Honda Cars For Sale

DRIVEN: HONDA CR-Z MUGEN

No doubt there will be a few of you for whom the be-winged, be-spoilered and be-side skirted looks push the right buttons, but I don't think I'm going out on all that much of a limb if I say that you won't be in a majority...

But, however dubious the looks of this one-off special, there's no denying it's an intriguing concept. Honda pitches the standard CR-Z as the world's first genuinely sporty hybrid car, but the 'sporty' aspect doesn't stand up to all that much scrutiny when you drive the car. It's a moderately spritely thing, but a total power output of 122bhp and a 0-62mph sprint posted in 9.9secs is hardly the stuff of performance legend.

Which is why bolting on a supercharger to the CR-Z is such a fascinating idea, because possibly - just possibly - it could be this which elevates the CR-Z to a genuinely sporting status. Not that Honda or Mugen would thank us for the phrase 'bolting on'.

Colin Whittamore from Mugen Euro is at pains to point out that the supercharger has been fully and thoroughly integrated into the Mugen CR-Z's drivetrain and its IMA system. The three drive modes (including a special 'MUGEN' rather than sport mode mode) are all carried over, with 50mpg easily achievable in 'eco' mode (we'll take Mr Whittamore's word for that one...).

CF for 'Integral Centrigual Forced induction) has been slotted in sympathetically and effectively and, with a bit of ECU tweakery, works pretty much in seamless harmony with the IMA electric motor and the 1.5-litre internal combustion engine.

"The idea was to use the significant advantage of the early torque provided by the Honda IMA electric motor," says Colin, "then increase the torque available from the engine progressively".

As a result, the torque curve of the CR-Z is much more like that of a conventional car. Thus (theoretically at least), this rather unusual vehicle, with its odd-tech drivetrain, 197bhp and 158lb ft of torque, should behave like a conventional, lightweight hot hatch, despite achieving this in an far from conventional way.

But theory is nothing without practice, so Honda and Mugen have kindly laid on Rockingham racetrack for us to have a little go. The first thing you notice, having got over the shock of the looks and strapped yourself in, is how 'proper' this car feels. Yes there are a lot of aftermarket bits, but this is no bare-metal-and-duct-tape hack - this is one properly built experiment.

2002 Honda Civic For Sale Freeport NY 2HGES16552H575008

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