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<\/p>\nHonda surprised everyone at this LA Auto Show by showing up with the thinly veiled Prelude hybrid concept for the first time in the United States. And although nothing about the car\u2019s changed since it showed up at the Japan Mobility Show, a chat with a PR representative\u2014 coupled with social media reactions to posts of the Prelude\u2014shows that these nostalgic names really, really resonate with the public. They resonate so much, that it\u2019s only a matter of time before Honda officially confirms the Prelude for production. Does Honda have more old-school names in store for us as it beefs up its hybrids and electric vehicles? One can only hope.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, we\u2019re just figuring out what markets the (Prelude) could be sold in, and where it could be made,\u201d said Honda spokesperson Chris Martin. \u201cSince the Civic Coupe\u2019s discontinuation, we see the Prelude filling a lot of segments in many places.”<\/p>\n
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That\u2019s very interesting to say, even though I\u2019ll admit that maybe I\u2019ve been a little cynical about the new Prelude Concept. As pretty as it is, it to me, feels like a refreshed version of the old Civic Coupe. It’s not a bad thing, but the Civic Coupe died in part because of low sales. And yet, a pleasant restyling and familiar name has renewed interest in a once-unpopular body style. Why? Is it nostalgia? It could be, according to Martin.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople ask us all the time if we\u2019re going to bring back some of these nameplates; Element, Integra, Prelude\u2026.and they\u2019re strong nameplates, so why not?\u201d Acura did it with the transition from ILX to \u201cIntegra,\u201d and it\u2019s become one of Acura\u2019s strongest-selling models, he said. No one liked the ILX, but everyone loves the Integra, even if there’s not a ton of daylight between the two; both were powered-up nice versions of the Honda Civic.<\/p>\n
Likewise, the Civic Coupe may have flopped, but given the strong reception to the Prelude, maybe we could see a return of the sporty compact coupe. Adding hybrid power this time around will cut emissions too, which many buyers want, even if it means it won’t be the sportiest car in the Honda lineup.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this time, we don\u2019t have any coupes in our U.S. lineup, as Civic buyers trended more toward the hatch version, and that could create some white space for Prelude in the future if we see enough demand for this sporty coupe here,\u201d Martin later said in an email.<\/p>\n
Will we see other nameplates return? It\u2019s not clear quite yet, but I think a boxy EV crossover where you can hose out the floor could be a fun use of the name Element.\u00a0One thing\u2019s for sure though\u2014it sounds like Honda truly does see the return of the Prelude in our future.<\/p>\n