Honda's hybrid sports car

Honda has revealed further details of its new CR-Z hybrid sports car.

Due to make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show early next month, the CR-Z is a compact 2+2 coupe powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine allied to an electric motor offering peak power of 124bhp.

In a first for a hybrid, the CR-Z will come with a six-speed manual gearbox (all other hybrids have automatic gearboxes) to reinforce the car's sporty nature.

It will also come with a 3-Mode Drive System which allows the driver to tailor how the car drives.

Sport mode sharpens the throttle response, provides more power from the electric motor and makes the steering more direct, while ECON mode prioritises fuel economy.

The third mode, NORM, provides a balance between performance and economy.

Honda claims CO2 emissions of 117g/km for the CR-Z and combined fuel economy of 56.4mpg.

Pricing for the CR-Z will be announced next month and sales in the UK begin in the summer.