Honda CR-Z hybrid concept - the Insight is back and with a bit more muscle

Sledge · #1 10-09-2007, 07:41 AM

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/09/t...-cr-z-concept/

Quote:

Honda will have 18 different vehicles gracing its stand in Tokyo, and one of the more accessible is the CR-Z Concept. The pseudo-acronym is an obvious play on the Godfather of the sport compact movement during the late 80s, the glass-hatched CRX, but Honda insists that it stands for "Compact Renaissance Zero." Fine by us, as we've been looking fondly on the past when it comes to the automaker's small-sized offerings.

The CR-Z finds it inspiration with a balance of entertaining driving dynamics and a hybrid power train that fuses lightweight chuckability with a clear environmental conscience. And it's doable to, as the hybrid power train sounds as if it's the same one found in the Honda Civic Hybrid.

laurieaw · #2 10-09-2007, 09:00 AM

if they make it in red, i want my name on the list

Right Lane Cruiser · #3 10-09-2007, 09:15 AM

Cool! Wonder how much seating room for the driver it has? (It really STINKS being tall sometimes.)

Chuck · #4 10-09-2007, 09:48 AM

There have been a number of Insight teases - I hope one day it goes to an actual next generation hypermiling machine.

thetonka · #5 10-09-2007, 10:35 AM

Now thats a sweet looking ride. It would be really nice to see the auto makers put out some hybrids that actually look cool.

laurieaw · #6 10-09-2007, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetonka

Now thats a sweet looking ride. It would be really nice to see the auto makers put out some hybrids that actually look cool.

and in some other color than twelve different (yea right) shades of gray. oh wait, it's officially called magnesium.........yawn

Right Lane Cruiser · #7 10-09-2007, 11:45 AM

Wow. I just got the page to finally load so I could view the other pictures -- that is a sharp looking car!!

psyshack · #8 10-09-2007, 12:02 PM

If it would come with MT and real brakes and thick sway bars. I could drive one.

BailOut · #9 10-09-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Right Lane Cruiser

Cool! Wonder how much seating room for the driver it has? (It really STINKS being tall sometimes.)

I don't wish to derailed this thread but I have to respond to this.

All my life I felt under-served for being what the world sees an as average-sized man (5'8", 140 pounds), but what by U.S. standards is a small man. This led to lots of fights in Junior High and High School with bullies looking for a quick ego boost to lots of ribbing in the military to harder competition for and social compatibility with potential mates to my time as a Bounty Hunter being more difficult by far than it would have been had I been a "big guy".

I learned to live with all these shortcomings by becoming a scrapper in my early years (you might kick my butt but I would tax you for it so fiercely that you would never come back to do it a second time), carrying an intense and intimidating manner, pushing my brain to compensate for my size, etc.

As I've gotten older though, my priorities have changed, as have those of the people around me. The fights stopped once the threat of jail time and all of the potential losses that come with it become reality, my mate is much more concerned with my health, mental well-being, earning potential and material security than with my size, and I work in a field (technology) where physical size has absolutely nothing to do with one's ability to excel.

All those years of carrying myself like that have paid off as even though I'm much calmer and kinder now I can still sell my ideas or opinions with sufficient intensity to be taken seriously. All those years of pushing my brain to compensate has paid off immeasurably not just in my earning potential but also in my ability to understand so much of the world and people around me.

The biggest kicker though, was when I went green. All of a sudden my small size isn't a hindrance at all but a major benefit. I consume less food, clothing material and other human accoutrements than most Americans because I'm not trying to fuel and cover a 200+ pound mass. I have my pick of just about any vehicle on the market because I fit in anything. I gain 1 MPG over a lot of people just because I weigh so much less than they do. I stay cooler in the Summer because I don't have a thick layer of fat trying to insulate me, so I consume much less energy for cooling than most.

All of a sudden, at the half-way point of my life, being a small guy is a good thing.

Chuck · #10 10-09-2007, 01:51 PM

BailOut, if I'm really serious in my next marathon, I'll lose another 15 pounds.

Sort of back on-topic, a 60's VW commercial had Wilt Chamberland not fitting in a Beetle, but a few years later comfortable in a Rabbit.

Yesterday in Tulsa, I saw a guy that looked maybe 275lbs in a Prius II - wish more hefty guys were as open-minded.