The new Honda Prelude goes on sale in its home market of Japan quite literally today, which means the emergence of a set of Mugen accessories for it might set some kind of record for a car getting aftermarket parts.
Of course, it helps that, despite the two companies never being officially aligned, they’ve always enjoyed a very close relationship (Mugen was co-founded by Hirotoshi Honda, son of Honda founder Soichiro).
Honda Prelude with Mugen parts – detail
It looks like it might be a while before we see the new hybrid Prelude transformed into a proper performance beast too. The only bits listed under the ‘Performance’ category are an oil filter, high-pressure radiator cap and some sportier engine oil, all aimed at lightly optimising the existing performance of the 2.0-litre four-pot engine.
There’s also a new set of performance dampers available, as well as some forged 19-inch BBS wheels, which, as well as shedding around 16kg of unsprung weight, lend the little Prelude some welcome visual aggression. There’s a set of beefed up brake pads and high-performance brake fluid available, too, which is pretty much where the parts that make any tangible difference to the way the Prelude will drive end.
Honda Prelude with Mugen parts – detail
Nearly everything else is purely cosmetic, including some carbon fibre trim pieces, decals and Mugen-branded floormats and scuff plates.
However, you can’t miss that the car in these pictures is wearing a bodykit that lends it a bit more of a baby touring car vibe. These bits, consisting of a front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser and boot spoiler, are under development and are set to launch early next year. Joining them will be a sports exhaust which, given that the Prelude is turbocharger-free, could unlock a pleasantly old-school four-pot rasp from the engine if done right.
Honda Prelude with Mugen parts – rear
As much as we’re excited to have a new affordable coupe on the market, we’re not necessarily expecting the Prelude to be a non-stop thrill ride at launch. Hopefully, these parts are the first step towards turning it into a proper performance car, whether that comes from the aftermarket or Honda itself.
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