When Honda came out with the S2000 back in the millenium, it was to celebrate company’s 50th anniversary. Its a truly remarkable roadster with front midship engine layout, a high revving 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine that is capable of producing 237hp and as reliable as any Honda products. The docile and tossable nature of this superb engineered platform has given many of those European roadsters a run-for-their-money, especially Porsche Boxster. The S2000 has forced Porsche to came out with an uprated 2.7 and 3.2 liters during 986 era. It has also forced BMW to come out with a proper M Roadster, Mercedes had to introduce an SLK320 and SLK32 AMG while Audi can’t come out with a 3.2 V6 Quattro TT roadster soon enough.
The high-revving 2.0 liter DOHC engine is simply a music to the eyes when revving into 7 and 8000rpm, during the VTEC kicks in. The aura of the VTEC screaming is even more entertaining than all those turbo and supercharger spooling up. All Honda has done without losing their hallmark quality and reliability. When Honda introduced a more civilized 2.2 liter during facelifted in 2004, although it has more torque down low, its high-revving character remains intact. S2000 has the sweeter manual gearbox I have ever driven, only taken a backseat to DC2 Integra Type-R.
When it comes to ride and handling compromise, S2000 simply aces it. Its not only S2000 is a Honda formula 1 produces for the street, its ride quality is surprisingly civilized without beating the hearts out. The steering is surgicially precise with awesome road feel, something that you would have thought its engineered by Porsche. What really makes the S2000 so special is it doesn’t share any platform with other Honda silibings, its a dedicated chassis specially engineered for this roadster. The delicate balance of the chassis is nothing but superb. In terms of harmony balance between powertrain, chassis and civilization, S2000 remains the one to beat even after 9 years.
First we have seen the lost of Prelude, Integra/RSX and NSX. S2000 will soon follow all other great Honda sports cars into the sunset. Leaving Civic Si and CSX Type-S as the sportiest offerings in Honda line-up. They better come out with great sports cars, or Nissan will be leaving Honda in the dust with their amazing Z and GT-R. Its also sad if Honda is going Toyota’s direction, as an appliance producer instead of an enthuisastic and engineering-driven performance carmaker. 