10/10/2026
Now availble at Fine Lines Classic Cars (Northampton)
1998 Honda Prelude 2.2 VTI Motegi. Manual. 56000 miles from new.
A quite exceptional example of Honda’s accomplished fifth generation Prelude, this 1998 2.2 VTi Motegi Special Edition from the first year of production, is made all the more desirable by excellent provenance and, perhaps most importantly, its wonderfully unmodified condition.
The Motegi was a special edition of the fifth generation Prelude, its evocative name taken from Honda’s famous Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan. Based upon the already highly specified 2.2 VTi, the Motegi was distinguished by a purposeful factory body styling package comprising front and rear lower spoilers and side skirts, lowered sports suspension and distinctive 17 inch alloy wheels . The result was one of the most sporting and visually distinctive UK market Preludes of the period, while retaining the refinement, engineering integrity and usability for which the model was renowned. Produced in comparatively small numbers for the UK market, surviving examples are now seldom encountered, and genuinely standard cars are rarer still.
This particular Prelude was first registered in the UK in 1998 and is finished in the superb Honda 'Sicillan' Red metallic. The paintwork presents beautifully and is virtually unmarked, retaining a deep, lustrous finish that suits the sharp lines of the fifth generation Prelude particularly well. The factory Motegi styling remains exactly as Honda intended, and crucially the car has escaped the modifications that befell so many performance Hondas of this era. It remains standard and unmodified throughout.
The contrasting Type F Excel Charcoal cloth interior is equally impressive. The upholstery has survived remarkably well, while the dashboard, switchgear, carpets and trim display the obvious benefits of careful ownership with no cracks or damage.. The cabin remains refreshingly original, preserving the distinctive late 1990s Honda atmosphere that is becoming increasingly difficult to find.
The history of this Prelude is particularly appealing. When the car was approximately four years old it was supplied by Peter Brooks Honda of Sheffield to the father, with the original sales invoice remaining within the history file. Ownership subsequently passed from father to son, meaning this Prelude has effectively remained within the same family for more than two decades.
Accompanying the car is its original stamped Honda service book containing six Honda main dealer service stamps, together with numerous repair and maintenance invoices documenting continued care over the years. The history file also contains previous MOT certificates dating back to when the Prelude was just four years old, providing an unusually comprehensive record of its life.
Important maintenance has not been overlooked. A new cambelt and radiator were fitted approximately 3,000 miles ago, while a new exhaust has also been fitted recently. Four brand new tyres have just been installed and the car will be supplied with a full 12 months MOT, leaving it ready to be enjoyed by its next custodian.
The original Honda handbooks are present together with their correct wallet, and pleasingly the important original red master key has also remained with the car. The private registration H20 MWV is included in the sale and will remain with the Prelude. Details such as these are easily lost over almost three decades and add considerably to the sense that this has always been a cherished and carefully preserved example.
The 2.2 litre DOHC VTEC engine is at the heart of the Prelude’s appeal, combining Honda’s celebrated high-revving character with the sophistication expected of the company’s flagship sporting coupé. The fifth generation Prelude was praised in period for its combination of performance, handling and engineering quality, and the 2.2 VTi remains the model that best demonstrates those attributes.
What makes this example particularly compelling today is not simply that it is a Motegi, but that it has survived in such authentic condition. Fifth generation Preludes are now an increasingly uncommon sight on British roads, while many 2.2 VTi examples have been modified, neglected or lost altogether. Finding a genuine UK registered Motegi especially a manual gearbox that remains completely standard, presents so beautifully and is accompanied by such strong provenance is therefore decidedly unusual.
With its stunning Sicillan Red metallic paintwork, contrasting Excel Charcoal interior, distinctive Motegi specification and extensive supporting history, this is a wonderfully preserved example of one of Honda’s most interesting modern classic sporting coupés. An increasingly rare opportunity to acquire a proper, unmodified Prelude exactly as Honda intended.
Part exchange will be considered
Nationwide UK delivery can be arranged.
Full details and contact details, including detailed walk around video coming soon on our website www.finelinesclassiccars.co.uk and Youtube channel.
£15995
