Honda Australia director Robert Thorp has told CarExpert he would put its hand up for a high-performance Type R flagship version of the Japanese brand’s born-again Prelude sports car.
The Prelude name is returning to Honda showrooms in 2026 after more than two decades on ice, and the Australian version will be offered in a single model grade priced at $65,000 drive-away. First local customer deliveries are expected in May.
Speaking at the Melbourne Motor Show earlier this month, Mr Thorp – who took over as Honda Australia director 12 months ago alongside Jay Joseph’s appointment as CEO – said the company would not say no to a Prelude Type R.
“There’s a part of me that wants to ‘Type R’ everything,” Mr Thorp told CarExpert when asked if a Prelude Type R – if it was to be introduced – would be on the brand’s shopping list. “Type R’s just fun… So yeah, why not?”
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“Our opportunity to explore global product is definitely broadening and I think maybe a few years ago it was very narrow. You may have [had] certain markets you connect with – whereas now that’s definitely changing,” Mr Thorp added.
“If there’s anything available globally that we can make work here, we’ll do our best to bring it here.”
Honda has never offered a Prelude Type R before, but the badge has been applied to seven generations of the Civic hatchback, including the current model, as well as the Integra sports car, NSX supercar, and Accord sedan.
The new sixth-generation Prelude shares its platform with the Civic and adopts the suspension and brakes from the Civic Type R, but that’s the extent of its performance hardware. The new coupe uses a hybrid powertrain for the first time.
The Prelude’s 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine is paired with two electric motors for combined outputs of 147kW of power and 315Nm of torque. It’s offered exclusively with an electronic continuously variable automatic transmission (e-CVT), with no manual available.
A Prelude Type R could change this relatively easily.
The Civic Type R employs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 235kW and 420Nm, driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual – and shares its core underpinnings with the Prelude.
The Prelude’s $65,000 drive-away price also leaves room for a halo variant, with the Civic Type R – currently out of stock – last offered for $79,000 drive-away.
Honda Australia says the pricing reflects the broader appeal of the Prelude, with Mr Thorp noting it does not have a direct rival in terms of its specification as a hybrid sports coupe.
A more hardcore, enthusiast-focused Prelude could be what Honda needs to help rebuild its global performance car credentials, particularly as Toyota looks set to expand its Gazoo Racing (GR) production model range, which will be topped by the all-new GR GT supercar.
Nissan, too, has confirmed it’s working on a new GT-R supercar and teased a next-generation Skyline, signaling it wants a broader sports car lineup rather than just a single model in the Z currently sold in Australia.
MORE: Explore the Honda Prelude showroom