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An unknown builder is currently fabricating up a mid-engine Honda CR-Z, sporting a completely custom widebody and carbon fiber doors. While it may just be a concept car for the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon, some rumors are hinting that this Honda CR-Z might be being built for the Japanese SuperGT racing series, competing in the GT300 class. Given how popular the CR-Z has already become in Japan, this would be a pretty cool move by Honda.
Currently Honda already competes in the GT500 class with the HSV-010 GT race car.
Obviously the CR-Z that any layman can buy is just a gas-saving, tree-hugging hybrid, but how wicked would it be to see this CR-Z actually perform on the track rather than just being a show car? We're really curious as to the powerplant that's being used as a mock up, especially as GT300 class cars make 300-hp. Stay tuned, this is one CR-Z we're staying on top of!
Honda may drop both the Civic Hybrid and the Insight from its lineup in Canada. According to a recent report by Monvolant, the two hybrids will be eliminated from the product plan – likely in response to dismally poor sales. This would then leave the new CR-Z as the only hybrid in Honda Canada's lineup.
When the Insight launched over a year ago, Honda Canada projected sales of 10,000 units. But poor press, a high-dollar asking price and competition from the significantly more fuel efficient third-generation Toyota Prius may all be contributing factors to the fact that just 748 Insights have been sold so far this year. Worse still are Civic Hybrid sales, with just 643 units moved in 2010.
With such low Honda hybrid sales you'd expect the Prius to be conquesting a lot of buyers, but that doesn't appear to be the case with just 2,272 third-gen Prius models sold in Canada so far this year. While there are no hard facts surrounding why Canadians are turning away from hybrids, possible factors include the higher price of the cars in Canada, the lack of large urbanized cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal stand out as exceptions) and the colder climate often means hybrids don't perform up to their lofty MPG targets.
While good for the environment, hybrid vehicles will not save you money with fewer trips to the gas pump not equal to the increased sticker price. And yet, even as hybrids continue to improve and close the gap on this discrepancy, a new report suggests that additional factors, namely, insurance rates, will drive up the cost-to-own criteria.
An article in the latest issue of Industry Trends Report indicates that the changing owner base of hybrids will drive up insurance costs. No, hybrids haven't suddenly caught on with 18-year-old males, rather, the average hybrid buyer is no longer the early-adopter as hybrids continue to become more mainstream.
The report indicates that for those early adopters, "while their politics may have been liberal, their driving habits were conservative." Deemed low-risk, insurance companies were eager to offer discounted rates to early hybrid owners.
Now, however, trends are changing with hybrid buyers now living in more urban settings with long commutes, two factors that have lead to, "higher claim frequencies." An additional factor is that hybrid collision repair costs are, on average, $182 more than on a conventional gasoline vehicle, while labor repair was also more expensive – likely a result of buyers taking their cars directly to the dealer.
Combining these factors and insurance companies aren't likely to wait too long before hybrids like the Toyota Prius become a little more expensive to own, and a little less attractive to buy.
Honda will launch the Fit Hybrid at the Paris Auto Show this Fall, expanding the Japanese automaker's hybrid lineup down-market. The new model will be the first hybrid sub-compact model offered and is possible because of Honda's low-cost Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid setup.
While no official details have been released the car is expected to use Honda's 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine combined with a 9.7 kW electric motor for roughly 97-hp and 90 ft-lbs of torque. While no rocket-ship, it is expected to offer impressive fuel economy. Currently the Fit gets a rating of 28/35-mpg (city/highway) and the Fit Hybrid is touted to get a more economical rating than the Insight, which is currently ranked at 40/43-mpg.
And it won't just be the engine that is helping reduce emissions and increase fuel economy as the hybrid Fit is also destined to get a new aerodynamic body kit, brake energy regeneration and a start-stop system. It's also likely to get Honda's "Econ" mode button, which limits throttle response to ensure a more efficient drive. Both a manual transmission and CVT will be offered in Europe where the car will be badged as the Jazz Hybrid, although it's not yet clear if Honda intends to sell this new model in the U.S.
Hybrid tuning is about to take on a whole new face now that Honda's CR-Z has hit the market. Tjin Edition has been building plenty of SEMA showpieces including their most recent Chevrolet Camaro, and this year they have teamed up with Fortune Motorsports out of Miami, Florida and American Honda Motor Corporation for this year's SEMA show.
Proving that Honda is adamant in pushing CR-Z sales to the masses, including tuners and builders, Fortune Motorsports and Tjin Edition have already teased their upcoming project well in advance of November's SEMA Show. From what we can gather, the CR-Z will be sporting ADV1 wheels with Falken Tires, Status Racing seats and Air Lift suspension. With how successful the Prius and Insight are doing in Japan, we can only imagine the potential of the CR-Z. Will this generation of tuning catch on in America? We sure hope so, it's always refreshing to see something new and exciting.
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