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Sept. 19, 2025 | The week’s top stories and Honda’s Emile Korkor on the Prelude’s return and more
Sept. 19, 2025 | The week’s top stories and Honda’s Emile Korkor on the Prelude’s return and more
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About this episode
Emile Korkor from Honda Canada discusses the highly anticipated return of the Honda Prelude, focusing on its modern hybrid powertrain and the nostalgic appeal it holds for Canadian drivers. The conversation explores Honda's strategy to balance performance with electrification, the significance of the Prelude in their lineup, and how it aims to attract both loyal fans and new customers. Additionally, the episode covers recent automotive news in Canada, including GM and Stellantis's manufacturing decisions and the impact of tariffs on EVs.
Topics:
honda prelude
hybrid powertrain
sports coupe market
customer loyalty
performance dynamics
electrification strategy
nostalgia in marketing
automotive tariffs
manufacturing updates
AI in production
The reason behind third shifts at GM, Stellantis; Premier Moe changes his EV tariff tune; AI saves Martinrea millions. Plus, Assistant Vice-president of Honda Canada Sales and Marketing Emile Korkor talks about the Prelude’s return, sports coupes, powertrains, and more.
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Hi everyone, and welcome to the September 19th, 2025 episode
of the Automotive News Canada podcast.
I'm your host, Greg Lason,
the digital and mobile editor at Automotive News Canada,
coming to you from just outside Windsor, Ontario,
the automotive capital of Canada.
Today on the show,
we'll hear from Assistant Vice President
of Honda Canada Sales and Marketing, Emile Corcor.
He speaks with Automotive News Canada publisher,
Tim Domopoulos.
The two discussed the return of the Honda Prelude,
the sports coupe market, the vehicle's new powertrain,
the importance the car plays within the portfolio,
and more.
But first, a look at some of the top Canadian
automotive stories of the week.
General Motors and Stellantis recently committed
to third shifts in Oshawa and Windsor respectively.
The automakers say their decisions
were related to market demand,
but some industry insiders say the decisions
might be related to Canada's tariff remissions program.
The federal government in April
implemented retaliatory 25% tariffs on U.S. made vehicles,
but the five automakers that assemble vehicles
in Canada caught a break.
Details are sparse, but broadly speaking,
the program grants local assemblers a break
if they maintain their manufacturing footprint in Canada.
Says the Department of Finance,
as long as automakers operating in Canada
continue to produce and make investments at the same pace,
their U.S. import quotas will remain at current levels.
Ads Flavio Volpe, CEO of the Automotive Parts
Manufacturers Association,
the remissions piece has worked in Canada's favor,
but it is important to see it as part of a wider suite
of two-way commitments.
For much more on this,
read the in-depth story on our website,
automotivenews.ca.
In EV news, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has changed his tune
when it comes to 100% tariffs on EVs made in China.
Moe previously called on Ottawa to scrap the tariffs
because China retaliated with levies on Canola.
Now, after a trip to China
and speaking with the government of Canada,
Moe says changes quote, not as simple as that.
Canada has justified its tariffs
by arguing they protect plan investments at home.
Says Moe, it's incumbent on us to support
the federal government in finding a pathway forward
that works for all Canadians.
The tariffs are also in line with similar U.S. policy.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the tariffs are needed
to quote, protect and enhance
our highly integrated cross-border automotive supply chains.
And finally, on the manufacturing front,
a Canadian supplier is saving millions
by using artificial intelligence.
Martin Rea International has developed AI
on the assembly line to monitor quality
and increase production speed.
The technology monitors presses
and oversees other key steps in parts production
from welding to quality checks.
Says Executive Chair Rob Wildebore,
if you can give me information
so I know my press isn't going to break down,
that's money.
Martin Rea's Alfield Plant North of Toronto
now serves as something of a test bed for its AI tools.
And that's a look at some of the top Canadian
automotive stories of the week.
Coming up, a conversation between our publisher,
Tim Domopoulos, and Assistant Vice President
of Honda Canada Sales and Marketing, Emile Corcor.
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Welcome back to the Automotive News Canada podcast.
I'm your host, Greg Lason.
We'll now hear that conversation
between our publisher, Tim Domopoulos,
and Assistant Vice President
of Honda Canada Sales and Marketing,
Emile Corcor.
