Tokyo Auto Show Preview: Honda CR-Z

The CR-Z, according to Japanese media reports, is a precursor of a new gas-electric hybrid model that Honda plans to introduce by 2009 in Japan and North America. The company will say only that the concept is a "design research model of a lightweight hybrid sports car."

The CR-Z is a follow-up to two recent Honda concepts, the Small Hybrid Sports shown earlier this year at Geneva and the Remix displayed at last year's Los Angeles show.

However, the CR-Z's design looks more fully realized and, judging from the official images, the car appears to be virtually production-ready. And, more important, it exudes considerable sex appeal.

Among the scant details in the press release, Honda says the car will feature LED headlamps and 19-inch wheels and tires. The cabin is trimmed in a mesh material on a simple framework, while blue-neon-lit gauges are mounted in what Honda describes as "a piece of glass artwork."

There are no further details on the hybrid powertrain, but it is expected to be an update on the IMA system that powers the Civic Hybrid.

What this means to you: If this is the future of hybrids, call us futurists.

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Honda CR-Z's name stands for Compact Renaissance Zero, but the reference to the old CRX is clear. (Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Company, Inc.)

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Honda CR-Z appears close to production ready. (Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Company, Inc.)

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The company says the CR-Z is a "design research model" but Japan media are saying it'll be seen in production form as a 2009 model. (Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Company, Inc.)

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Honda CR-Z will have 19-inch wheels and tires. (Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Company, Inc.)

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The Honda CR-Z concept has blue-neon lit gauges on a "glass artwork" background.

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The Honda CR-Z follows two recent Honda concepts, the Small Hybrid Sports and the Remix. (Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Company, Inc.)

Europe Gets Honda's CR-Z Hybrid Before The Rest of Us.

Europeans get all the cool cars - the Fiat 500, the Peugeot 207, the Ariel Atom and now the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car.

That's right. Honda will build the spiritual sucessor to the CRX but will offer it only in Europe - at least to start. According to Automotive News Europe, Honda is gearing the car toward a Continental market, with Honda UK leading the design effort while Honda's people in Germany work out the engineering.

Honda's poised to make a big push to unseat the mighty Toyota Prius as the very definition of hybrid technology, and to that end the company plans to release three new hybrids during the next several years. The goal, according to company president Takeo Fukui, is to have hybrids account for about 10 percent of Honda's sales by 2010. Reaching that goal will require selling about 400,000 hybrids a year, and there's no way the Civic Hybrid will hit a number that big. Honda will need more hybrid models.

Enter the CR-Z, the first of Honda's new hybrids.

The CR-Z - Compact Renaissance Zero, whatever that means - concept pictured here makes its European debut next month at the Geneva Auto Show. Honda plans to roll out the CR-Z in 2009 or 2010, but how much it resembles the concept is an open question. The concept looks great from the back, but that grille opening is a bit too catfish-like. Still, the CR-Z nicely updates the second-gen CRX.

It will have a mild hybrid drivetrain called Integrated Motor Assist with an electric motor between the gasoline engine and transmission. According to Motor Trend, the CR-Z won't be cable of electric-only operation. Honda says it will consider a full-on fossil-fuel burning model if the demand is there. It won't be cheap, either - look for the base model to come in at 25,00 Euros ($36,785 at today's exchange rate). Load it up with options and you're looking at 28,000 Euros ($41,199).

Look for the CR-Z to come to America about a year or two after Europe gets it.

2011 Honda CRZ: 21st-Century CRX

Honda's CRZ hybrid coupe remains on track as a 2011 model, on sale in late 2010. Honda wants sports-car enthusiasts to buy it not because it's green, but because it's fun. The carmaker considered doing a non-hybrid version of the CRZ, but it desperately wants to be seen as a hybrid supplier on par with Toyota and believes it needs a range of dedicated hybrid-only models to achieve that.

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So the CRZ gets a lively 140-horse, 1.8-liter Civic-derived engine. The IMA system -- motor, battery, electronics -- will be like the Insight's, as will the platform, to save cost. A senior engineer says, "It must be fun to drive, must remind you of the original CRX." And a manual gearbox will be offered. "CVT is fine for the market, mostly. But we are Honda! We must have a manual!"

