Japan's Best Car magazine recently released a new artist rendition of the upcoming Honda CR-Z hybrid. The vehicle's depiction differs only slightly from the prototype version but some new info on the vehicle has been reported.
The magazine implies that Honda will go with a modified version of the powertrain used in the Insight. They speculate that it will either be a 1.3 or 1.5 liter engine, but will be supplemented with a more powerful electric motor. The total output for the Insight is rated at 98 hp, but the CR-Z is expected to be higher as Honda calls it a sporty hybrid.
Other reports from U.S. sources indicate that Honda may go with a 1.8 liter engine. It turns out that both assumptions could be right giving the U.S. market a higher torque engine to suit their needs while equipping Japanese models with a more efficient engine.
The vehicle is expected to make it production debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in October so we will have to wait until then to find out how close the artist rendering is to the actual vehicle. The CR-Z should hit the streets sometime in 2010.
Source: Best Car Magazine via Carscoop
