Only five of them were sold on Bring A Trailer over the last year, with the most expensive one going for $16,500—and that was for a desirable JDM-spec Si model from 1987.

Related: Oh No — Honda Prelude Isn’t As Quick As Expected

New Prelude Deserves A Chance

While it’s easy to dismiss modern interpretations of enthusiast favorites as “not as good as the old ones”, the modern Prelude deserves to be judged on its own merits. Times change, and the Prelude brings with it modern safety standards, a sleek design, and way more tech than any predecessor.

Yes, there’s no manual, but Honda has at least tried to combine modern efficiency with old-school engagement via its S+ Shift system and its simulated gearshifts. There was also a chorus of dissent when Acura launched the modern Integra with its extra pair of doors, but this criticism does the car itself a disservice.

We can appreciate these sporty Japanese compacts from years gone by and, at the same time, also embrace their capable, but different, successors.