The new Honda CR-Z has only been on sale in Japan for two weeks, and already the automaker has received over 7,000 orders for the small hybrid. This represents about 60 percent of the 12,000 units that Honda anticipated to sell domestically in the hatch’s first year of production. If this trend continues, Honda may have to ramp up production of the CR-Z in Japan to meet the high demand.

The CR-Z’s fortunes in other markets will be every bit as interesting to watch, of course. Some question whether Honda’s idea of a sports hybrid that takes just under 10 seconds to hit 60 miles per hour might not be what the doctor ordered, especially when paired with surprisingly disappointing fuel economy figures. Of course, that’s largely just what the online enthusiast community is saying at the moment, and not necessarily any indication of the car’s eventual marketplace success whatsoever.

We sincerely hope that the new CR-Z carries the torch in a way that does not appear to be conveyed by these early performance numbers. Either way, watching the CR-Z’s long-term sales prospects both at home and in other markets will be far more important to the model’s fortunes than an early sales boom in Japan and pre-launch online skepticism.

Yes, it is young, as GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept has just been unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon. And yes, it is very restless, as the Japanese Speedy Gonzales is motivated by almost 400HP.

GRMN stands for Gazoo Racing Master of Nurburgring. The two-seat, AWD hybrid is based on the outgoing MR2 platform. Under the skin,  there is a mid-mounted 3.3-liter V6 that drives the rear wheels and which is partnered with Toyota’s THSII hybrid system, that propels the fronts. Drivers can optate for the EV mode in the city and enjoy this 1500kg beauty reach 60mph in just 4.5 seconds.

Toyota Motors Co. say this Honda CR-Z’s rival will hopefully go on sale starting 2011 and that it intends to be world’s first sports hybrid car and as we know Toyota staff, it’s very likely they stay true to their promise.

You like simple, compact, sporty, Japanese cars that go for more than 50mpg? Well, aparently Honda have been trying to prove us that simple, compact, sporty Japanese cars can go up to 37mpg! And they’re tooting their own horn for this!

It is new, it looks new…new, rejected first edition Honda.  It is a new kind of hybrid, the manual six speed paired to the 1.5-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine belting out 122 HP and 128 lb-ft of torque at a low-low 1,000 to 1,500 RPM (123 lb-ft for the automatic CVT version).  A hybrid having all available torque at 1,000-1,500 rpm is interesting, and I would like to see how that translates into the driving experience. No production hybrid has been designed for sports in sacrifice of milage, but…37mpg highway?!?! Now I finally understand why rice-eaters go by bike!