At the same time... 2 companies that, in different ways, represent some of our best improvements on cars and engines, place 2 VERY different products on the market.
One of these 2 companies, has a rally and LeMans heritage. An European brand that has always built excellent engines and chassis.
The other one comes from the other side of the planet. From the land of the rising sun comes a company that builds the BEST N.A. engines in the world, they rival engines having between 1.5 and 2x it's capacity... and so, probably the best engines in the world... or they used to do so... but still they carry out, nothing short of, F1, JSGT and Indycar heritage.
Both these brands have an heritage to defend. They both have followers all over the world. People that love their products and buy them.
They both faced a terrible threat - Global GREENNESS!
They both had to come up with a solution.
They both had a small sports coupe that needed to be Updated.
They both decided to use the same letters to name their products...
...and here ends the THEY part.
One of them came public with disturbing facts - Peugeot announced that they would no longer create sports models for their normal car line versions... that scared-me because I immediately pictured a giant GREEN sledge-hammer falling on top of the glorious 205GTI.
The other one came public with heart breaking news - Honda announced the end of their new NSX replacement and their new S2000 replacement. The only not-so-bad news was the end of the 3.2 V6 replacement, but it lacks another one saying that an InLine 6 or InLine 4 i-VTEC unit revving over 10k was on the way... but no... nothing like that. All that came from the rising sun country was a strange small petrol engine noise baffled behind a huge catalytic converter and IMA motor-generator! I'd rather have that americanish V engine.
Now since both of them had a market to supply with a small sports coupe, Peugeot with the 205GTI and Honda with the CRX VTEC, they had to come up with something.
Peugeot grabbed their 3 letters and created the spectacular RCZ. Honestly, I took a look at the car and thought, if they would have done this 10 years ago, that silly Audi TT would never ever have sold.
Honda, o the other hand grabbed their 3 letters and created something called the CRZ! It was promised to be the CRX replacement. The Z in the CRZ is supposed to be the NEXT step in the alphabet! I however fail to see where!?!?!?!
The original CRX VTEC produced 160Bhp from it's 1.6 engine. That same engine was evolved in the Civic Type-r Mk1 to 184Bhp. Spoon and Jun both have versions of this engine producing over 230Bhp and revving over 10.000rpm. So the ONLY replacement admissible would be either that B16Engine with over 220Bhp or a B18 unit with the same power but better torque.
HOW IN THE WORLD did they produce a 128Bhp HYBRID.... sports coupe and call it an improvement? Unless you are selling cars for birds and plants, it's everything BUT an improvement.
This morning, I parked my car next to one. I looked at the owner... the guy was still asleep and I thought NO WONDER! I got in my S2000 and just revving the engine to take the car out of my garage woke me up, but that!? not even on a mountain road would I be thrilled to drive.
Sad times these are (yoda nostalgic like phrase)
The RCZ SHOULD be called CRZ and the CRZ should never wear the Honda badge.... EVER.
Well done Peugeot.... and shame on you Honda.
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