As a two-seater, the CRZ's smaller body mass versus the Insight should make up for the weight of the bigger engine, brakes, and tires. So a 2800-pound total, with lots of electric-assist torque and a revvy gasoline engine, should make it the real deal as a pocket performance coupe.

Honda has trimmed back its sports cars. President Takeo Fukui said the company has canceled the Acura NSX replacement, though engineers say it may simply be deferred. And the rear-drive Acura range has been canceled. Honda is out of Formula 1. So the CRZ must be to Honda in the 2010s what the CRX was to Honda in the 1980s.

The other leg of Honda's small-car hybrid tripod, the Fit hybrid, also is going ahead for a '10 release. To give the Insight a lower overall height than the Fit, for reduced aero drag at highway speeds, the fuel tank was moved from under the front seats in the Fit to under the rear seats in the Insight. Speeds in the EPA test aren't high enough to make aerodynamics a factor, so the Fit hybrid may match the Insight's fuel economy label, and offer more space and versatility, for less money. It will interesting to see how the marketing guys handle that one.

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Honda CR-Z Hybrid Concept Car Too Awesome to Be a Honda

The Honda CR-Z hybrid concept is designed to the nines. The reality check, even if this is just a concept, it's a concept built around Honda's current-gen hybrid in this generation's Civic Hybrid/Accord. No matter—the LED headlights, body lines, and dash are kind enough on the eyes:

[Full gallery at Jalopnik]

Honda Announces Automobiles to be Displayed at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007

TOKYO, Japan, October 9, 2007-Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that it will exhibit production and concept automobiles and a number of technologies at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show (sponsored byJapan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.), to be held from Saturday, October 27 to Sunday, November 11, 2007, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.

The theme for Honda's automobile booth for this year is: "For the endless joy of mobility on our earth". Based on this theme, Honda will display a variety of advanced environmental technologies that address environmental issues such as a reduction in CO2 emissions, together with the fun of mobility.

Two concept models will make their world premiere at the motor show. The CR-Z is a next-generation lightweight sports car equipped with Honda's original gas-electric hybrid system which achieves both clean performance and a high level of torque. The PUYO is a fuel cell vehicle which was designed based on out-of-box thinking to provide fun for both the vehicle owner and people around them as well. Also on display will be a model of the i-DTEC next-generation diesel engine, first announced in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which delivers both outstanding environmental performance and engine performance characteristics.

CR-Z
'CR-Z' stands for 'Compact Renaissance Zero'-an expression intended to capture the idea of a renaissance in the design of compact cars that begins anew from fundamentals.

This design research model of a lightweight hybrid sports car features advanced technologies that deliver enjoyable driving for all while reducing the vehicle's environmental footprint.

Exterior design
Designed to be 'Futuristic and Dynamic', the CR-Z combines powerful performance in a compact form with a futuristic image. For its frontal view, an over-sized grill with a high-performance look is offset by openings on each side that lighten the overall feel. In the rear, tube-shaped rear combination lamps ensure better rearward visibility. Design details emphasizing the CR-Z's advanced image include door mirrors that provide high visibility in a stylish form, LED headlights patterned after luminous bodies to convey a sharp impression, and jauntyfin-shaped

Interior design
The key words for the CR-Z's interior design are 'Hi-tech and Sporty'. The goal was to create an all-new sporty interior that fuses the liberating feel of airy spaciousness with an advanced interface that brings out the fun of the drive. Mesh material on a simple framework construction is used throughout the interior to convey a light, sophisticated image without being oppressive. In the cockpit, the meter unit conveys the image of advanced technology ensconced in a piece of glass artwork, offering the functionality of immediate recognition while enhancing the driving experience with a futuristic and exhilarating feeling.

Honda CR-Z – Hybrid Concept Car – Official Web Site

Futuristic styling. Hybrid power. Advanced interior design. And it’s all wrapped up in a lightweight, fun-to-drive package. What a concept! It’s the Honda CR-Z concept, to be exact—and it made its North American debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

Shorthand for “Compact Renaissance Zero,” the CR-Z is a forward-thinking exercise in inspired design and environmental technology. The CR-Z draws its inspiration from a need to deliver spirited performance in an efficient manner. It is our goal to deliver a small CR-Z-based hybrid in the near future as part of our commitment to help effect positive environmental change. So keep on the lookout for more details about the CR-Z.