- A 2001 Honda Prelude with only 4,900 miles sold for a staggering $60,000 at auction.
- When new, the coupe had an MSRP of $26,450.
- Powering the Prelude Type SH is a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder.
Prices of sporty Japanese cars from the 1990s and early 2000s have skyrocketed in recent years, including a whole bunch of Hondas with the fabled Type R badge. However, a 2001 Honda Prelude has just sold at auction for $60,000 and is not a Type R. So, why did it sell for so much?
This particular Prelude is a Type SH and is painted in Nighthawk Black Pearl. It’s only been driven 4,900 miles (~7,880 km) since it was new and has four keys, four remotes, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Pennsylvania title. The car’s incredibly low mileage is the most obvious reason as to why it sold for that price and given that it hasn’t been driven much, it’s hardly a surprise that it’s in superb condition.
Read: We Envision The Production 2026 Honda Prelude In A Hotter Guise
Not only does the paint appear immaculate, but the cabin looks just how it would have when it rolled out of the factory. By modern standards, it’s all rather outdated, but there are enough features, including fog lights, cruise control, a sunroof, a six-disc CD changer, and floor mats and carpets that show no signs of wear.
An original window sticker reveals the car was delivered new to Thelen Honda of Bay City, Michigan, and had an MSRP of $26,450.
As a 2001 Prelude, the car features Honda’s H22A4 naturally-aspirated 2.2-liter four-cylinder with 200 hp and 156 lb-ft (212 Nm) of torque. Coupled with the four-cylinder is a five-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels. While the car doesn’t have a limited-slip differential, nor the four-wheel steering of some other Preludes from back in the day, it does have Honda’s Active Torque Transfer System, which acts like a basic form of torque vectoring, aiding in handling.
Many commenting on the Bring a Trailer listing were shocked at how much the car sold for. Bidding went back and forth between two interested buyers, one of whom promised to drive the car. The highest bid was placed by High Octane Classics, a dealer in Auburn, Massachusetts, that plans to display the Honda in its showroom.
