CR-Z coming to Australia

Two concept cars revealed by Honda at the Tokyo Motor Show are going into production.

One, the FCX is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle which will be made available to consumers through a leasing arrangement in Japan (Tokyo) and the US (California), commencing next year. It will be a long time before we see the FCX in Australia -- if at all.

The big news for Aussies though is the CR-Z sports hybrid (seen here with Honda's global President and CEO, Takeo Fukui), which will be a production reality and Honda Australia wants it here -- badly.

According to Honda's Public Relations Manager in Australia, Mark Higgins, the CR-Z is a hybrid, but it's also a car that will present a far more appealing package to young buyers than Honda's first hybrid coupe, the Insight.

"It will be a far more high performance version of a hybrid than the Insight was," says Higgins. "That's the whole idea -- to bring performance and sporty motoring and hybrid technology together. Normally, it's 'hybrid', full-stop, [with] 'sporty' and 'performance' in a different story."

With a name closer to 'CR-X' than Insight, the CR-Z is squarely aimed at young urban motoring enthusiasts with an interest in environmental issues. It will be a '2+2', meaning at least enough seating for a couple of kids in addition to the driver and front-seat passenger -- unlike the two-seat Insight.

Honda has announced that the CR-Z will go into production in 2009 and if the Australian arm has its way, the car that appeals to "young couples who want to preserve the environment but still want to enjoy their motoring" will reach us not long after that.

Higgins remarked: "Once we know its production plans, I am sure our Managing Director and product planning people and everyone else in the company will be very keen to have it here, so we'll certainly be beating our case to head office to make sure that if we can get it, we will get it.

Honda Australia's interest in the new car is a sign that the company is putting the Insight behind it and is willing to try again with a car that represents a better balance of sustainability, performance and value.