Honda CR-Z Mugen concept (2011): first photos

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

18 May 2011 00:01

Honda has teamed up with Mugen again for a new hotrod special - but this one's a hybrid. The new Honda CR-Z Mugen is a slightly more ecologically sound proposition than the banzai 2009 Civic Type R Mugen, and brings the race car treatment to Honda's hybrid coupe.

However, at this stage it's a one-off prototype, with no firm commitment to build even a limited run. Reading between the lines, we'd say it's likely that Honda will launch a sportier version to tap into the latent demand for rabid Hondas.
How much quicker is the Honda CR-Z Mugen?

The regular 1.5 i-VTEC engine develops 113bhp, while Mugen's bolting on a supercharger and fettling the IMA hybrid system for nearer 200bhp and 181lb ft. And Mugen's dieticians have stripped out 50kg of unnecessary heft, to make the CR-Z more agile. The bonnet is made from carbonfibre while the wheels are lightweight Mugen alloys.

You may pile some of that weight back on with the whopping front and rear spoilers, but Mugen claims improved aero drag. It's also fettling the brakes and suspension.

'Early tests with a prototype car based on a standard CR-Z and a mid-tune engine have given 0-60mph times around that of the Civic Type R,' says the blurb issued overnight. Sounds like 0-60mph in around 6.6sec then.
Won't a supercharged CR-Z totally remove the point of having a hybrid?

'Early fuel consumption tests have been encouraging,' claims Colin Whittamore from Mugen Euro, the go-faster Honda brand's European wing based in Northampton.

'We've retained the three driving modes from the standard car and economy ranges from 50+mpg in Eco mode to mid-30mpg when tapping into the supercharged power in a special Mugen mode.'

We'll know more when we see the car for the first time at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Honda CR-Z Mugen has Type R pace
18 May 2011

* 0-62mph in less than 6.5 seconds
* As well as mid-30mpg economy
* Still no production details confirmed

Honda CR-Z Mugen


Honda has released the first pictures of a new high-performance CR-Z Mugen coupe.

The company says that in early tests with a mid-tune engine the car has posted Civic Type R 0-60mph times of around 6.6 seconds. There's more power to come before it makes its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, however.

Power will increase by a further 15% from the mid-tune car, which will make the hybrid faster than the Type R.

As well as more power, the Mugen is 50kg lighter than the standard CR-Z, the expensive carbonfibre bonnet accounting for a significant proportion of this.

In Mugen driving mode fuel economy is around 35mpg, says Honda, around 4mpg better than the Civic Type R. The car's standard driving modes are retained, however, which means it can still better 50mpg on the official test cycle in eco mode.

Honda has heavily hinted that the car will be available in small numbers with a much higher price than the standard £17,695 model.