Honda has continued its striptease of the facelifted CR-Z ahead of its world debut at the Paris Motor Show on September 27 and its Australian release in the first half of next year.
Now revealed in a backlit studio image following the release of detail shots of the upgraded hybrid sports coupe last week, the new-look CR-Z will also come with a more powerful petrol-electric drive system.
The 2013 CR-Z will be unveiled in Paris alongside the new Jazz Hybrid, redesigned CR-V and a new 1.6-litre 88kW/300Nm i-DTEC turbodiesel for the Civic hatch.
Both the new Jazz Hybrid and CR-V will make their Australian debuts in Sydney on October 18 and all four models will be available here within months. As we’ve reported, Honda Australia is also considering the local introduction of both plug-in and standard hybrid versions of the ninth-generation Accord sedan. No output or acceleration figures have been announced for the revised CR-Z, but Honda promises more power from both the 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor “without compromising fuel economy or increasing exhaust emissions”.
Currently, the CR-Z engine is matched with a 10kW/121Nm electric motor to produce peak power of 91kW and 174Nm of torque, while claiming official fuel consumption of 5.0L/100km and CO2 emissions of 118g/km.
Of course, while the CR-Z is the world’s first hybrid to be available with a manual transmission, CVT automatic-equipped models produce slightly less torque but are more fuel-efficient.
Recent detail shots show the 2013 CR-Z will also come with an ‘S+’ button on the dashboard, which we expect will activate a new higher-performance driving mode, in addition to the existing model’s Eco, Normal and Sport settings, and it’s possible the CR-Z could also score the Civic Hybrid’s lighter Li-ion battery.
The CR-Z, which was first released in 2010 and has since been joined by a number of affordable compact coupes including the Toyota 86, Subaru BRZ and Veloster SR Turbo, will also bring a range of cosmetic tweaks.
As evidenced by the teaser details, they will include a new two-tone alloy wheel design, revised xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights (which are already standard on Australia’s CR-Z) and a new front bumper with wider grille, circular (not oval-shaped) foglights, more aggressive air intakes and a more prominent front splitter.
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