When Honda finally revealed the new Prelude's power outputs, enthusiasm quickly turned to disappointment. For a nameplate with a history of sporty, high-revving performance, the numbers felt decidedly modest. The 2026 Honda Prelude makes 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque from its hybrid powertrain. This one now has 315 hp, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, and a six-speed manual transmission from the FL5 Civic Type R. Honda itself doesn't offer the new Prelude with a turbocharged engine or manual transmission, making this swap a pretty close approximation of the high-performance version the coupe doesn't have.throtl/YouTubeThis Swap Fixes Honda's Weakest SpecThe team from Throtl removed the Prelude's engine, transmission, hybrid hardware, and interior before dropping in the Type R drivetrain. More importantly, it turns the automatic-only Prelude into a stick-shift car, answering one of the obvious questions enthusiasts had when Honda brought the nameplate back. throtl/YouTubeThe Prelude and Civic share enough underlying hardware to make the swap surprisingly straightforward. The firewalls are near identical, the brake and fuel systems moved over largely intact, and the Type R's dash bar, wiring, and interior bolted in with just two rivnuts as the main modification. Most of the Prelude's brake and fuel systems could stay, but the turbocharged K20C1 needed the Type R's higher-pressure fuel pump and fuel line. The builders also fabricated a bracket to mount the Type R's brake booster and clutch master cylinder, then drilled the body for the manual transmission's shift cables. Custom billet mounts from Hasport were needed because the stock mounts sat at the wrong height and angle. So while it's not exactly a bolt-in swap, making a Prelude Type R appears simpler than one would think. This Prelude Type R Isn't Quite Done YetThe Prelude runs, drives, and shifts under its own power, but the swap isn't completely sorted yet. The biggest remaining headaches appear to be electronic rather than mechanical. On its first drive, the car hit a limiter at around 4,500 rpm, suggesting the Type R's ECU still wasn't entirely happy with its new surroundings. But that looks like teething issues at the moment.throtl/YouTubeWhen the build is done, the result should be a particularly convincing sleeper that fixes all of the Prelude's criticisms. From the outside, it remains a Prelude, but underneath sits the Civic Type R's 315-hp turbo four and six-speed manual. The red Type R valve cover may be the only obvious giveaway. Throtl plans to show the car at SEMA 2026.