We review the Honda CR-Z from price to economy and all its features
WITH an orange body and black bonnet it flies across Tarmac like a giant motorised sci-fi insect.
But this Honda CR-Z Mugen concept won’t sting you in any way — it’s the world’s sexiest economical car.
Hollywood loves hybrids so we gave the Mugen its debut in Scotland on the set of World War Z in George Square, Glasgow.
In the battle for global eco-car supremacy, this CR-Z is undoubtedly the winner.
The zombie film’s producer and lead actor, Brad Pitt, owns a BMW Hydrogen 7, but he would have to admit that this CR-Z makes his Beemer look particularly Z-list when it comes to looks in the green room.
The CR-Z has already been a hit for Honda selling 2,442 since it went on sale in 2009.
But it’s never really had the power to live up to its racy bodywork.
So Honda commissioned their British tuning division, Mugen Euro, to make a one-off special to prove that hybrids can be high-powered.
They’ve done just that, but they couldn’t resist adding an extra dose of glitz to make it even more drop Z gorgeous.
I was going to go on set in the Mugen dressed as a zombie — but I was told I didn’t need to dress up to have that look.
However, this Mugen left bystanders zombified as they stopped and stared at its wacky body.
It certainly wouldn’t look out of place on a Hollywood set.
Six piercing vertical LED lights gleam straight ahead out of the grille, giving it a sci-fi spaceship glamour.
The comic-book looks continue with new spoilers, rear diffuser, black carbon fibre bonnet and doors and 17in gold lightweight alloys. This all slices 50kg from the regular CR-Z’s weight — crucial for its added punch for performance.
Inside, gauges showing oil and water temperature, plus oil pressure, add even more movie drama. But the dash is absolute Hollywood and beyond. Turn the ignition key and it lights up like a movie set with blue, red and green displays filling every screen and dial.
This is pure Star Trek but it’s more Green Me Up, Scotty.
The rear seats have been removed and the fronts replaced by lightweight Recaros, although these aren’t adjustable and are very hard and not that supportive.
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Press the red starter button and gruff burble from the exhaust instantly reminds you this is no ordinary hybrid.
Whack down the right foot and the supercharger really goes to town — acceleration is accompanied by an epic Thunderbird-esque whoosh. This is a hybrid on acid.
Honda claim a 0-62mph time of just over six seconds and a 140mph top speed. It certainly delivers much more pace than the standard car.
But it feels very quick because the suspension is also much harder and the front tyres squirm dramatically under accleration. That prompts the traction control into action on a regular basis.
And that simply adds to the experience. Throw this CR-Z about and the tyres squeal, the chassis jumps and bumps and this is real motoring in the movies.
I left the Sport button on for my time at the wheel, it was so much more fun than Normal and Eco.
Yet, despite that, it still delivered around 40mpg — which is impressive and is better than the ordinary CR-Z — and an estimated 120g/km of CO2.
Honda claim this one-off cost £150,000 to build. The extra bodykit, exhaust and suspension would only have cost around £10,000 — so most of that is down to engine development.
That means it wouldn’t be cheap to build and would have a showroom cost of almost £50,000 — double that of the standard CR-Z.
Unfortunately that means this Mugen will probably remain more sci-fi than reality.
Which is a shame because this proves just how sexy green motoring can be.
The World War Z zombies might be dead.
Let’s hope Honda give their zany CR-Z a lease of life.