Honda CR-Z Tuning Scene: Supercharged CR-Z by HKS

By Ben Schaffer

The Real JDM

As we are starting to get inquires over here to import CR-Z tuning parts for clients, the excitement over the North American release of the CR-Z is starting to grow. Tuners in Japan have had the car for some time now and the internet has shown us numerous examples of tuned CR-Zs. However, this is the first example I can think of using forced induction.

HKS Japan has been on a heavy promotional push lately for their GT Superchargers. All of the current talk in Japan is showing some momentum for supercharger popularlity to gain marketshare compared to turbo cars. In fact there are even some pretty wild examples of HKS GT supercharged JZA80 Supras in Japan pushing respectable power (500hp range). The idea of a supercharged Supra seems really nuts to me since the car is one of the most famous uses of a turbo charged setup in modern car history. Yet the value of supercharges always creates a good and interesting argument between the merits of going SC or Turbo. While there is no proven correct answer, the line continues to get blurred as a lot of current superchargers start to look even a lot more like turbos.

HKS in effort to promote their GT Superchargers has equipped their CR-Z demo car with one of their new superchargers. The result is an increased power level to 170hp which is more respectable but still nothing mind blowing. Surely in time the potential will increase further, so lets give it a little more time and when these CR-Zs start getting into the mid to high 200hp range I think they’ll be a lot of fun.