Not so fast…Honda’s new hybrid sporty car is coming soon, while the Spoon aftermarket version may revolutionize the genre.
When we discovered that Honda’s upcoming hybrid sporty car, the CR-Z, had already gone on sale in Japan (several months earlier than in the U.S.), the decision to fly over and be among the first American car magazines to drive it was an easy one to make, especially when considering that one of my good car-journalist friends, Yohei Hashimoto, had just purchased a CR-Z and offered a drive of it on a racetrack. The deal was made even sweeter when Spoon Sports, a prominent Japanese Honda tuner and race team, asked if I would be interested in driving the world’s first tuned CR-Z, one with added power and improved handling.Although the media buzz surrounding the CR-Z has been tame so far in the U.S., within the walls of Honda’s head offices in Tokyo, this new hybrid represents a big turning point in the way the company will build sports cars in the foreseeable future. That’s saying a lot when you consider this car is being treated with about the same level of importance as the S600, S2000 and the Acura NSX.
That said, when you look at its specs, one thing is crystal clear: To say that the CR-Z is a true sports car would be like calling takeout sushi a gourmet meal. The car is front-wheel drive and powered by a hybrid powertrain that consists of a 1.5-liter dual-cam inline-4 (the same i-VTEC engine as in the Honda Fit) and an electric motor, producing a paltry 122 bhp combined. And it’s not exactly lightweight, tipping the scales at an estimated 2560 lb. But what makes this car special is that, like its spiritual predecessor, the CRX, its compact dimensions and rigid chassis allow it to make up in handling what it gives up in brute force.
We gathered at Sodegaura Forest Raceway, a new racetrack about an hour east of Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture, to wring out this car. Hashimoto’s bronze CR-Z looks larger in the flesh than in photos and is quite a bit larger than the CRX. Also, the Japan-market version is a 2+2; our CR-Z will be a 2-seater. Honda says that despite the extra seats in the Japanese car, the curb weight will be close to the same. The CR-Z stretches 160.6 in. from bumper to bumper with a 95.8-in. wheelbase. (The 1986 CRX had an overall length of 148.5 in. and a wheelbase of 90.6.) The exterior styling of the CR-Z is sporty, with a face characterized by rectangular headlights and a large grille mimicking the snout of a bull shark. The character line that runs from the flared front fenders to the taillights gives the car a dynamic profile, making it seem like it’s in motion when standing still.
Step inside, and the cabin is classic Honda. The dashboard is a tasteful presentation of form following function as all the main controls surround the driver, and the video LCD monitor is mounted right in the middle of the dash. There’s plenty of head room here, as my 5-ft. 8-in. frame experienced no problems getting in and out of the car—anyone up to a half-foot taller should have no problem getting comfortable.
The gasoline engine comes to life as you turn the key. After you get moving, it’s programmed to shut off whenever the car stops, such as at a light or when in rush-hour traffic. Honda’s IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) system allows the CR-Z to attain AT-PZEV (Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle) status, and get about 36/38 mpg (with the CVT). Honda believes it’s likely the greenest affordable sports coupe in the world.
The CR-Z is equipped with three driving modes: Sport, Normal and Economy.Press the Sport button to get the most aggressive setting for throttle response, electric power steering effort and electric motor power assist. The CR-Z gets off the line in a spirited manner, feeling like it unleashes all of its 128 lb.-ft. of torque at once. The forward surge doesn’t last long as the engine runs out of steam when it hits the 4000-rpm mark. We ran our acceleration tests with a CVT-equipped car, which felt quicker than the test numbers actually indicate. It hit 60 mph in 10.5 seconds and the quarter-mile mark in 17.6. We hope the 6-speed manual will be a step quicker.
But a car doesn’t have to be fast in a straight line to be sporty, as fans of the Mazda MX-5 and even the Honda CRX can attest. The compact CR-Z hatchback turns in crisply, with the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering providing excellent feel and precision. There’s noticeable understeer at turn-in, and the rear does come out if you brake too hard into a corner. The weight of the battery and gasoline tank placed near the rear of the car helps the weight distribution, which is 62/38 front/rear. Ride quality is excellent, thanks to the suspension—MacPherson struts up front and an H-shaped torsion beam at the rear—and stiff chassis. Although our stint with the car on public roads was limited, it’s obvious that the CR-Z flourishes on the open road and in big-city traffic. In short, it’s a car that anyone, from urban commuters to enthusiastic weekend canyon carvers, can enjoy.
The CR-Z is expected to go on sale in the U.S. in late summer. Although prices haven’t been announced, it’s safe to expect they’ll range from about $20,000 to $28,000.
2011 Honda CR-ZSpecifications
List price: est $20,000
Curb weight: est 2560 lb
Weight distribution: f/r, 62/38
Wheelbase: 95.8 in.
