Scandalous Deal at a Honda Dealership
The return of the Honda Prelude to the market has caused mixed reactions among brand fans, but a recent deal at a dealership in Northern Ireland has sparked a real storm on social media. The post had to be deleted. The reason for the wave of outrage was the fact that a customer traded in a highly revered Honda S2000 roadster to purchase a new coupe.
The Beginning of the Story
It all started with a ceremonial photo of the car handover, shared by the Donnelly Group Honda dealer group on Facebook. The photo shows the new Prelude parked next to the S2000, with a satisfied customer shaking hands with a dealership employee.
“Saying goodbye to the old, welcoming the new! He is trading in his S2000 for a Honda Prelude in Racing Blue color. After driving one of Honda’s most iconic sports cars, it’s nice to see him staying with the brand for the next chapter.”
This post didn’t last long, but it managed to gather hundreds of reactions. Most Facebook users in the comments negatively assessed such a swap, criticizing the customer’s decision to trade a high-revving, rear-wheel-drive roadster for a front-wheel-drive hybrid coupe.
Public Reaction and Consequences
One commenter noted that the buyer would instantly regret the deal, jokingly suggesting that he would end up on S2000 fan forums trying to buy his old car back. Another pointed at the dealership, assuming that the S2000 was most likely quickly bought by an employee, never even making it to the used car lot.
One said the buyer would instantly regret the swap, jokingly suggesting he’d end up on S2000 forums trying to buy his old car back.
It was precisely such unwanted attention that likely forced the dealership to completely delete the post. They managed to take a screenshot before the publication was removed.
Technical Differences of the Cars
The new Prelude has little in common with the long-discontinued S2000, aside from the Honda badge and the same engine displacement. The front-wheel-drive coupe based on the Civic is equipped with a self-charging hybrid powertrain developing a combined 181 hp and offering simulated gear shifts. On the other hand, the rear-wheel-drive roadster is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine producing 237 hp, paired with a six-speed manual transmission.
Not the First Case
In any case, this particular Prelude is not the first Racing Blue example sold in Northern Ireland. The same dealer recently shared a photo of a female customer who purchased an almost identical car. Interestingly, this Prelude buyer also had a history with Honda, having previously owned an original Prelude model.
This story vividly illustrates how strong the emotional connections of car enthusiasts with certain models can be, especially with iconic ones like the S2000. Trading it for a modern but technologically different car is perceived by part of the community not as an upgrade, but as a loss of a piece of automotive heritage. At the same time, it shows the shift in market priorities: efficiency, environmental friendliness, and everyday practicality of new hybrid models often become more compelling arguments for buyers than driving purity and sporting pedigree. Similar situations are likely to occur more often as automakers continue to electrify and update their lineups, sometimes using legendary names for cars with a completely different spirit.