It’s worth noting that the window of desirability for collector cars is a shifting thing. It was once hot rods, then cars of the ’50s, then ’60s machines, then the Radwood era kicked off, and you know the drill. As it happens, that period is rolling through the early 2000s, and while that explains an uptick in values of certain cars, it doesn’t exclusively explain what you see here. This 2001 Honda Prelude just sold on Bring A Trailer for an astonishing $60,000. We’ll give you a minute to pick your jaw up off the floor.
For those keeping track at home, that’s more than a brand new Toyota GR Supra 3.0, more than a new Honda Civic Type R, more than a new Nissan Z Performance. For a final-generation Prelude that was more of an about-town coupe than an out-and-out performance car. So what on earth is going on here?
Well, it’s certain that the price tag of this Prelude isn’t directly attached to the driving experience. With rev-happy motors and notchy shifters, these Preludes are fun in an everyday setting, but they’re far too nose heavy to be considered anything adjacent to a sports car. Besides, the 2.2-liter H22A4 four-cylinder engine had plenty of midrange torque to lope about town in, generally unconcerned about looking as hard as a full-on sports car owner would.
Still, part of what makes this Prelude special is that it’s an SH model. That trim level’s name stands for Super Handling, partly because the Active Torque Transfer System torque-vectoring cross-axle transfer box on this trim was the first bit of kit to fall under the Super Handling marketing banner, and partly because SH-ATTS isn’t a brilliant trim name. Regardless, this complex set of planetary gears and clutches did its best to inflate this car’s window sticker to $26,540 in 2001 dollars, or about $47,803 in today’s money. Sure, it was pricey for a Honda, but is it really that bad by today’s standards?
However, this Prelude didn’t just manage to match inflation, it managed to beat it, and there’s a good chance part of that is due to attrition. With many semi-attainable tuners cars, a combination of questionable modifications, rust, collisions, and thefts all add to a dwindling supply of nice ones. By 2024, nice Preludes are few and far between, and this is an exceptionally nice one indeed.
With just 4,900 miles on its odometer, this might be the nicest fifth-generation Prelude in the country outside of Honda’s possession. It’s Nighthawk Black paint still looks like a mirror, its seats are still as dark as Adrian’s wardrobe, none of the door panel upholstery is peeling, and there’s not a lick of rust visible on the chassis. Every factory paint marking is still visible, every patch of factory-installed sprayable seam sealer looks right, it’s just an absolutely pristine example.
Oh, and to put the cherry on top, the winning bidder was a collectible car dealer in Auburn, Mass., which could explain the sheer money being thrown around here. It’s yet to be seen whether this gambit pays off, but the result is still quite the spectacle. The $60,000 final-generation Honda Prelude. How about that?
(Photo credits: Bring A Trailer)
Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.
-
You Can Now Buy A Used Tesla Model S Plaid For The Price Of A Kia EV6 GT
-
This Lucid Air EV Depreciated An Unbelievable $200 Per Day, $30 Per Mile Driven
-
You Can Buy The Last Great Mercedes-Benz SL For The Price Of A Hyundai Venue
-
This Absurdly Nice $40,500 Miata Just Set A Bring A Trailer Record
-
The Fiat 500L Is So Unloved Even One Used By Da Freakin’ Pope Isn’t Worth Much
Got a hot tip? Send it to us here. Or check out the stories on our homepage.
My first two cars were Preludes, an 87Si and an 88Si. I wasn’t a big fan of the 6th gen when it came out, but it grew on me. Never could afford one though.
But really, just how satisfied were you when you wrote “partly because SH-ATTS isn’t a brilliant trim name?”