Topic: Final Drive: 2007 Honda S2000

[rrocket]

Random lap at the Ring

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

Snowy...here's an excellent lap with legendary Gan-San at the helm....with an awesome heel-toe camera!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx_TecmQHoM

[Solstice2006]

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.

Strongly agree.  Have respect for the S2000.  Good out of the box, and sure fast, when pushed.  But have to agree with Fobroader, it wouldn't be for me, pushing it all the time, not huge fan of VTEC, same reason I won't pay the extra $$ for the turbo in an RSX.  For a car that costs that much, torque just too low for my taste.

[rrocket]

Best S2000 I ever drove was one with a Greddy turbo kit on it.  Teeny, tiny turbo with seamless integration with the VTEC engagement.  Was fantastic!

[mixmanmash]

Best S2000 I ever drove was one with a Greddy turbo kit on it.  Teeny, tiny turbo with seamless integration with the VTEC engagement.  Was fantastic!

Now, that is an S2000 I would love to drive.

[rrocket]

Best S2000 I ever drove was one with a Greddy turbo kit on it.  Teeny, tiny turbo with seamless integration with the VTEC engagement.  Was fantastic!

Now, that is an S2000 I would love to drive.

I was perfect...absolutely perfect.  Full boost by 3200 RPM.

[Northernridge]

While the interior finally looks dated it's remarkable (yes remarkable) how well the exterior design has aged. The S2K still looks extremely sharp among modern cars on the road.

Whatever Honda was smoking in those years, it was good stuff.

[Snowman]

The ergonomics were fantastic. I can reach every important control in the car with my fingertips and my hands not leaving the steering wheel.

[johngenx]

I hated hated hated the cluster until I drove it.  It's a severe case of function over form.  The switch gear to the sides of the wheel are brilliant.  The pedals are perfect.  The shifter is unsurpassed.  The steering precision is superb.

Dad's SO can drive the car around handily at 4000rpm never using the VTEC.  Sure it's not torquey, but easy enough to drive.  It's not a great commuter car, no doubt, but can handle traffic when needed to.  But, why?  This is no Saturday night cruiser car.  It's made to be driven.

[wing]

I drive them on the track all the time when I instruct and everytime I think -- damn this is a nice car.

Closest car I've ever driven to a formula car and it's still close.

[rrocket]

Just a fantastic car.  An all time great.

[johngenx]

Hondas made two of the most desirable cars of all time: S2K and NSX.

[rrocket]

Hondas made two of the most desirable cars of all time: S2K and NSX.

Integra Type R might need to be added in there too...

[firewired]

As a former S2000 owner (2006) and recently a former MX-5 owner, I have to say they are both great cars.  Completely different M.O.'s though.  S2000 is a sportscar.  MX-5 is a roadster.  They are *not* the same thing.

Anyone claiming the stock S2000's I4 was not powerful enough either does not know how to drive one, or they were a passenger in one with someone who also does not know how to drive one.

S2000's gearing was perfect for managing the powerband for spirited driving.

If you want moar power, go buy a balding-man's corvette and enjoy your street-light burn-out's.

If you want an enjoyable sportscar that makes you feel like you are riding a very special rollercoaster everytime you start the thing and put it into gear, grab an unmolested S2000 as fast as you can....

*IF* you can live with the intrument cluster.   I couldn't live with it.  I might have kept mine if I could have swapped the instrument panel out for something like that in the MX-5, it would have been near-perfect.

I'm with snowman - the ergonomics were fantastic (short of the afore-mentioned guages), everything so close proximity to the steering wheel and driver's fingertips you didn't even have to take you hands off the wheel most of the time.

I miss mine somedays.  But I needed more of a GT-car than a sportscar or roadster.  So, for now, it's an FR-S.  And no I don't want moar power int he FR-S either.  On a track maybe, but that doesn't happen often enough to justify idiocracy.

I won't comment on the Cobalt thread except to say, yeah maybe it was fast as long as you didn't drive it with a pile of keys and nick-knacks on the keychain.

[rrocket]

Anyone claiming the stock S2000's I4 was not powerful enough either does not know how to drive one, or they were a passenger in one with someone who also does not know how to drive one.

 

Oh please.  The S2000 isn't some special voodoo machine that requires special skill to drive.  Stop flattering yourself.  The S2000 is not powerful enough for ME.  Particularly in the torque department.  My ~230HP/201TQ 911 was a much more satisfying engine.  Has zero to do with how to drive it.  If a car is lacking in torque (particularly with the variable speeds you'll find on the street), there is physically ZERO you can do in terms of driving to counter that.  On a race track, it's less of an issue since you're always full boil, pedal to the floor with plenty of momentum.  You just can't drive the same on the street as you can on the track..for very long that is.

The S2000 is one of my all time favorites.  But it's lacking in power for me.

[firewired]

I do not believe I was flattering myself and I was not intending to insult anyone or be insulted either.  If you want all that power from the track on the street then I for one do not want to be on any road near where you drive.

I am not here to abuse or be abused.  I am out.  Enjoy your community.

[rrocket]

I do not believe I was flattering myself and I was not intending to insult anyone or be insulted either.  If you want all that power from the track on the street then I for one do not want to be on any road near where you drive.

I am not here to abuse or be abused.  I am out.  Enjoy your community.

Sorry...I just think 153 TQ is merely "acceptable".

[aquadorhj]

I do not believe I was flattering myself and I was not intending to insult anyone or be insulted either.  If you want all that power from the track on the street then I for one do not want to be on any road near where you drive.

I am not here to abuse or be abused.  I am out.  Enjoy your community.

Sorry...I just think 153 TQ is merely "acceptable".

yeah...  i think 200 ft/lbs is minimum for "satisfying" feel in a car. 

[fixer]

http://www4.carbuzz.com/news/2014/8/29/VW-Golf-4-R32-Smacks-Into-Honda-S2000-at-The-Ring-7722280/
Looks more like the s2000 has a hard time getting out of its own way. Feel sorry for the guy driving the VW.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Random lap at the Ring

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

I thoroughly enjoyed watching that video.

[Solstice2006]

I do not believe I was flattering myself and I was not intending to insult anyone or be insulted either.  If you want all that power from the track on the street then I for one do not want to be on any road near where you drive.

I am not here to abuse or be abused.  I am out.  Enjoy your community.

I don't think anyone here is trying to insult one another deliberately (except fixer).  200lb of torque is not an obscene amount of power.  Don't let these guys push you around.