Honda's just pulled the wraps off its CR-Z car, and announced it's due to go into mass production with a launch date of February 2010. It's an interesting competitor to the Prius and the Volt, and looks sweeter than either.
Not much is known about the absolute technical specs of the CR-Z, which stands for the very anime-style name Compact Renaissance Zero. But some educated guesswork has intimated that it'll inherit the Honda Insight's drive train, meaning it'll have 1.3-liter 98bhp gasoline engine powering a 13bhp electric motor. It may also have a continuously-variable transmission--a gearless transmission system that far surpasses the conventional gearbox for smooth delivery of power to the roadwheels, and allows for better fuel efficiency.
But, really, the major power of the CR-Z is in its looks. Whereas the existing best-selling hybrid Prius looks kind of awkward and the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt looks gruff and surprisingly conventional, the CR-Z has been designed to actually look like an alternative, futuristic sports car. It's the kind of thing you could imagine rolling by in the background of many a sci-fi movie film, and looking like it belongs there.
Sadly I suspect that sweet-looking electric-blue dashboard and console won't make it into the production model intact, probably for monetary reasons. But seeing as people often choose cars based on their appearance, I'd say Honda's onto a winner with the CR-Z...assuming it's priced aggressively enough to make a dent in the Prius-dominated hybrid market.
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Related Stories: | Topics:Innovation, Technology, Design, Honda Hybrid, CR-Z, honda, alt-fuel, prius, looks, , Hybrid Vehicles, Science and Technology, Technology, Automotive Technology, Toyota Motor Corporation |
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Recent Comments | 3 Total
July 13, 2009 at 12:30pm by Thomas Purnell-Fisher
but does it make the sound of the cars in minority report? if not forget it.
July 13, 2009 at 9:00pm by David Alcantaro
Two news items contradict one another:
"I'd say Honda's onto a winner with the CR-Z." "some educated guesswork has intimated that it'll inherit the Honda Insight's drive train"
With that last statement the Insight will doom the CR-Z:
David Champion, senior director of the Consumer Reports auto test center, said, “The Insight is a noisy, stiff-riding car with clumsy handling that is nothing like the Fit on which it is based.”
Scott Burgess of the Detroit News wrote, “The Insight can feel underpowered at times, especially on the highway.”
UK reviewer Jeremy Clarkson of the popular show (and Web site) “Top Gear” wrote, “The Honda’s petrol engine…makes a noise worse than someone else’s crying baby on an airliner.”
It's looks will have to go a long way to overcome these observations. Some one will eventually have to drive the CR-Z.
July 14, 2009 at 5:36am by Kit Eaton
@Thomas... oh, if only it would! :)
@David. Stiff handling is due to the setup and geometry of a particular vehicle--its drivetrain is largely independent of that, no? And dearest Jez...well his likes and dislikes are wont to be somewhat random. Let's not write the car off before it even launches? It's a greener step in the right direction for cars, and for once it's a mass-market hybrid car with some serious design appeal.