- Dec 18, 2024
- 17
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For fans of the Japanese brand the moniker speaks volumes, as it was slapped on a sports car that was produced for five generations between 1978 and 2001. Its return, backed the advancements made in recent years in powertrain technology, is meant to both please fans of the model, and draw in new customers.
The reinvented Prelude was previewed by Honda ever since the end of 2023, when a concept called just that was presented at the Tokyo Auto Show. Last week, we got official confirmation that the model will turn into a production version as soon as the end of next year.
Whereas the looks of the production Prelude is expected to be about the same as the one seen on the concept, as clearly revealed in spyshots of the test car captured in Germany, the powertrain of what is now described as a sports coupe is a brand new affair entirely.
We know for a fact that the car will use an evolution of the so-called e:HEV system, which is already in use on a number of Honda vehicles. By definition, this tech pairs a naturally aspirated engine with a two-motor system, and alternates between the motors and the engine to achieve "high fuel economy."
What the evolution of the e:HEV for the Prelude means is that the system will rely on new components for the 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter direct-injection Atkinson cycle engines, which should combine to deliver ten percent more fuel economy compared to the first generation variant.
What really caught my attention when it comes to the new car is the fact that it will offer something called the Honda S+ Shift. It's a tech that has been insufficiently detailed to give me a proper sense of what it means, as it seems to blend both functional and borderline entertainment features in a single package.
Technically speaking the S+ Shift is a collection of drive mode features meant to trick the driver of a Honda Prelude into believing that he's driving something he's really not. It will do so by allowing people to change gears on a transmission that's not actually there, and by blasting engine sounds through the car's speakers. But let's take things one step at a time.
First and foremost, the S+ Shift only works in conjunction with the new e:HEV, and it will be available on all Honda hybrid cars from 2025 onwards, starting with its deployment on the Prelude. As such, it will take advantage of the refined Linear Shift Control and Active Sound Control (ASC) systems to synchronize vehicle speed with engine sound. It's something some of you might be familiar with, as it has been around in a crude form on cars the likes of the Fit since the 2020s.
What that means is that, when running on electric power, the Honda hybrids will blast through the speaker system an engine sound that is in tune with the corresponding rpm of the engine. Additionally, the sound is represented visually on a meter display.
The S+ Shift does more than just tap into rpm for entertainment purposes. It actually controls engine rpm during acceleration and deceleration to allow the car to perform sharp gear shifting. Upshifts and downshifts are performed "according to the driving conditions and environments at all speed ranges."
When the car is turning, on the other hand, the system will respond to steering input and activate something called a shift hold, in a bid to give the car the chance to "trace the desired driving line at the will of the driver."
Because it is used to maintain engine rpm in tune with a certain driving scenario, the S+ Shift will also reuse the power generated during re-acceleration to improve the response time of the motor every time the driver depresses the accelerator pedal.
As some of you might already know, Honda's e:HEV does not come with a mechanical transmission mechanism, but that will matter little on S+ Shift-equipped vehicles. That's because they will still give drivers access to a paddle shifter that can be engaged at will to give people the feeling the car does come with a transmission system.
All of the above are, for now, all the details on the S+ Shift Honda has released so far. I know they are probably not enough to give you a proper sense of what the tech is all about and, by extension, what it hopes to achieve, but it does seem to be enough to keep us interested, at least until the Prelude actually gets here and we get a chance to test it ourselves.
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