1984 Honda Civic CRX Mugen
The partnership between Honda and Mugen began with the CRX. It was an inevitable collaboration given that Mugen was formed by Hirotoshi Honda – the son of Honda founder Soichiro Honda – and veteran racer Masao Kimura. The CRX, or CR-X as it is called in Japan, carried an aggressive effort to establish Mugen in the United States. At the time, any Honda dealer could order and sell Mugen parts, and a select few became Mugen Performance Centers. The program only lasted three years, but yielded a handful of uprated Mugen CRXs and many street-tuned Hondas. Dressed in the Mugen body kit, the CRX’s short, stout lines are tastefully enhanced without complicating them. A trademark feature of the Mugen CRX is the twin-pipe muffler or “Silencer Set.” With nearly 120 horsepower, a limited slip differential, and weighing in at a mere 1,800 pounds, the Mugen CRX is a thrill to drive and inspired a new generation of Honda tuners. Mugen has gone on to contribute to Honda’s racing success in Formula One and sports car racing, but it all started here with the CRX.