Paris Motor Show - Honda has updated its sporty little CR-Z hybrid with a range of improvements focusing on style and performance - notably increases in power for both the petrol and electric motors and the fitting of a lithium-ion battery for the first time.
A new front bumper frames a revised grille, complemented at the rear by a new aerodynamic diffuser design, while new 17” alloys fill the wheel arches. Inside, there's a new cabin colour scheme, while redesigned door panels improve cabin storage.
The CR-Z will also be available in two new colours, a strong yellow and the loudest violet this side of a custom car show.
But the really good stuff is under the bonnet, where the 1.5-litre petrol engine's variable valve timing system and engine control unit have been revised, the material of the crankshaft upgraded, and an anti-vibration knock sensor added - all of which lifts peak power from 84 to 89kW.
The electric side of the equation has also been improved.
The change from a nickel-metal hybrid to a lithium-ion battery has been accompanied by an increase in power from 10 to 15kW.
Working together, they deliver 101kW at 6600rpm (up 9.6kW) and 190Nm, an improvement of 16 Nm. The claimed 0-100 sprint time comes down from 9.7 to nine seconds flat and top speed is 198km, while quoted fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are unchanged at 5.02 litres per 100km and 116g/km respectively.
To make the best of the extra voomah, there's also a new Plus Sport (S+) button on the steering wheel. If the battery is more than 50 percent charged, you can push the button for a 10-second burst of extra acceleration, irrespective of which mode the powertrain is in.
The revised CR-Z will go on sale in Europe in January 2013; we’re waiting on a reply from Honda SA as t o when it will be released in South Africa. qa de