The triumphant debut of the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car has created a lot of interest around the world, and highlights Honda’s global commitment  to innovation and environmental responsibility.

The CR-Z breaks new ground on many levels. It is the world’s first hybrid car to be equipped with a conventional six-speed manual gearbox, ensuring a high level of sporty dynamics and driver involvement. 

The combination of a high-tech 1,5-litre petrol engine and an electric drivetrain provides a highly tractable, torque-focussed delivery that ensures instant throttle response and linear acceleration – perfect for a driver-focussed sports car. At the same time, the IMA parallel hybrid drivetrain delivers exceptional operating economy, with impressively low levels of CO2 exhaust emissions and frugal fuel consumption. 

 Of course, the CR-Z also recognises Honda’s sports car design traditions while expressing a thoroughly modern and dynamic styling approach.  The result is one of the most exciting Honda production cars in years.  The CR-Z is a ground-breaking car for Honda, and one that sets many new benchmarks. As such, it is a car Honda South Africa will be proud to launch locally later this year.

  However, there’s more exciting news as far as new model launches are concerned. The CR-Z will not be the only hybrid-powered Honda to reach our shores in 2010.

We are also introducing the Honda Insight – a hybrid family car that shares many of the CR-Z’s advanced trait, but in spacious, family-friendly package.  While these two newcomers will add further lustre to the Honda passenger car range in SA, the existing models remain highly competitive in their respective segments.

 And there is much to celebrate on the two-wheeled front, too, with the launch of the VFR1200 only the start of an exciting Honda motorcycling year. Expect innovation to be the central theme of 2010, therefore!