Buckle your seatbelt and ...HOLD ON TIGHT!!!

Yes folks, the average citizen can drive a race car --for far less cashola than you'd ever expect. The vehicle I am referring to is the current generation Honda Prelude. Whether in Type SH form or otherwise, this is one awe-inspiring ride.

Take for example, my experience this evening (no kidding). I borrowed a 1998 Prelude (with the Sequential Sportshift thingy) for a very specific purpose. I was on a mission... To convert a friend who believes in cubic inches. In addition to large-displacement domestic products (i.e. Mustang Cobras, etc.), this dude likes turbochargers and imported cars, but was considering trading in his normally aspirated 300ZX for a late model SVT Mustang Cobra.

My goal was to prove to him that a small 4-cylinder engine when properly engineered and built for the purpose of going fast could provide as much "entertainment" as the V8 beneath the hood of the Mustang. However, before I even go there, let me share a brief history of why I like the Prelude so much with you...

You see, for years, I was a die-hard sports car fan, lusting after such monsters as the 300ZX twin-turbo, Acura NSX, various Ferraris, etc. These days, I seem to have grown up a bit. My tastes are slowly swinging towards the other end of the scale: opulent, pampering luxury. However, I still love sports cars, so I sort of find myself in a tough position. I want something fast as hell (I'm in the market for a new car, btw) that handles well, but I also want to be pampered by hand-sewn leather, lots of luxury features and gadgets, ideal cruising comfort, etc.

My passion for the Prelude dates back to my hardcore sports car enthusiast days. Tonight, while attempting to make a VTEC convert out of a long-time Mustang fan (no easy feat, I assure you), I was once again wildly impresed with the Prelude.

You see, I have lately been looking at luxury sports GTs (i.e. Acura Legend Coupe, Lexus SC400, etc.). However, when I turned the key in the Prelude tonight, that old fire heated up again. You know the one... it feels like the first time you kissed a girl (or a boy, for that matter). I simply said, "OK pal. Buckle that belt and hold on. I'm gonna take you for the ride of your life."

He just laughed and replied, "Ok, let's see what this Japanese sewing machine with wheels has for balls." (Pardon the horrid slang, if you will.)

I floored it and redlined the engine, shifting precisely at redline (7,400 rpm-!). 2nd gear came and went in a flash, and third happened just as quickly. Let me tell you, you should have seen the look on my pal's face. Wide-eyed, and grinning from ear to ear. He must have felt 16 years old again.

...I wound it down (from about 80) and cranked it around a hard left turn at about 50 or so. "Try that in a Mustang", I said. His response is unprintable. Something along the lines of "Holy shaving cream!" ...I'm sure you get the picture. ;-)

I wound it back up a little (I was in third, staring a 1/2 mile straightaway in the face) and dropped in into second, flooring the pedal at the same time. (Did I happen to mention that I love that sportshifter thingy?!). We were thrust backwards into our seats with enough force to plaster that [shaving cream]-eating grin on his face for the rest of his life. ...Off we went, the beautiful song of 16 precisely tuned Japanese valves singing loudly into the night.

When I (finally) pulled over and offered him the keys, he seemed in a trance of some sort. He just sat there, looking straight ahead, and said (quietly), "Wow."

I finally got him into the drivers seat and told him how to work the sequential sportshifter thingy. Now, this guy can drive. He spent the next 25 minutes carving up one of the local canyons (I live in Southern California), and generally having such a good time that he didn't realize that we were about to run out of gas!

So, we calmed things down a bit, filled it up and headed for home. He drove. In fact, he wanted to borrow the car for the night! However, it wasn't my car, so I was forced to wrestle the keys away from him.

Another Mustang fan sees the light. Mission accomplished. :-)

So, what's not to like about this car? Well, for starters, leather is a rarity, and there's not exactly a pile of room inside. Decent trunk for a car of this size though. That's about it. It gets excellent fuel economy, if you don't drive like a madman, and because it's a 4-cylinder, insurance rates are actually decent.

Dynamically, this is a fantastic car. It can corner like cars costing 4 times as much, and it's perfectly docile when tooling around town. best of all, unlike anything else anywhere near as exciting, it's totally rock-solid reliable. Treat this car well, and it will reward you with years of driving pleasure.

Definitely a best-buy in my books. Now if only there were a way to transplant that awesome powerplant into something more luxurious.. ;-)

My ideal car would have the curb weight and mechanical guts of a Prelude SH, along with the interior space and luxury of a Lexuus SC400 or Acura Legend Coupe.

If you've never has the pleasure of piloting a Prelude, I urge you to do as soon as possible. Talk about a stress-reliever!! *L* :-)

I hope you like this brief (for me) opinion, and that it manages to convince you of the merits of advanced technology versus cubic inches. The next time you see a Prelude owner with a smile on his or her face, you will understand... ;-)