Topic: Final Drive: 2007 Honda S2000

[Fobroader]

I love the looks of the S2000, the interior is actually not to bad but that 2L engine.....jesus, its too bad when it has the same dyno figures as my Stihl weed trimmer. I would love one of these, but that 4 banger debacle would be getting sorted right now.

Now you've done it! 

The high price and peaky engine pretty much limited the appeal of the car. I thought it was too bad that they never offered an inline 6. I think that would have helped broaden its potential customer base.

Even that sweet V6 out of the NSX....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

[fixer]

Doesn't take long for the meat heads to trash a thread about one of the best roadsters ever made. Must suck to be facking stupid.

Since you used the plural form ( meatheads) I'll take it to mean that everyone who doesn't agree with you is facking stupid. that's very naughty of you. I wouldn't talk about other members that way!!!!

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Even that sweet V6 out of the NSX....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Yup. That would have had a better chance of fitting under the hood than an inline. But still, inline 6s are cool.

Over it's entire production run (1999-2009, though sales lingered until 2011), its global sales hit 110k, about the same number of Corvettes sold in the US alone in three average years. The Miata sold 531,890 in it's first 10 years and stands at somewhere close to 1M at this point.

[Fobroader]

Even that sweet V6 out of the NSX....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Yup. That would have had a better chance of fitting under the hood than an inline. But still, inline 6s are cool.

Over it's entire production run (1999-2009, though sales lingered until 2011), its global sales hit 110k, about the same number of Corvettes sold in the US alone in three average years. The Miata sold 531,890 in it's first 10 years and stands at somewhere close to 1M at this point.

Thats the thing, Honda wanted premium dollars for it.....hard to do that with a little 4 cyl.

Sent from my Galaxy S3

[wing]

It's fast ... I use to race one.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

It's fast ... I use to race one.

You added a blower though, didn't you?

It was a well balanced car for sure. Criticism almost always centred around the power output for the price.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

If you want a specific, boring description of exactly how VTEC works:

http://youtu.be/fmiCR5TPIVg?t=4m30s.

[wing]

I did but didn't have to

[KD]

Sweet car and one of my favorite roadsters of all time.  Surprisingly with the limited production numbers that I see them quite regularly around here and more so now than ever.  I can think of 4 just in my immediate neighborhood (2 red - CanuckS2K being one - and 2 yellow) and a silver one that I see parked at work and an old boss of mine a few miles from me has a black one.  I also see a light blue one around quiet often as well.  Funny that I never saw them around much at all until they stopped making them.    Anyway, none that I can see have been slammed, or modded in any obvious way.   

[Snowman]

Even that sweet V6 out of the NSX....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Yup. That would have had a better chance of fitting under the hood than an inline. But still, inline 6s are cool.

Over it's entire production run (1999-2009, though sales lingered until 2011), its global sales hit 110k, about the same number of Corvettes sold in the US alone in three average years. The Miata sold 531,890 in it's first 10 years and stands at somewhere close to 1M at this point.

Thats the thing, Honda wanted premium dollars for it.....hard to do that with a little 4 cyl.

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Why? it was a race car out of the box. The engine perfectly matched the car, you should drive one.

[Fobroader]

Even that sweet V6 out of the NSX....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Yup. That would have had a better chance of fitting under the hood than an inline. But still, inline 6s are cool.

Over it's entire production run (1999-2009, though sales lingered until 2011), its global sales hit 110k, about the same number of Corvettes sold in the US alone in three average years. The Miata sold 531,890 in it's first 10 years and stands at somewhere close to 1M at this point.

Thats the thing, Honda wanted premium dollars for it.....hard to do that with a little 4 cyl.

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Why? it was a race car out of the box. The engine perfectly matched the car, you should drive one.

Bring yours out here...Ill show you some nice mountain roads for a chance to drive it  Like I said, I loved the car, I want to own one, I just do not like the power delivery of any honda 4 cylinder, thats all.

[Snowman]

Even that sweet V6 out of the NSX....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Yup. That would have had a better chance of fitting under the hood than an inline. But still, inline 6s are cool.

Over it's entire production run (1999-2009, though sales lingered until 2011), its global sales hit 110k, about the same number of Corvettes sold in the US alone in three average years. The Miata sold 531,890 in it's first 10 years and stands at somewhere close to 1M at this point.

Thats the thing, Honda wanted premium dollars for it.....hard to do that with a little 4 cyl.

