#ModifiedHonda

With the launch of the CR-Z, Honda wanted to emphasize that hybrids can in fact be sporty, now the automaker is continuing to promote the idea in its home market with the Honda Sports & Eco Program.

Known for modifying wagons like the Honda Odyssey and Nisaan Stegea, Japanese tuner Takero’s recently expanded its product offering to include the Honda Fit – with impressive results. First came aerodynamic components, followed by suspension parts, now Takero’s has revealed a wide body kit for the Fit at the Tokyo Auto Salon, plus a turbocharger setup.

It looks like Mugen isn’t stopping with its CR-Z Concept. Along with that 200-hp supercharged hybrid the famed Honda tuner is rolling out a motorsports-inspired CR-Z at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

It’s been quite a while since Mugen and Honda had this much buzz surrounding a car. And while some are still rolling their eyes at the thought of a modified hybrid, Mugen is definitely poised to prove that you can have your cake and eat it too, finally announcing full specs of its supercharged CR-Z.

The CR-Z that Honda fanboys have been begging for is on its way thanks to Mugen. The European division of the tuner has just released new details on its high-performance version of the sporty hybrid coupe, with the big news being a supercharger under the hood to deliver 200-hp.

Honda is well aware that it has a strong following of enthusiasts who love to modify their cars and with the launch of the 9th generation Civic expected later this year, the Japanese automaker is catering to its fan base, displaying a few tuner cars at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

Modifying hybrids has turned into a solid market out in Japan, and one of the oldest aero kit designers has joined in on the fun. In the late 1990s, C-West had immersed itself into the American market with its popular Honda and Acura body kits but recently the buzz for C-West’s infamous styling had subsided. We did report last year in April that C-West would be developing a kit for the CR-Z and now we’re finally able to enjoy the finished (and real) product.

The old age debate of imports vs. domestics, four-cylinders vs. V8s, high-revving horsepower vs. low-end torque… the argument continues to rage on despite a whole new era of simple hybrids. And while we won’t see many GM enthusiasts swapping in a Honda S2000 powerplant into their domestic machine, there have been plenty of import enthusiasts taking big V8 muscle and shoving it into their engine bays.

Customized hybrids look to be gaining popularity, as is evidenced by this AMS Honda CR-Z. Overall it’s pretty clean but just a tad too aggressive for our tastes. The center exit dual exhaust with a wickedly designed carbon fiber diffuser features more sharp lines and angles than we care to count. The rear spoiler on the trunk is pretty clean though and rounds off the CR-Z’s natural shape pretty well.

Looks like HKS isn’t the only kid on the block looking for big horsepower gains with Honda‘s newest cool hybrid, the CR-Z. And perhaps this really solidifies a changing of the times considering Top Secret is well known for their wicked drift cars and high horsepower 350Zs and Supras. They’re also well known for their blistering high-speed test runs, so to see Smoky Nagata of Top Secret working away on Honda’s ZF1 hybrid powerplant shows that hybrids and tuning are going to go hand-in-hand for decades to come.

For whatever strange reason, North America has never been blessed with receiving any of the Type-R versions of the Honda Civic, and given the huge success of the Integra Type-R, we still sit and scratch our heads on that decision. Nonetheless, the hot Civic Type-R has caught our eyes since day one, and now we’ve got a real look at its potential thank to the genius tuners at J’s Racing.

RJ De Vera and Honda s have become synonymous with streetable performance for over the past decade. De Vera is one of Honda’s most avid enthusiasts, building some of the cleanest, daily-driven projects we’ve seen over the years. So it’s no surprise that Honda has partnered up with RJ yet again for their newest and greatest creation, the Honda CR-Z.

We’ve been preaching since the Tokyo Auto Salon that the hybrid tuning craze is inevitably going to take off in America. While it may never reach the heights of what Japan has done in the last couple of years, the release of Honda’s CR-Z could help shape the new trend.

For SEMA this year, Honda has given away several Honda CR-Zs to car builders around the nation to show off what can be done to the fun, hot hatch. We’ve already teased the Fortune Motorsports and Tjin Edition’s build, and now we’re getting a sneak preview of what RJ De Vera has planned for his CR-Z build.

We spoke to RJ briefly and he stressed to us the focus of the CR-Z is to be a clean and fully functional street car that is fun, hence the name CR-Z Type-F. Naturally the CR-Z wouldn’t quite pull its own weight (for now) as a Type-R model, and naming it as such would just be foolish and downright silly. De Vera told us that he wants it to be fully functional so it can compete in the Source Interlink Super Lap Battle shortly after the show.

The CR-Z will be showcasing Wraptivo’s brand of products, a new division of Meguiar’s that focuses on custom car wraps. On the outside will be a matte black wrap with glossy black accents to contrast. Carbon fiber film wrap will be used on the roof, hood and part of the center section of the front bumper to show off just what Wraptivo can do for you.

Naturally a clean aero kit will be utilized along with a set of lightweight Volk Racing TE-37s in an awesome F-Zero Red color. Suspension looks like it’ll come from TEIN while Brembo will be handling the aftermarket brakes. De Vera disclosed to us that he is working closely with HKS on getting a supercharger for the hybrid, while Hondata has been working hard on cracking the ECU to eke out every bit of power.

As always, AutoGuide will be on hand at the 2010 SEMA Show in early November to bring you complete coverage.

Get more Honda CR-Z News and Info at CR-ZCraze.com

Official press release available after the break.

Even though it seems like the glory days of modifying Honda s and Acuras are over, the Fit has done a surprisingly good job at ushering in a new era of Honda tuning. Out in Japan, the Fit is actually a very popular platform among the tuning community and Axis Styling’s Fit is one we really dig.