Key Takeaways
- Honda returns to Goodwood Festival of Speed with past, present, and future vehicles, including the Honda Prelude Concept – now confirmed for production.
- The automaker has confirmed that the Prelude will be offered in Europe and the UK; US arrival currently unclear.
- The Civic Type R and its predecessors will be on display, along with the e:NY1 electric crossover and RA272 F1 racer.
Japanese automaker Honda has announced that it will return to the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, which is taking place this weekend from July 11-14, but that’s not the big news from its latest announcement. It’s a rather special year for the company, as it plans to showcase an array of vehicles from its past, present, and future. For gearheads, the first European debut of the Honda Prelude Concept should prove hugely exciting.
Last offered in 2001, the return of the Prelude nameplate is a big deal. “The Prelude not only marks the latest chapter in our ever-evolving hybrid story, it is also the product of 25 years of pioneering hybrid research and development,” said Honda’s Chief Engineer and Large Project Leader, Tomoyuki Yamagami. Honda has now officially confirmed that the Prelude will go into production and eventually be sold in Europe and the UK. Sadly, there’s no word yet on whether the coupe will be offered in the USA, but CarBuzz has reached out to Honda for comment.
Honda
Japanese automaker Honda rose from the ashes of WWII and set about its business as a manufacturer of motorcycles initially, only launching its first car, the T360 kei truck, in 1963. Founder Soichiro Honda targeted the American market as the most important nut to crack, leading to generations of iconic nameplates like the Civic and Accord being among America’s best-selling passenger cars. Today, Hondas are renowned for their safety, practicality, and reliability, with a sprinkling of performance from models like the Civic Type R.
- Founded
- 24 September 1948
- Founder
- Soichiro Honda
- Headquarters
- Hamamatsu, Japan
- Owned By
- Publicly Traded
- Current CEO
- Toshihiro Mibe
Civic Type R And Predecessors On Display
While the Prelude hangs in the balance for US customers, performance-minded Honda enthusiasts can, at least, opt for the Civic Type R. The hot hatch will also be on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, alongside its predecessors, from the EP3 upwards. Lucky UK customers can now also place an order for a limited-run Civic Type R, of which Honda is only making 118 examples. We expect to learn more about it as the festival nears.
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As a reminder of its electric ambitions, the oddly named e:NY1 will also be on display as part of the Goodwood Electric Avenue. The crossover is essentially the electric version of the European HR-V and offers a reasonable 201 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque. While all the abovementioned cars are interesting, festival attendees will make a beeline to see the RA272 F1 racer.
“We are thrilled to return to Goodwood Festival of Speed. This event holds a very special place in the hearts of both automotive enthusiasts and Honda, who were one of the original partners in the first Festival of Speed back in 1993. We will have both the original and the Prelude Concept on display, which will be its first European debut, and then at the other end of scale, we also have our renowned hot hatch, the Civic Type R. We invite everyone to join us and witness the power, performance, and passion that defines Honda. It’s going to be an unforgettable experience whilst we celebrate 60 years since our first F1 race, 25 years of Hybrid Technology, and so much more.”
– Rebecca Adamson, Head of Automobile at Honda UK
Iconic RA272 On Display To Celebrate Honda’s F1 Legacy
It’s been 60 years since Honda debuted in Formula 1. The RA272 is significant not only to Honda but to motorsport in general, as it was the first Japanese car to win an F1 Grand Prix race. It first made an appearance in 1965, powered by a 1.5-liter V12 that could rev up to 13,000 rpm. The car will put on a spectacular show as racing driver Hikaru Miyagi storms up the hill on Saturday. It will go up once more on Sunday, driven by Honda-backed Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda.
Related
Honda Prelude May Not Be The Sports Car We Hoped For
The Japanese carmaker appears to have other ideas for the model.
Aside from Honda, visitors to the Goodwood Festival of Speed can look forward to many things. The first-ever electric Mini JCW will make its debut, as well as several new high-performance Genesis vehicles. Also in appearance will be the one-off Pagani Huayra Epitome, a bespoke creation powered by an 851-hp 6.0-liter V12 engine.
#Hondas #Epic #Prelude #Concept #Production