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Why? it was a race car out of the box. The engine perfectly matched the car, you should drive one.

Bring yours out here...Ill show you some nice mountain roads for a chance to drive it  Like I said, I loved the car, I want to own one, I just do not like the power delivery of any honda 4 cylinder, thats all.

Its all about rpm management. If my wife can drive an S2000 then it should be easy.... right  Not for everybody.

[johngenx]

I have to thank my father for the fact that I have had some amazing time behind the wheel of an S2000.  (Yay Dad!!)

I would seriously consider an LS3 swap into an FD RX-7.  The cars are cool, but the rotary is fragile and requires a lot of care and feeding.  The FD chassis is also basically a race car and can handle the extra power as long as you can squeeze a giant rad in the front somewhere.

I'd never butcher my own Miata thanks to it's incredible original condition, but I'd buy one to mod/engine swap in a second.  Most fit into the "go ahead and go for it" category now.

The S2K to me is another story.  To me it's in the same category as the excellent Porsche Cayman.  Both machines are SO GOOD right out of the box.  The balance of the chassis is impeccable and the character of the engine suits the cars better than any other choice.  The S2K is based on Honda's F1 heritage and the high revving nature of the engine and the rifle-bolt shifter channel the spirit of Senna and the ideas of high performance from a different time.  It's true that in today's performance market, 240hp is peanuts, and those jaded by cars that can launch to 100km/h in 3sec might not appreciate the capability of the powertrain, the car is no less amazing to drive because of that limitation.

A perfect unmodded S2K is a beautiful thing.

[tooscoops]

i like the 2000 the way i like the miata... lots of respect for what it does in its category. and i do appreciate its timeless design more than the more feminine curves approach of the miata.

looks wise, i give it to the honda... fun for your buck, i'd give it to the mazda.

comparing it to the cobalt is just silly... as mentioned, things like the cobalt and the neon srts were just big engines dropped in cars that could hardly handle them... fun for sure, but not the ballet dancers these were/are... some people like to use a hammer, others are better with a needle and thread... different tools for different jobs.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I think the fact that it did very well on the track where the engine can be kept on the boil is terrific, but in day to day traffic, what a lot of people noticed was how the bottom end of the rev range was pretty weaksauce.

I think another set of people looked at the 4 cylinder roadster formula, looked at the $20k+ price difference with the Miata and settled for the Miata. These are second or third cars for most people, and they're pretty unlikely to track them for the most part, so getting 80-90% of the what they were looking for (sporty, two seat, roadster) for 2/3 the price was close enough.

It's a nice car, as is. I liked them quite well, but had I been able to get into a roadster, I'd likely have fallen into the second category and bought a Miata.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I think the fact that it did very well on the track where the engine can be kept on the boil is terrific, but in day to day traffic, what a lot of people noticed was how the bottom end of the rev range was pretty weaksauce.

How fast do you need to accelerate on the road?  Like my Civic SI with the K20, it would have no problems keeping up with day-to-day traffic.  Unless you're stoplight racing people, I have no idea why you would want oodles of low RPM torque in a small car.  Really, where you want power is for passing in gaps on two-lane highways, and the S2000 has that high RPM power in spades!

I agree with your statement that the Miata/MX5 is a more attractive option simply because of price, however.

[Bubba]

How fast do you need to accelerate on the road? 

This fast.
http://youtu.be/pSH_CjsUCrs

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I think the fact that it did very well on the track where the engine can be kept on the boil is terrific, but in day to day traffic, what a lot of people noticed was how the bottom end of the rev range was pretty weaksauce.

How fast do you need to accelerate on the road?  Like my Civic SI with the K20, it would have no problems keeping up with day-to-day traffic.  Unless you're stoplight racing people, I have no idea why you would want oodles of low RPM torque in a small car.  Really, where you want power is for passing in gaps on two-lane highways, and the S2000 has that high RPM power in spades!

I had sportbikes over the years, and some two strokes. Peaky as hell, but fun most of the time, but not everyone is onboard with that kind of power delivery. In the S2000's price range, there were some pretty potent competitors.

[Fobroader]

How fast do you need to accelerate on the road? 

This fast.
http://youtu.be/pSH_CjsUCrs

I see you 4 cylinder power and raise you proper, turbo inline six power 

http://youtu.be/FoYeg-twj2Y

[Snowman]

Random lap at the Ring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9C-SV2YuSI#t=48