2011 Honda CRZ
Honda is working hard to expand their offerings of hybrid vehicles in order to gain supremecy oof the fuel-efficient vehicle market. They’ve got their work cut out for them, as Toyota already has more hybrid offerings and their Prius model has the highest penetration in the hybrid market. So, while Honda is still working on expanding their hybrid options for existing models, they’ve decided to attack a new portion of the market: they hybrid sports car. Can they make a two-seater sports car hybrid that is fun to drive? With the 2011 CRZ, it sure looks like it.
The CRZ will be a hybrid-only model and shares the same baisc platform as the Honda Insight, the company’s latest hybrid offering. Helping push the fuel efficiency is that fact that the CRZ is going to be smaller and lighter than the Insight. However, the inclusion of a larger engine, a 1.8-liter four-cylinder which is a variant of that found in Civic models, as well as larger, sportier wheels and a more powerful braking system will add some weight. In all, the CRZ will weight about 2,800 pounds.
The gasoline engine will deliver 140 horsepower and, while the electric motor’s specifications have not yet been released, it will probably only add about 15 more horses if it is the same setup as the Insight. Combined with the light weight of the CRZ, that should make for some fun handling and tight cornering. And fun is the name of the game. Honda’s engineers have a simple goal for the CRZ: make it fun, the hybrid part is incidental.
Furthering that idea of fun is the inclusion of a manual gearbox. Most hybrids are equipped with an automatic transmission that balances the output of the gasoline engine and the electric motor. But, all true sports cars must have a manual transmission option, Honda asserts, so the CRZ will have one. No word yet on how the transmission will accomodate both the electric motor and gasoline engine into a standard clutch-and-shiter manual setup, but as the car approaches its late-2010 release date, there is sure to be plenty of fresh news.
May 31st, 2009 at 12:49 am
wonderful car with luxurious style