Some Honda Preludes are remembered for their pop-up headlights, others for being the last stylish coupe in Honda’s lineup. But this version will go down in history for a completely different reason: it practically rewrote the laws of physics.
We’re talking about Aaron Lopez’s 1,200 HP AWD Honda Prelude, a street-legal coupe capable of blasting from 60 to 130 mph in just 2.5 seconds. To put it in perspective, that’s far quicker than icons like the Lamborghini Huracán, which takes a glacial 8.2 seconds for the same sprint, according to Drag Times.
At the core of this beast lies a heavily reworked H22 engine, fitted with JBR sleeves, CP forged pistons, beefed-up rods, and a head that’s been massaged within an inch of its life. Feeding it is a massive Precision Next Gen R 73.9 turbo. This setup pushes more than 50 pounds of boost without breaking a sweat, yet still idles smoothly like it’s got somewhere important to be.
The real magic, however, is in how all that power gets to the pavement. Lopez engineered a custom AWD conversion by pairing a billet-machined clutch bell housing with a K-series transfer case. The power then runs through a Gear-X dogbox transmission and DSS axles to the rear end of a Civic wagon RT4WD. It’s the kind of drivetrain Honda never built.
Despite the drag-car levels of performance, this Prelude remains a fully streetable machine. It still has a full interior, working air conditioning, sun visors, and even a back seat for anyone brave enough to ride shotgun while the scenery blurs into watercolor. Lopez has taken it on multiple 250-mile trips, proving it’s just as comfortable creeping through small-town traffic as it is annihilating a Corvette ZR1 on a straightaway.
When this Prelude launches, it doesn’t just accelerate, it practically teleports. Watching the tach sweep toward redline in every gear looks more like a movie scene than real driving. What makes this car special isn’t just the numbers. Every detail has been laid out with maintenance in mind, from the intercooler piping to the removable street radiator. This is the handiwork of someone who has spent late nights at the track wrenching, not just piecing together catalog parts.
