Page 157 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

reduce aerodynamic lift by about 70 percent, the front fascia was altered and a large spoiler was added to the trunk lid.
The chassis was reinforced by a brace behind the seats where the top used to reside and spring rates were stiffened 47 percent in front and 27 percent at the rear. Front and rear anti-roll bars were beefed up with the shocks made 65 percent stiffer up front and 39 percent at the rear. The steering rate was made even quicker and the rack mounting made 39 percent stiffer so that more input went to the road. Wider, sticky RE070 tires rounded out the package, knocking several seconds off testers’ lap times.
The CR interior featured yellow and black Alcantara seats and faux carbon fiber panels covering the center console and stereo (if there was one). As a final weight savings, the spare tire was omitted. A peak power light was fitted to the dashboard, but the engine remained unaltered as Honda’s engineers concluded they had taken it as far as they could.
Honda had hoped to build 2,000 S2000 CR models, but only sold 668 examples in 2008 and 31 in 2009. They broke down as follows: Apex Blue Pearl – 200 (21 delete models); Rio Yellow Pearl – 140 (20 delete models); Berlina Black – 269 (10 delete models); Grand Prix White – 90 (8 delete models). When the dust settled on the S2000 project, Honda had sold 66,549 units in the US and though production officially ended in 2009 the last cars didn’t leave dealerships until 2013.
THE DRIVE
The Honda S2000 was an uncompromising attempt to build a Mazda Miata-killer that could also take on sophisticated Porsche, Mercedes, and BMW models. It was a screaming-fast razor- edge two-seater, basically a pure driver’s car in an affordable and attractive package.
But at $32,600, it was 50 percent more costly than a Miata, which put it beyond the reach of many young enthusiasts. The S2000’s almost 9,000 rpm redline encouraged spirited driving and its lack of low end torque demanded it, but the car’s 158 mph top speed also required a skilled driver who could afford the insurance. It’s hard to find older drivers who can do without comfort or logical luxuries, and suddenly the Honda’s intended market had become a lot smaller.
The engine is thrilling when VTEC kicks in about 5,850 rpm, but the S2000 has a number of idiosyncrasies. The red starter button may harken back to race cars, but the lack of comprehensive instrumentation is annoying. The skimpy dash with its rainbow tachometer feels like it’s left over from a 1980s Corvette, and the floating speedometer numbers belong on an old folks’ telephone.
The left side radio controls feel like an afterthought (the radio is hidden in the center) and the absence of either a glove box or door pockets is inexplicable – especially when you can’t reach the compartments behind you when you’re sitting in the car. The steering column does not adjust and it’s low enough for your elbows to get in the way. The power top is rather claustrophobic when
raised, but it only takes six seconds to drop. The plastic rear window was replaced by glass in 2004 and includes a defroster, making it that much more desirable.
On the road the S2000 is
dazzlingly fast, but the quick
steering doesn’t transmit
enough information. The
rear suspension is a multi-
link setup that generates
toe-in under severe lateral
Gs, but by that point things
are happening very fast
indeed. As an early road
test writer observed, “Just
when you need to know exactly what the Honda is doing, you begin to wonder exactly where it is heading.” Happily, the brakes are excellent.
Honda S2000
TOP: Audio controls and engine start are located to the left of the steering wheel.
ABOVE: From any angle, the Honda S2000 looks as fresh today as it did on the day it was first sold. It’s fair to call this design timeless.
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