The CR-Z is only a concept at the moment, but it??s been given the green light to go into production by Honda president and CEO Takeo Fukui, and what you see here is a very close representation of the finished article.

It??s a lightweight two plus two sports car powered by an as-yet unnamed petrol-hybrid IMA motor which should hit dealers globally in 2009. Honda believes that if you??re going to use hybrid technology, it should be in as lightweight a car as possible ?? opposing Toyota??s view which is to shoehorn hybrids into bigger and bigger Lexus models. Honda thinks that professional young thrusters with little responsibility but lots of environmental awareness, rather than rich middle-aged executives, are the major growth market for hybrids.

The CR-Z is smaller than a three-door Civic and Honda thinks it??s on to a winner here, with the small sports coupe served pretty poorly, with the ageing C-class Sport Coupe and forthcoming Volkswagen Scirocco about the only contenders.

Source: [url=http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=5485&Page=1]MotorcycleUSA.com[/url]