Never heard of Mugen? Well this company which was started by the son of the founder of Honda itself; has been tuning cars professionally since 1973. Mugen has a cult following overseas and with the import boom here in the US; Mugen parts can fetch a hefty price tag. Today they tune the Insight from top to bottom.

So what exactly was Mugen thinking when then decided to pimp an Insight? Ever met a Hybrid owner who was into upgrading their ride? The Insight already has the 2nd lowest drag coefficient of any mass produced car on the road today, so why would any company try to better the Insights slippery look?

Body-Kit

The upgrades made to the exterior of the car are meant to produce zero lift which is absolutely optimal for a car with fuel economy in mind. The Mugen catalogue includes a lip spoiler kit, front grill, and wing which hopefully add up to some nice airflow management around the car. Remember the lower the drag the better the MPG.

The Stance

No self respecting tuner can leave the stock rims and tires on a ride. The stock wheels are ditched for either a set of 16-inch mesh or 15-inch 8-spoke rims wrapped in LRR Tires.   Handling issues are addressed with a set of springsthat drop the car about 20mm, which isn’t much, but they do tighten up the car.

The Rest
Tuning the Engine of the Insight is a lost cause since more horsepower would mean less miles per gallon. The 1.3-liter engine is an engineering masterpiece from Honda that need not be touched. Although a nice triangle tip exhaust adds a bit of flavor to the exhaust note. And of course the Insight is sure to receive the regular treatment of a shift knob, floor mats, probably pedals, and who knows what else.

Source: Modified Magazine (Jun 09)
Photos: http://www.webridestv.com/photos/2010-mugen-zero-lift-honda-insight-178991