Sometimes the most unassuming vehicles can hold a value high enough to shock other automotive enthusiasts and bewilder those who may not understand the power of nostalgia. Sold in immaculate condition for $79,000 during a no-reserve auction in late-July 2023, this 4,200-mile 1987 Honda Prelude is one of those cars.
The Honda Prelude, first introduced in 1978, is a two-door sports car that was produced by the Japanese automaker for five generations, with 826,082 examples sold in the United States from 1978 through 2001. During that time, Honda developed the Prelude to be a high-tech sports coupe with a focus on exemplary driving dynamics. MotorTrend calls the Prelude “the most complex, state-of-the-art Honda short of the NSX.”
For 1983, the second-generation Honda Prelude switched its boxy dress code for an all new-chassis and body featuring a wedge head, two-door notchback design with fashionable pop-up headlights. It’s this generation that proved to be the best-selling in the Prelude model’s history. The 1987 Honda Prelude featured here was one of the last second-generation cars to be produced before the Japanese automaker switched gears to the third generation.
The 1987 Honda Prelude’s fuel-injected 2.0L inline-four was factory rated at 110 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. This example, which sold on Bring a Trailer, showed just 4,200 miles on the mechanical odometer before the sale. A window sticker reportedly displayed a total original price of $15,154 from when it was purchased new. The hammer price of $79,000 doubles last July’s record sale price for a Prelude of this era, which was a five-speed 1986 Honda Prelude 2.0SI with 29,800 original miles.
The price of this Prelude could have bought a new BMW Sports Coupe, 2023 Chevrolet Corvette, 2022 Audi TT RS, or the 2023 Porsche 718 Cayman or Boxster. It could have even purchased a 1990s Honda NSX supercar with higher miles, but for some well-to-do automotive enthusiasts, you can’t put a price tag on nostalgia.
From Your Site Articles
- 1986-'87 Honda Prelude Si | Hemmings ›
- The first-generation Prelude wasn't fast, but modern Honda ... ›
- 1979-'82 Honda Prelude | Hemmings ›
- Lost Cars of the 1980s - 1988 Honda Prelude 4WS | Hemmings ›
- Prelude to Love - 1983-'87 Honda Prelude | Hemmings ›
- Clever four-wheel steering makes the 1988-'91 Honda Prelude Si ... ›
Recent
1958 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe
While GM made general announcements and events around its 50th anniversary for 1958, only Pontiac incorporated the occasion into its advertising. It mattered little that the first Pontiac rolled off the assembly line in 1926 as sub-brand of Oakland. Laid out in large letters in its brochure, Pontiac’s advertising theme for 1958 carried the tagline “The boldest advance in fifty years,” also declaring “A new kind of cars is born!” Previously introduced as a well-optioned convertible version of the Star Chief in 1957, the standalone Bonneville arrived for 1958.
Promising “the first true union of sport car action with town car luxury,” the Bonneville was only produced as a pillarless hardtop Sport Coupe or a drop-top Sport Convertible for 1958. As “a modern ultimate for the man who loves cars…this steel-muscled road machine,” the Bonneville featured a 370-cu.in. V8 engine with a four-barrel carburetor and 10:1 compression as standard equipment. An optional Tri-Power setup with triple two-barrel carburetors was given the “Tempest 395” moniker for its 395 lb-ft torque rating.
As the late 1950s was peak Jet Age, aeronautical and rocket themes pervade the details of the Bonneville. The leading edge of the scalloped rear quarter panels featured a very rocket-like piece of chrome trim that extended to a point at the front of the car. On top of each front fender, just before the headlamps, sat additional chrome-plated pieces that resembled delta-wing jets with appendages that lead into creases atop the fenders like contrails from jet engines.
Finished in Burma Green with Calypso Green accents, this 1958 Bonneville Sport Coupe, one of 9,144 produced, appears to have been restored some years ago, with a fit and finish that looks to be holding up. It is equipped with the Tri-Power 370 and a four-speed Super Hydra-Matic transmission. It is additionally fitted with power windows and power brakes, along with the rare Trans-Portable radio unit that can be removed and used as a portable radio with its built-in speaker and ability to run off batteries. The seller notes no problems with the drivetrain and asserts that the transmission shifts well.
1958 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe
Chevrolet didn’t revel in the golden jubilee news that Pontiac touted, but its advertising in 1958 suggested that its redesigned models were “Almost too new to be true!” The ad copy also promised that “You’ll like being looked at in your beautiful ’58 Chevrolet.” Longer, lower and wider than the famous “Tri-Five” models that preceded it, the Chevrolet models somewhat mirrored what was going on at Pontiac, but with a rear-end treatment that seemed to show the previous year’s tall tailfins flopped over somewhat. In magazines ads, the words accompanying the first-year Impala Sport Coupe suggested “This sleek styles-setter promises action, gaiety, glamor—and it keeps its promises beautifully.”
Like the Bonneville nameplate, the first Chevrolet to wear the Impala badge arrived in 1958. Chevy also introduced its first big-block V8, the so-called “W” engine. For 1958, Chevrolet dubbed this 348-cu.in. engine the Turbo-Thrust V8 when equipped with a four-barrel carburetor and Super Turbo-Thrust when fitted with Tri-Power triple carburetion. Though it lacked the aviation/space themes of the Bonneville’s styling, the similarly proportioned Impala was also festooned with plenty of brightwork, from the wide grille to side spears that ran nearly from the taillights to the headlamps. Pound-for-pound, the massive wraparound bumpers probably contained the highest amount of chrome on the car.
Finished in Onyx Black with a bold Rio Red-dominated interior, this 1958 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe now on Hemmings Auctions features a long-term restoration that spanned the 1990s. Completed in 2001, it appears to be holding up well. The photos of the very clean undercarriage that accompany the listing tell a story that the car has been taken care since that redo. This example is fitted with the four-barrel 348 that was rated at 250 horsepower when new. Power reaches the rear axle via a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission.
GM made some distinct design changes for 1958. With plenty of models across five passenger-car divisions, we are fortunate to have options in the collector car hobby when it comes to these chrome-laden machines. Which of these ’58 hardtop coupes would you like to cruise in?
Head on over to Hemmings Auctions to take a look and let us know.
Remember when a crashed Ferrari 500 Mondial sold for nearly $2 million at auction last year? Well, this Dino admittedly isn’t nearly as valuable, nor does it have a racing history, but its final sale price could still surprise you.
“This car clearly needs complete restoration, but the good news is that it's certainly the cheapest one you will ever find,” Gullwing Motor Cars writes, adding, “The Dino market is hot and shows no signs of cooling… This deal is on fire!”
Ferrari created the Dino 246 GT for the 1970 model year to replace the prior 206 GT model. The 246 GT received an increased engine displacement to 2.4 liters, still paired with a five-speed manual transmission. While the 206 GT body was built primarily from aluminum, the 246 GT switched to mostly steel bodywork, which happens to have a higher heat resistance.
Production of the Dino 246 GT ended in 1974 with around 2,295 models built. Just over 3,700 total were built if you factor in the 1,274 GTS models produced. At the time, it was the most examples that Ferrari had ever built of any its models.
According to Conceptcarz.com, a 1972 Ferrari 246 Dino could sell for anywhere between $375,00 and $627,000 in perfect condition, between $280,000 and $375,000 in excellent condition, from $165,000 to $280,000 in good condition, and $48,400 to $165,000 in fair condition. The lowest recorded sale is $48,400 (sale date unavailable) while the highest sale so far reached to $627,000 back in 2014.
Trending
╳