1983 HONDA Prelude 2.0i 5MT FWD (137 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Honda introduced the Prelude’s second generation in 1983 as a sporty compact coupe improved in every aspect over its predecessor.

When Honda designed the Prelude, it made it as a commuter car for the week and a sporty coupe for the weekend. It was unusual to see a car that was both fuel-efficient and still perform well on a race-track. Still, the car managed to accomplish both tasks successfully.

With its pop-up headlights and very low hood, the Prelude showed an aerodynamic look despite its wedge-shaped bodywork. At the front, the chromed line that surrounded the front fascia crossed the headlights’ covers and continued onto the sides, around the corner-mounted turn signals. Its long doors sported body-colored door-handles, which was not so common for those times. The door-mirrors, on the other hand, were black. In 1986, the Prelude received a slight facelift.

Inside, the nimble coupe featured sport bucket-seats with high-bolstering to keep its occupants in place during high-speed cornering. Its angular-shaped dashboard featured an instrument panel that showed the speedometer and tachometer in large dials, the fuel and coolant-temperature gauges on top corners.

But the most important upgrade was from the technical side. The Prelude featured a double-wishbone front suspension with unequal arms that increased the car’s handling. Honda claimed that the car could withstand up to 0.83 g on a skidpad. Under the hood, depending on the market, the carmaker installed a wide range of engines ranged between 101 hp and 160 hp (JDM only). While most versions were paired exclusively with a five-speed manual, some were available with a four-speed automatic as well.