Honda will relaunch its Prelude from 2026 in Europe and France with a particularity: a “fake” gearbox with its hybrid system, to slightly improve driving pleasure.
Honda created a little surprise by confirming the arrival of the new Honda Prelude in Europe and France where the brand is quite confidential. The Japanese manufacturer, which has never really counted on Europe to achieve the bulk of its automobile turnover, has not forgotten its presence on the Old Continent and is even trying the “pleasure” vehicle with this Honda Prelude which will be hybrid for the first time. 25 years later, it returns to us but this time with a little special feature which will be a world first for Honda: S+ Shift technology, which will simulate gear ratios on a gearbox that is not really one since the Honda hybrid system is more similar (in a way) to a variator. And it will be a big evolution of the simulation of gear ratios that we already know on the Civic.
Dynamic driving for the Honda Prelude
“Although the e:HEV does not have a mechanical transmission mechanism, when the Honda S+ Shift is activated, the driver can shift gears using a shift paddle, so that he can enjoy the driving feeling as if the vehicle was equipped with a transmission system”announces Honda. Small specificity: the S+ Shift will allow you to maintain a gear ratio in curves to maintain the ideal engine speed. The idea is to have behavior close to a real thermal gearbox when cornering and to use the power of the gasoline engine for restarts without having the effect of slipping. The Prelude will be the first Honda to benefit from this technology when it is launched in France in 2026.
Automotive journalist (and a bit of a bicycle journalist too). As passionate about new things as industry or the environment, but also everything that will advance mobility.
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Published on 12/17/2024 at 5:30 p.m.
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