I just went with the CR-Z. That's probably what you want.
Scratch that, what you probably want is an HPD CR-Z.
The HPD line included a bunch of factory performance parts that get normal Honda warranties and can be installed by the dealer. There was an LSD, suspension, brakes, wheels, aero, graphics and a supercharger. If you bought the car and the whole catalog new, you could have ended up with something like a $33k CR-Z, which would be stupid. If you can find one depreciated, that'd be your sport hybrid. I get the impression that few sold.
There was a Volt Z-Spec Concept for SEMA, but I think that never turned into a single package, option, or GM Performance product. I think it's mostly just a mix of Volt and Ampera body parts on an otherwise stock car.
There was a LEAF NISMO that never really happened. (Not a hybrid though.)
Finally, the 500e has a rep for good handling. I wonder if you could add some ABARTH stuff to it. Still, I am down to a car that is banned from SCCA Solo2 Street Class for reasons of stability. It's also a "compliance car," made just to comply with regs.
I never knew that there was such a thing as a HPD CR-Z. It makes it more appealing, but as you mention, in addition to being pricey it kinda seems silly to put a roots blower on a car marketed for fuel efficiency.
Kreb wrote:
I never knew that there was such a thing as a HPD CR-Z. It makes it more appealing, but as you mention, in addition to being pricey it kinda seems silly to put a roots blower on a car marketed for fuel efficiency.
From what I understand, it doesn't really do anything to MPG.
I'm going to Germany in May and VW is hooking me up with one of these as a press loaner:
Golf GTE. Basically a GTI with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. 25-ish miles on a full charge, hybrid operation the rest of the time, and lots of driver-switchable power delivery options—including a "GT" mode which gives you full ICE and electric engine power. Nearly the same setup is available in the US currently as the Audi A3 e-Tron.
As a former Volt owner, I'm totally a believer in the concept. At the moment, there's still a few difficult truths to overcome.
1) Batteries: Heavy, expensive, high capacity. You have to take at least two of those.
2) Infrastructure: Getting electricity to a big thing that doesn't move (your house) is easy. Getting it to a little thing that moves a lot is way tougher. Getting the required energy from the lines into your car in a timely fashion poses other hurdles.
Still, they're way better today than they were 5 or 10 years ago, and I suspect another 5-10 years will show similar gains. I would not be surprised to see the first SCCA Solo National Championship by an electric, hybrid or plug-in hybrid car by 2022. It's definitely the future, even if the specific particular picture of the future is still coming into focus.
Oh yeah, there's the Porsche Panamera! I totally forgot about it. There are a few Hybrid variants. While not cheap, they're cheaper than an i8.
