Mugen has been working its magic on the new Honda CR-Z to make it look and drive more like the sports car we so desperately want it to be. Unfortunately for fans of Mugen's screaming engine upgrades, the powertrain and transmission remain exactly the same as the standard CR-Z's.

On the upside, Mugen has upgraded the suspension and brakes, as well as adding a new triangular tip to the exhaust to make it look much like a Civic Type R's. A sports exhaust is also part of the Mugen package, but it merely lets the engine rev a little more quickly rather than adding to the CR-Z's existing 122bhp.

The other changes to the CR-Z are cosmetic and feature a prominent rear wing mounted on the roof where the rear pillars sweep up to join the tailgate. There are also new side skirts, front spoiler and fancy 17-inch alloy wheels, while LED lights are now set in either side of the front grille. Inside, Mugen has added an aluminium gear knob, three extra dials in the centre console and a carbon fibre rear view mirror.

Mugen versions of the CR-Z retain the car's six-speed manual gearbox, along with emissions of 117g/km and 56.4mpg combined fuel consumption. Expect the Mugen CR-Z to cost around £2,000 more than the expected £18,000 asking price for the standard CR-Z when the car goes on sale in the UK in the summer.

Alisdair Suttie - 26 Feb 2010