Honda’s newest ad spot appears to confirm that the Prelude is coming to the U.S. as the brand prepares to enhance the global profile of its vehicle lineup as the brand prepares to accelerate its move into electrified vehicles
When Honda unveiled the Prelude concept car, the Japanese auto giant made it clear that the concept would enter production but it was not known if the U.S. market would join global markets in getting a production prelude which is partially due to our market’s strong demand for SUV and CUV models which have decimated the sales of traditional cars in the process. Honda also didn’t help the situation by not issuing any direct clarification on whether it would be bound for the U.S.
However, a new ad that the company released appears to indirectly confirm that the Prelude might be coming to the U.S. which would be the closest thing to a potential clarification that the company has issued yet on the matter while also expanding its green vehicle lineup to adapt to changing market conditions and consumer demand.
Unstoppable Dreams
Honda’s new ad starts on a negative note with the firm acknowledging dark moments in its history including several notable racing accidents and even one of its VTOL aircraft stuttering on takeoff with narrator John Cena further painting the somber mood. As the ad proceeds though, the tone shifts and the company proudly highlights iconic moments while also providing figurative conclusions to some of the clips it presented.
While Honda’s trip down memory lane would normally not garner too much attention on its own, the appearance of the Prelude in the spot does appear to suggest that Honda is considering it as a global offering. The Prelude was last seen in production in the 1990s and was supposed to be a sporty coupe with the model being powered by a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine that sent power to the front wheels. It’s not known if the new Prelude will follow the same core script, but it’s known that the concept will be a hybrid model versus a pure EV.
More Honda Stories
- First Drive: 2024 Honda Prologue — A Partnership Pays Off
- Honda Surprises with Prelude Appearance at LA Auto Show
- Honda Confirms Acura EV Will be Built at New EV Hub
What’s next for Honda?
The appearance of the advertisement indicates that an announcement about the Prelude might be imminent. It has been a while since we saw the original concept and Honda has had plenty of time to fine-tune the details to make the production version ready for mass consumption. If the Prelude does come to the U.S. it will have a tall order on its plate with the model expected to still get good sales numbers even as the bulk of new vehicle buyers still gravitate towards utility vehicles.
In the meantime, Honda is focusing its attention on other projects including its upcoming “0” Series of EV vehicles which will be built on an all-new EV platform that will be built entirely in-house by Honda with the lineup of these vehicles eventually growing to cover a wide range of consumer segments and tastes. The lineup will also have to account for rapidly changing market conditions with the broader slowdown in EV demand forcing many other automakers to rethink their approach to electrification.
0 Comments