So the Pralewood name carries deep nostalgia
for Canadian drivers.
And for me, I actually owned a 1988 with four-wheel steering.
So very surprised the first time I had to do
a four-wheel alignment on that thing.
How did Honda balance honoring its story past
with the need to create
a thoroughly modern hybrid sports group?
Yeah.
Well, you got to start with the original
and kind of where we left off with the fifth generation
and learning from the past
and what made Pralewood great.
And it really was about the driving experience overall,
trying to keep it visceral,
but at the same time evolve the concept
to modernize it to today's customer and their tastes.
And that's why hybrid was really important for us
in this go around.
Not just for efficiency, but also for performance
to give it a good boost
and also adopting some new technologies
like the S Plus technology to again,
create more of that visceral feel inside of the cabin.
Now with competition from traditional automakers
and new startups,
what is Honda Canada's long-term strategy
for maintaining relevance
in the shrinking sport group market?
I think it's really about making sure
that we have a good understanding
of what that consumer really wants.
That's really what's important.
We've always said the customers
at the center of everything that we do
and Pralewood is a good example of that,
keeping true to the DNA of the product,
the DNA of the brand itself,
but also making sure that you're well connected
with the consumer
and understanding what's happening in the marketplace.
And we all know that the coupe segment is not huge,
but it has the most passionate customers in the industry.
So again, it's really important to make sure
you tap into not only the nostalgia,
but really continue to hit on the hard strings
of the current generation, not just old generation.
So with that being said,
who do you think is going to be buying this vehicle?
Do you think it's going to be a mix of both old and new
or is it going to appeal almost exclusively
to a new demographic?
What's the plan?
I think a big chunk of the buyers coming through
are going to be the buyers
that have previously experienced Pralewood.
I think loyalty is going to play a big role overall
in the sales mix for Pralewood.
That's what I anticipate.
But I think you're going to have a lot of new
up and coming buyers that are really intrigued
by the Honda store and the DNA
and really trying it out for the very first time.
So I think you have a good mix.
I'm not sure exactly what the ratio would be.
If I were to guess, it would probably be 60-40
in terms of loyal customers coming in versus new.
But we'll see.
We've always said we're not being restrictive
in terms of how we even promote our product.
It's really intended to be for the masses
and whoever connects with the brand story DNA
and the product experience is really who we want.
Really passionate buyers that just love and enjoy driving.
Sounds like a marketing challenge.
It is, it is.
But I think we got a good fan base out there
and an excellent reputation for the brand
that'll definitely pay dividends for us in retail sales.
Pairing a two-motor hybrid electric powertrain
with the Civic Type R chassis is a first.
What strategic advantage does this give Pralewood
in Canada's increasingly competitive performance segment?
Overall power performance dynamics.
I think it's going to be one of those cars
that really need to drive to understand
how it stacks up versus the competition,
but very confident that drivers are going to leave
very, very impressed with the overall experience.
Again, old buyers that have driven the previous generation
of Pralewood, comparing it to this one,
I think they're going to feel a lot of that same
visceral experience inside of the cabin.
But the fact that we've paired it with the systems
inside of the Type R is going to add to that dynamic.
And I think it makes it unique in this segment as well,
the total package between the hybrid system,
the interior feature content, the technologies,
and of course, the legendary Type R performance.
Speaking about technology, Pralewood debuts its S-plus shift mode.
Tell us about the technology
and how do you see it influencing future hybrids
that are coming up from Honda?
I think the experience inside of the cabin
is really important for customers that really enjoy driving.
So the performance of the vehicle in general,
I think is going to be exceptional.
But the feeling you have inside of the cabin
is really where S-plus really comes to life.
The sounds, the feels that you get inside of the vehicle
are super amplified depending on what drive mode you select.
So I think that is really what's going to make
the difference with this technology
and what's going to set it apart from the competitions out there.
OK, now Pralewood arrives as a Honda targets hybrids
to represent over 60% of Canadian sales.
So how critical is Pralewood in reinforcing Honda's strategy
for electrification and keeping younger buyers engaged
with passenger cars overall?
I think from a volume perspective,
it's not one of those cars
that will be chasing retail sales overall.
