The Honda CR-Z would also have a turbo version

Have you never thought that the Honda CR-Z would benefit greatly from a conventional engine? When looking at the Honda CR-Z, some people have imagined it instead with its hybrid powertrain. But even though the CR-Z will receive a new 1.6 turbo engine, it will not lose its hybrid engine, much to the delight of eco-minded drivers.

But to the delight of “the others”, Honda has big plans for the CR-Z. At Honda’s Tochigi development centre, a team of engineers is putting the final touches on a new turbocharged 1.6 VTEC engine, which will be sold alongside the hybrid model.

And the truth is that all of this probably began with models like the CR-Z Hybrid R, although more for show than anything else, since the hybrid at the SEMA was still eco-friendly. But what if I told you that the CR-Z has started to struggle in Japan?

The recently won Car of the Year in Japan title barely managed to disguise the downward sales trend of the sporty hybrid in the land of the rising sun. More attention will need to be drawn to the car, turning the CR-Z into a sportier model with a conventional engine.

Source | Autocar