Maybe you still aren’t sold on the new Honda Prelude. Maybe, just maybe, you think it’s too tame. This Japanese Super GT racecar ought to quash any of those concerns.
Honda revealed the Prelude GT500 on Tuesday, announcing that it will replace the Civic Type R-GT for the 2026 season. While the U.S.-bound production model is front-wheel drive and makes 200 horsepower, the racecar sends 650 hp to the rear wheels. Amazingly, the engine displacement is the same at 2.0 liters, though the Super GT car’s power plant is tuned way up and drops the hybrid system.
Clearly, nothing about the Prelude racecar is subdued. The bodywork has practically every aero device known to man, with canards here, ducts there, and a swan-neck rear wing. My favorite part has to be the exhaust that exits through the right-hand door. You just know it’ll spit some fat flames through there.
Honda looks like the only Super GT manufacturer launching a new car this year, as Toyota is sticking with the GR Supra and Nissan is running the Z Nismo once again. Both of those have proven to be pretty successful, as they’ve snatched every win of the 2025 season thus far. Meanwhile, Honda is at risk of its first winless campaign in the series since 2016.
The Prelude GT500 is set to complete a shakedown at Sportsland Sugo on Wednesday. When the car looks this fast sitting still, I can only imagine how sick it’ll be running around a proper racetrack. Keep an eye out for that video once it finally drops—I’ll be waiting impatiently.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
