Hot Mugen Honda CR-Z Spec Revealed
198bhp courtesy of supercharging for Mugen-Honda hybrid coupe
Honda tuner Mugen is set to finally deliver a properly hot version of the CR-Z hybrid coupe at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July - and it has today revealed that the new car will be supercharged.
The tuned version of the hybrid coupe is expected to produce around 198bhp (Civic Type R levels), and 181lb ft of torque (significantly more than Civic Type R levels). The car retains the Honda IMA electric motor and the original 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine, which has been rebuilt to Mugen spec by Northamptonshire-based Mugen Euro with bespoke upgraded and strengthened internal components.
"The idea was to use the significant advantage of the early torque provided by the Honda IMA electric motor, then increase the torque available from the petrol engine gradually, to first maintain and then increase this," says Colin Whittamore from Mugen Euro. "A supercharger and complementary electronics allow us to very neatly map the IMA to the extra power and torque of the engine in a unique package, giving a smooth, integrated and powerful driving experience."
Plenty of work has also gone on with the Chassis and body, too: there are five-step adjustable dampers fitted front and rear, an increase in track width and a large reduction in overall weight, as well as bigger brake discs and four-pot monobloc calipers.
On the positive side, erm...good effort considering what they started with. If this ever made production, it would probably be north of £35k and they'll sell 8, in Europe.
''The system delivers a combined peak output of 122 bhp (91 kW) at 6000 rpm and 128 lb·ft (174 N·m) at 1000 to 1500 rpm (123 lb·ft (167 N·m) on CVT-equipped models). The gasoline motor itself contributes only 111 bhp (83 kW) at 6000 rpm and 106 lb·ft (144 N·m) at 4800 rpm. An early road test of a Japanese-market CR-Z resulted in 0-60 in 10.5 seconds and the quarter mile in 17.6 seconds.[20] Inside Line performed the same 0-60 test in 8.8 seconds, and Motor Trend, in 8.3 seconds.[citation needed]''
so the electric motor provides 11 bhp and 22 ib torque..
just doesn't seem worth it, get rid of that and just supercharge it..
stock at around 8.5 seconds 0-60 sounds good so should be around 6.5 mark now..
Now, that Toyota RWD coupe. If we could have that with a 200bhp engine.... yes please!
And then we have STI with Subaru's version.
Sort of feeling sorry for the Mugen boys now. No NSX...no S2000.
People moaning about it being a hybrid need to stop being so boring.
People moaning about it being FWD need to remember it's a Honda. They mainly do FWD cars. And lots of them have been very good.
People moaning about it being a hybrid need to stop being so boring.
.
Surprised it isn't called the iCR-Z mugan
Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of a beefed up motor with the aid of the electric motors (although they seem pretty tame), but when tuning a hybrid I would have liked to see more powerful motors and better recharge rates and other things I don;t know about being fettled with to give a rounded performace gain.
Seems to be missing a trick.
People moaning about it being a hybrid need to stop being so boring.
.
Surprised it isn't called the iCR-Z mugan
...and I genuinely fail to see how the CR-Z is an improvement on that original car in any way.
This new one is a good idea for someone who's more bothered about fuel consumption than depreciation ( )...and could actually be moderately entertaining. But in a way it's even more pointless - real-world economy won't be that great and the handling/packaging are already compromised by the motors and batteries...
Surprised it isn't called the iCR-Z mugan
2. It's a 14hp motor, not 11, 58lbft, not 22. And having that means that it's in a lower tax bracket/uses less fuel without being a stinky diesel.
Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of a beefed up motor with the aid of the electric motors (although they seem pretty tame), but when tuning a hybrid I would have liked to see more powerful motors and better recharge rates and other things I don;t know about being fettled with to give a rounded performace gain.
Seems to be missing a trick.
''The system delivers a combined peak output of 122 bhp (91 kW) at 6000 rpm and 128 lb·ft (174 N·m) at 1000 to 1500 rpm (123 lb·ft (167 N·m) on CVT-equipped models). The gasoline motor itself contributes only 111 bhp (83 kW) at 6000 rpm and 106 lb·ft (144 N·m) at 4800 rpm. An early road test of a Japanese-market CR-Z resulted in 0-60 in 10.5 seconds and the quarter mile in 17.6 seconds.[20] Inside Line performed the same 0-60 test in 8.8 seconds, and Motor Trend, in 8.3 seconds.[citation needed]''
so the electric motor provides 11 bhp and 22 ib torque..
Look at where that peak torque is!
...and I genuinely fail to see how the CR-Z is an improvement on that original car in any way.
This new one is a good idea for someone who's more bothered about fuel consumption than depreciation ( )...and could actually be moderately entertaining. But in a way it's even more pointless - real-world economy won't be that great and the handling/packaging are already compromised by the motors and batteries...
I think his best on a summers day for that commute is 127mpg.
Handling? the roll centre is 15mm lower than the Civic Type R, IMA adds around 56kg.
I think the improvement comes from the fact selling a CRZ makes Honda money unlike the G1 Insight.
After driving one I think the real compromise has come from poor packaging, the battery is neat and displaces a spare wheel- no issues there. Same power as the Insight 1, more torque yet the battery is smaller and lighter. The real issuse comes from the tiny row 2 leg room whilst offering a massive boot. Im sure they could have played tunes there to make the idea of even kids in the back a possibility.
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