Length: 160.6 in.
Width: 68.5 in.
Height: 54.9 in.
Engine
Type: alum. block & heads dohc 4-valve/cyl inline-4 IMA hybrid
Bore x stroke: 73.0 x 89.4 mm
Compression ratio: 10.4:1
Horsepower (gasoline engine): 111 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Horsepower (combined w/elect. motor): 122 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (gasoline engine): 106 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
Torque (combined w/elect. motor): 128 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
Fuel injection: elect. sequential port
Recommended fuel: regular
Transmission: CVT
Chassis & Body
Layout: front engine/front drive
Body/frame: unit steel
Brakes f/r: vented discs/discs, ABS
Wheels: cast alloy, 16 x 6J
Tires: 195/55R-16
Steering: rack & pinion, power assist
Suspension f/r: MacPherson struts, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar/H-shaped torsion beam, coil springs, tube shocks
Fuel Economy
City/highway: est 36/38 mpg (US Gallon)
Fuel capacity: 10.5 gal.
Performance
0–60 mph: sec 10.5
0–100 mph: sec 30.0
¼-mile: sec 17.6 @ 80.1 mph
Spoon Sports CR-Z
Tatsuru Ichishima, president of Spoon Sports, calls the CR-Z the new “image car” for Honda, effectively blending sportiness with economy while being gentle on the environment. That said, when asked if he could be content with a “sporty car” that ran to 60 mph in over 10 sec., he smiled and ever-so-slightly shook his head. Now we know why the Spoon Sports CR-Z was created.
This new Spoon creation closely follows Ichishima’s philosophy on car tuning. Instead of just throwing on a turbocharger and saying, “There it is, a car with more power,” Ichishima says he strives to improve the spirit of the car, not merely its performance. He focuses on two main points: a car’s force (where he improves power, reduces weight and reduces friction of all moving parts) and its athleticism (where he improves handling and stiffens the chassis). For more on Spoon, check out our past stories on the company’s special NSX Type R and 25 Hours of Thunderhill race car.
Upon first glance, the car hardly looks like the original. It sits much closer to the ground, lowered by about 1.5 in., and its frontal appearance is highlighted by a black carbon-fiber hood. But as with all Spoon products, the most significant changes were made underneath the skin. Spoon took apart the 1.5-liter inline-4 and reassembled the i-VTEC powerplant with many of its own parts, including the Engine Torque Damper Kit, Big Throttle Body Assembly, Baffle Oil Pan, new plugs, and a new final drive for the 6-speed manual gearbox. The ECU was remapped, increasing redline from 6200 rpm to 8500, with increased midrange torque. Of particular note is Spoon’s new exhaust system that makes this hybrid sound like an Italian exotic. The engine and motor now produce roughly 145 bhp and about 150 lb.-ft. of torque.
Spoon also went to work on the interior and chassis, removing anything that weighed the car down, swapping some components with lighter pieces. In the end, Spoon claims it removed about 220 lb. Inside the cabin, the lightweight bucket seats and custom steering wheel are a dead giveaway that this isn’t your sister’s CR-Z. Mash the throttle, and the car leaves the line in the same way as the original, with verve, but this car seems to get stronger as the engine revs rise. The Spoon Sports CR-Z with a 6-speed manual gearbox dashed to 60 mph in a scant 7.3 sec. and to the quarter mile in 15.9, leaving the stock version in its dust. Naturally, the car’s fuel economy takes a hit; we predict the Spoon CR-Z will get around 25/29 mpg city/highway.
The car’s handling is much sharper, the result of stiffer springs and shocks, and thicker anti-roll bars. Spoon also installed a custom limited-slip differential, while the body structure was stiffened via the company’s Subframe Rigid Collar Kit. New brakes at all four corners help the car stop better. All these changes pay noticeable dividends in the car’s on-track performance. Turn-in feels much crisper, more akin to that of an Acura TSX than a Honda Civic Si, and the overall handling balance is closer to neutral. At the track, the Spoon Sports showed its machismo by turning in a lap time of 1:34.6, nearly 5 sec. quicker than the stock car’s.
From the driver’s seat, every action and reaction of the Spoon car feels much sharper than the original; in fact, you would swear you were driving an entirely different class of car. Spoon is currently working on a race version of the CR-Z that Ichishima says will introduce a new era in endurance racing. He plans to have this car finished for the 25 Hours of Thunderhill in December.
This tuner version of the CR-Z will be available as a complete car later this year for about $8000 plus the cost of the car. The various Spoon parts will also be available separately. For more information, go to the company’s website at www.spoon sports.us. Whatever option you choose, one thing is for sure: Thanks to the Spoon touch, the CR-Z is more than just a sporty car, it’s a bona fide sports car.
Source;
http://www.roadandtrack.com/special_feature/2011-honda-cr-z
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