The vehicle itself is meant to be to serve more of a as a halo
within the hybrid lineup and really drive the energy
and passion behind the brand, the innovation,
the performance and the driving feel.
So that's really the place for Pralewood
inside of the Honda sedan lineup is again
to accentuate that hybrid performance element
as opposed to being a retail volume pillar for the brand.
So it's really more of an icon.
Pralewood's coming in one trim level,
but there's going to be a high degree of accessories
that are going to be available for it
and also a high degree of personalization.
Tell us about the strategy to offer kind of that
that bespoke experience with the Pralewood
and is that going to transfer over into other other models?
First of all, I love that word bespoke, by the way.
I always cringe when I use it, but anyway,
it's one of my favorite words.
But yeah, I think I think the entire feel of Pralewood
like the previous generations for enthusiasts,
they really want to make it their own.
So making sure we have a plethora of accessories available
not only from the exterior,
but also for the interior of the vehicle
is really, really key to ensure
that you can make it a little bit more
of an individual vehicle itself.
I'm sure that as enthusiasts are looking at this vehicle
right now, they're getting all kinds of great ideas
in terms of what they could potentially do with it.
So for us, it's important to make sure
that our Honda genuine accessories will hit the mark
to make sure that we're able to allow them
to express themselves without going elsewhere.
Now, how does Pralewood's return signal
Honda's vision for balancing electrified efficiency
with emotional performance-oriented products?
And how is that going to translate into the next decade?
Like, what's the strategy going to be
from a product portfolio today?
I think hybrid is one of those technologies
that are going to make a very, very big difference
for us as a manufacturer.
And thinking back on when hybrids were first introduced,
the intention of a hybrid was really focused
on efficiency.
But now we've evolved our philosophy
to accentuate the funded drive
and performance spirit through hybrid.
So the application of this technology,
I think will continue to push the envelope for us
in finding new unique ways to deliver performance
and funded drive within that package
while still maintaining a good level of efficiency.
Because at the end of the day,
that's really our ultimate goal,
is to get to carbon neutrality.
How we get there is going to be a little bit
of a longer road than initially expected
with the push for BEV being extended a little bit longer.
So it's really just about making sure
that you're there where the customers need you,
offering the technologies that they prefer
as opposed to forcing a technology
or a propulsion system on them.
So let the market decide basically, yeah.
So let's talk a little bit about
resurrecting other nameplates within the Honda line.
A lot of manufacturers have done this in the past
and the Honda is doing it now with the Prelude.
There's also been some discussion around element.
Is that something we can see potentially come back?
I mean, there's also quite a bit of a following
for that vehicle and almost a cult-like following.
It would make sense to bring that back.
So tell me a little bit about
if there's a plan afoot to make that happen.
Well, there's no plan,
but I'll tell you,
I would love it if they did.
One of my earliest cars as a demo was an element
and I absolutely loved it.
So, there's always something to be said
about these nameplates and the resurrection of these names,
but I think it comes down to timing
and whether it makes sense for the marketplace
and the demand is there.
But as of for right now,
element is not part of our planning,
but we've seen some great success with some resurrections.
I mean, Integra on the Acura side
has been tremendously successful for us.
Super excited about that car.
So, who knows?
Let's talk a little bit about Honda overall.
We're going to the last quarter of the year,
how are sales shaping up
and what do you expect the year to end up like?
We're looking very strong.
I think there's been a tremendous surge
through the spring into the summer season.
Exceptional demand for the Honda product.
I mean, a mixture of what we have available
in the marketplace right now
and just really hitting the mark with consumers
that in addition to the fact that
we produce so many cars in Canada itself,
tremendous loyalty to the country and patriotism,
I think played a bit of a role as well.
So, we've got a good surge going
from the spring into the summer season.
We're looking at a very, very strong
third and fourth quarter as well.
So, we should be well ahead of last year
and above our targets for the year.
Thank you so much for your time.
I appreciate it. Thank you.
I'd like to thank Emil for his time
and Tim for conducting the interview.
If you'd like to be a guest, have a suggestion
or simply want to comment,
email me at glasen at autonews.com.
And remember, you can listen to all our previous podcasts
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And that does it for this episode
of the Automotive News Canada podcast.
We hope you'll join us next time.
So long, everybody.
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