Honda's CR-Z sports car is go

Hybrid power for three-door coupe which goes on sale next summer.

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This is the all-new hybrid sports car from Honda which is set to hit UK showrooms by next summer. The car in question is the eagerly anticipated CR-Z, the spiritual successor to the much loved MkII CR-X.

Still currently a concept, the CR-Z � which stands for Compact Renaissance Zero � made its debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. From the off it was widely tipped to make the transition from prototype to production. Insiders say the road car will change little from what�s seen here, too. It will be a performance-oriented three-door coup�, designed to highlight how eco technologies can be used for sports cars as well as mainstream models. Expect it to see it in the metal at this year�s Japanese expo in October.

The CR-Z will become Honda�s third hybrid after the Civic and Insight. Like them, it will use Honda�s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, which is also due in the Jazz at some point in the near future. Honda�s new CEO, Takanobu Ito, also confirmed the firm is developing a new hybrid system for use in mid-to-large vehicles. An engineer by training, Ito knows a thing or two about Honda sports cars, as he was instrumental in turning the NSX supercar from concept to reality. The CR-Z will hit Japanese showrooms in February next year, before arriving on British forecourts a few months later.