Hot petrol Honda CR-Z planned - Autocar.co.uk

Honda is set to provide its CR-Z with an all-new, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine option as part of plans to broaden the compact coupé’s appeal in key world markets, including the UK.

Currently available with just the one engine option — a hybrid that mates a 112bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine with a 14bhp electric motor — the CR-Z is earmarked to receive an all-new turbocharged 1.6-litre powerplant that is currently undergoing development at Honda’s Tochigi R&D centre.

The new engine, which is also planned for the Jazz, Civic and Accord, forms an integral part of a downsizing program instigated at Honda. With forced induction and Honda’s patented VTEC-i fully variable camshaft timing system, it is aimed at providing the performance of a typical 2.0-litre engine from a capacity of just 1.6 litres.

Autocar sources in Japan say the new engine is likely to come in two guises: a standard 160bhp model and a highly tuned 200bhp version aimed at matching the now defunct 2.0-litre VTEC engine in the Civic Type R. This more potent spec is likely to form the basis of a CR-Z Type R, tentatively due out late next year.

Plans for more than a hybrid engine for the Japanese Car of the Year come as sales of the two-door coupé have started to sag in the firm’s all-important home market.

Honda first hinted that it was planning to add another petrol engine when it unveiled the CR-Z Hybrid R concept at the recent SEMA tuning show in Las Vegas. Unlike the proposed production version, though, that car ran a turbocharged version of the CR-Z’s existing 1.5-litre engine rather than the new 1.6.

 

Ftw

 

thats pretty sweet. crz's are starting to grow on me.

 

are they ditching the hybrid drive for this one?

 

wonder if it is going to be released before Fords 2.0l Ecoboost

 

If it's still in development, don't plan on seeing it for a couple of years. The crz is still ugly as sin though.

 

I know it only says tentatively, but it still seems like they are aiming for late next year. Not too bad I guess.

 

wonder if it it is going to be maxed out in its "highly tuned" set up or if it will have lots of room to grow like some older honda engines.
I'd really hate to see this engine built just strong enough to handle that 200 hp mark.

 

highly doubtful.

 

This is pretty cool considering I was pondering to myself when honda was actually going to make factory turbo charged car anytime soon.