I might be aging myself a bit but I remember the old Honda CR-X that came out way back in the 1980s; the car caused a lot of excitement in my little town. Fast forward nearly 25 years and the Honda CR-Z Concept Hybrid reminds me a bit of the CR-X. The excitement surrounding the CR-Z has been building since the beginning of 2008 when the car made an appearance at the North American International Auto Show.

Unlike the CR-X, which had a level of mystery surrounding the acronym when the vehicle was launched, Honda has officially announced what CR-Z stands for: “Compact Renaissance Zero.” From the official Honda Press Release:

“Designed to be futuristic and dynamic, the CR-Z combines powerful performance in a compact form with a futuristic image. For its frontal view, an over-sized grill with a high-performance look is offset by openings on each side that lighten the overall feel. In the rear, tube-shaped rear combination lamps create a powerful presence.”

Plans are to fit the car with 19-inch wheels – 19 inch! That is quite a large wheel size for a car like the CR-Z and while it will enhance its sporty look, I cannot imagine that it will help the gas mileage. There is no official word as to when, and even if, the CR-Z will make it to full production status as Honda’s current focus is on the 2009 Honda Insight.