Automotive enthusiasts are never satisfied. If Mazda launches a new Miata, people ask where the Mazdaspeed version with more power is. If Toyota updates the GR86, people clamor for a turbocharged variant. And now that Honda has revived the Prelude, people are asking about a Type R variant. Well, according to Japanese outlet Best Car, Honda is already working on not only a 1.5-liter turbo Type S with 182 horsepower for a debut in 2026, but also "considering" a Type R variant with the Civic Type R's 315-horsepower 2.0-liter engine. As enticing as those might be, is there any truth to this report? Let's consider the facts.
Could a Prelude Type R Really Happen? Probably Not
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Unfortunately, Best Car has been known to spin a yarn every now and then, and although some of its reports have proven to be accurate, this one just doesn't add up. A little more than a month ago, Prelude development manager Tomoyuki Yamagami spoke with Australian media and said that equipping the car with the Type R's powertrain simply wouldn't suit its demeanor, saying, "it has a different direction from the existing Type R." Simply put, a Type R is hardcore, and a Prelude isn't. The fact that the new Prelude isn't available with a manual transmission is proof thereof, and given the exorbitant markups that some are charging for the existing coupe, we shudder to think what a Prelude Type R might cost, especially since making it work with the Civic Type R's engine is a much more complicated (read: expensive) process than simply transplanting an engine and gearbox. But don't fret too much - more performance may yet be on the way, albeit in a warmed-up Prelude rather than a hot one.
A Prelude Type S Could Happen
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Only available in Japan, the fifth-generation Prelude was available in Type S and SiR.S Spec forms, and Yamagami-san suggested that the variant could return with its handling and performance upgrades, hinting that it's certainly possible. Presumably, this time around, it wouldn't be a JDM exclusive, but it's too early in the Prelude's lifecycle to be sure. In a nutshell, a Type S seems like something Honda has considered, while a Type R would be too costly to be feasible. That said, if Honda were working on a Type R, it wouldn't publicize the fact unnecessarily early. Who knows? Maybe those sources in Japan are real. Time will tell. In the meantime, a render from X-Tomi Design will have to do.
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