Not one to let Toyota get all the go-fast green press during the upcoming auto-show season, Honda has just released photos of its Mugen-tuned 2014 Honda Fit, which features a less-restrictive Mugen exhaust, at least, and a more aggressive, sporty bodykit, racing-style bucket seats, and lightweight aluminum wheels. It’s also rumored that the Mugen will have a bit more power than the “factory” Fits, thanks to that exhaust, a less restrictive intake, and a retuned engine control unit (ECU).
Do you think this new 2014 Honda Fit has what it takes to steal the 420 hp, motorsports-derived Toyota Hybrid-R’s thunder? Before you answer, consider that the sportiest Honda Fit, once it rolls out of Mugen’s workshop, looks like this …
… while the LeMans-inspired Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R, for the sake of those of you who’ve already forgotten, looks like this …
… and that only one of these two is actually available for sale.
Which one? That would be the Honda Fit, and you can be sure the good go-fast bits from Mugen will be available stateside once the car goes into full production later this year. The Fit hybrid is expected to deliver some 80+ MPG (it gets 86 MPG on the JDM/Euro cycle), thanks to its combination of an 1.5-liter, Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder and seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission. That’s a 35-percent improvement over the current Fit, and a far cry from Toyota’s hot little hybrid – which, at this point, is little more than a design exercise.
Call me biased, but a bird in hand, you know?
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