Fit For Speed - 2005 Honda Fit

The streets of Japan are quickly filling with an underground rumor. A hushed whisper about a white Honda Fit that's more a rocket ship than a commuter car. If you're lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it, you might not think much of it. That is, until the little Honda shows you its backside. "Blitz Turbo System" the marking reads, nonchalantly positioned just above the Fit logo.

In the United States, the relatively new Honda Fit is known as a quirky, fun to drive, low-output cruiser. American Fit buyers are more likely to be drawn in by the high mpg numbers than by the small size and 109hp 1.5L engine. But in Japan, the Honda Fit is actually a popular mid-sized vehicle, smaller than luxury sedans like the Fuga (M35/M45 in the US) but outpacing the 600cc Kei-class cars with ease. With crowded city streets and microscopic parking spaces, the Fit is a good balance of convenience and capability for the Japanese market, and its popularity comes as no surprise.

But some of the most common complaints about the Honda Fit can easily be fixed on the tuning scene. Not enough power? No problem. Want more grip? No worries there. The low weight of the Fit's chassis, combined with years of development on the L15A engine, means that large, noticeable gains in both grip and power can be found with little downside.

Turning their tuning expertise loose onto the B-segment bruiser, Blitz Japan carried out a flurry of development, prototyping an entire selection of Fit go-fast parts. The most important is the Blitz turbo kit. Designed as a fully bolt-on affair to use with the stock engine, the prototype kit comes with the turbo, exhaust manifold, oil feed lines, heat shield, downpipe, SUS Power Core Type LM air filter and charge piping. The turbo is mounted close to the exhaust ports, sandwiched between the engine and the firewall. The downpipe uses a 90-degree bend to flow exhaust gases out from the turbo to the Blitz Nur-Spec DT exhaust system. The fueling and ignition systems remain stock, although Blitz added in a set of Blitz Iridium Spec 77 T7340B-8 spark plugs.

This Honda was also used to prototype the optional Honda Fit front-mount intercooler system, which includes all the polished charge piping and hose connectors needed. Although the intercooler is sold separately, it's highly recommended for more than just its aggressive appearance, as keeping the intake charge as cool as possible is important for making consistent power on the stock engine. From a stock rating of 109 hp and 106 lb-ft of torque, the Blitz Fit now puts out 152 hp at 5,800 rpm and 148 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm.