The Honda Prelude features a hidden design feature that simplifies parking.

      Honda

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      The forthcoming Honda Prelude is generating significant interest. It doesn’t fall into the category of a hardcore sports compact—Honda has already produced one of those—nor does it serve as a replacement for the Civic Si as Honda's fun daily driver. On paper, the new Prelude aligns very well with the essence of its predecessor: a stylish “personal coupe” that exudes some sporty characteristics while also hinting at innovative technologies and contemporary design. One noteworthy aspect is a subtle detail of the front end, specifically designed to facilitate easier parking.

      This information comes from a Japanese-language "teaser" site that Honda launched today. It features extensive details and media regarding the new Prelude, including interviews with its designers. While reviewing one of these interviews, translated with Google Translate, I noticed an intriguing design element of the Prelude. I’ll let designer Yoshihisa Yanagimoto describe it, and then I’ll elaborate on my understanding.

      “To enhance the visual understanding of tire placement, we designed two lines on the hood as seen from the driver’s viewpoint,” Yanagimoto explained. “The belt line connecting the fender to the door is continuous, and the interior lining is also designed to flow smoothly in a horizontal manner. This aids in perceiving the direction of travel and simplifies parking. Various professionals, including those from the exterior and ergonomics teams, collaborated on achieving this design.”

      Pay attention to the two body lines originating from the A-pillar that serve as visual aids for the wheel's position concerning the front of the vehicle.

      Examining a close-up, front three-quarter view of the Prelude reveals two creases on the hood stretching from the A-pillar. Without being inside the car, it’s challenging to understand how these lines influence the perception of the front end, as it all boils down to the driver’s perspective. This viewpoint also varies depending on whether the vehicle is left- or right-hand drive; in one of our Preludes, we would be looking toward the opposite corner. I actually stepped into a Prelude for the first time at Goodwood a few weeks ago, and had I known about this design feature, I would have checked it personally.

      The new Honda Prelude showcased at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

      It appeared stunning in metallic gray. Regardless, this exemplifies the thoughtful, low-tech problem-solving in design that we cherish, especially as such approaches are becoming increasingly rare in an era where issues are often “fixed” with technology, sensors, and screens. Such advancements tend to increase vehicle costs and make repairs more complicated when something malfunctions.

      I am genuinely excited about the new Prelude—perhaps more than my colleagues, based on our Slack discussions. Yes, it essentially resembles a two-door Civic hybrid combined with Type R chassis components and features a more attractive design, but is there anything negative about that? Besides the powertrain aspect, it’s somewhat reminiscent of what the Integra used to be at its peak, before the bulky, unappealing new version. I still haven’t warmed up to the current Integra, but it no longer concerns me, as this Prelude exists.

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