Honda Reveals Jazz Si for Europe, Would Translate Well to a Fit Si Here… [Geneva Auto Show]

Honda has announced it will begin selling a sporty Si variant of the Jazz hatchback—in the U.S., this car is known as the Fit—in Europe this summer. The new model was introduced with minimal fanfare at the Geneva auto show, but because it's an even sportier version of one of our favorite small cars, we wanted to share it with you. For those unfamiliar with Si heritage, we suggest you go bone up on your Honda history. Here in the States, only the Civic sedan and coupe currently are available in Si guise—but once upon a time, we had such gems as the del Sol Si, CRX 1.5Si, and Prelude Si. As befits its snazzy red Si badge, the Jazz gets a revised suspension with new dampers and a larger front anti-roll bar; a sweet set of dark-finish 16-inch aluminum wheels; an aggressive body kit with new front and rear bumpers and rocker sill extensions; front fog lights; and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Even the electric power steering was re-tuned to provide improved feedback and response. The Jazz Si doesn't get any additional power, which is a bummer. It's powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder with a measly 98 hp and 94 lb-ft of torque; our version gets a 117-hp, 1.5-liter four in stock form. Like all good Hondas, this one loves to rev: the Jazz Si's engine produces peak hp at 6000 rpm, while peak torque hits at 4800. Buyers will be able to select either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT. We're not sure why a CVT is being offered in a car with sporting pretense, but at least it's not the sole transmission choice. Besides the sportier chassis gear, the Si is also fairly well-equipped. Automatic climate control, cruise, steering-wheel audio controls, and of course, the standard model's acrobatic flipping "magic" rear seats are all standard. Could we see a similar Fit Si back at home? Don't count on it. The European Jazz is slightly different from our version, featuring a unique front clip with a stubbier snout. This would preclude the body kit seen here, but there's no reason the suspension and steering goodies couldn't migrate to our car. But hey, you could always turn your Fit into a B-spec race car if you're looking for more dynamism. And it still will have more power than the Jazz Si. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

puts the internet to work for you. via task 647533