We think that the Honda S2000 – produced from model year 2000 to 2009 – is destined to become a classic. Respected by driving enthusiasts the world over as much today as they were when first introduced, we suspect they will only increase in esteem with the passage of time. And while we’re usually a proponent of a car’s stock wheel-and-tire setup, we like owner Rick Flores’ example – a lot – for the way its delicious BBS RXes fill out the Honda’s wheel arches. It just looks the business, doesn’t it? RF: Going into my search for a car I knew I wanted the car to be five things: a) exceptionally sporty, as well as a good platform for modification, b) reliable enough to not leave me stranded wherever I needed to go, c) rare enough to turn heads, d) easy enough to work on with hand tools and basic mechanical skills, and e) rear wheel drive. I had a preference for something with an open top and a naturally-aspirated engine. Naturally, my short list included cars like the Porsche Boxster, the BMW Z4, and the Honda S2000.

Projected running costs nixed the Boxster, and poor performance compared to the S2000 nixed the Z4. There was only one car for me. MCB: What’s it like to own? RF: The car is very easy to live with. I drive it everywhere, including to my girlfriend’s house 70 miles away every weekend, and it doesn’t mind a bit of it. It’s relatively frugal (averaging 24 mpg) on the combined cycle, and has enough space inside for me not to feel claustrophobic. MCB: What’s it like to drive? RF: Driving the car is always a pleasure. Turn-in is crisp on summer tires, the fully independent double-wishbone suspension soaks up bumps while gripping the road in a way the Z4 or Audi TT could only dream of. The only thing that compares with it would be the Boxster/Cayman, and those cars are much more expensive propositions. The engine never underwhelms, has enough torque to get you around town, and is glorious when you wind it out. I still have the OEM exhaust on the car, and I find it to be the perfect balance of noise and civility for city driving.

These cars sound amazing with an aftermarket exhaust, though. Visibility is excellent, especially when you put the top down. Everything you touch in the cabin has a very direct feel to it. The steering is quick and precise, the switchgear is arranged to be driver-centric, and the gearshift… I have owned the car for almost four years now, and I have not met a single owner that has even thought about putting a short shifter in his car. Cheap Tires KaneoheIt’s perfect, and it matches the character of the engine perfectly: short gears, short throws, deliciously precise. Pomchi Puppies For Sale TxPowertrains simply are not made like this anymore.Toilet Paper To Germinate Seeds MCB: What makes you love this car? RF: So many things, honestly.

No other car, for the price, offers the same kind of manic, performance-minded nature that you get in the S2000. The comparison between the S2000 and a street bike that you sometimes hear from the motoring press is an appropriate one. I love the way the engine screams to the rev limiter, I love the way the gearshift works when you grab the next gear, I love how flickable the car is into corners, I love the way it rewards a good driver (the car needs to be driven precisely to be fully appreciated), but most of all I love the way it makes me feel when I see other S2000 owners and they nod in recognition. Only they know what I know: how genuinely rewarding it is to drive one of these every day. You don’t get tired of it. MCB: There are two generations of the S2000, the AP1 (2000–03) and the AP2 (2004–09). Is one preferable to the other? RF: This depends on what you’re looking for in a car. If you can tolerate a little more rawness, a little more NVH, and don’t mind owning an older car, the AP1 is for you.

The engine capacity increased to 2.2 liters for 2004 (AP2), and the suspension was revised slightly as well to make it more tolerable to those who intended to drive the car in the city. There were cosmetic changes as well, inside and out, but on the whole the S2000 lost a bit of its personality with the update. I prefer the rawer AP1 to the AP2 as it stays truer to the original SSM concept Honda had in mind when it originally introduced the car. MCB: What should someone look for when buying one of these cars? RF: Check the underside for any signs of the car being spun into a curb. Check the timing chain tensioner for wear (if it is worn out it will make a loud “tick-tick-tick” sound when the engine warms up). The tops on these cars tend to tear and crack over time, so avoid an example with a cheaply-replaced top. There’s not much else; these cars were made very well. MCB: What should someone expect to pay? RF: For an AP1, expect to pay from 8 grand for a run-down, high-mileage example, all the way up to 18 grand for an immaculate AP1 that has lived in a garage all its life.

AP2s go from 12k all the way up to 26k for newer, mint examples. The AP2 CR is a later addition to the range, and you won’t find one for less than 25k. MCB: What else would you like to own? RF: I have a bit of a wagon obsession, so I’d like to have a Volvo 245 with an LS1 swap at some point. I will also own a Porsche 911 at some point in my life. I’d love an Alfa Spider as well, the original boat tail versions. MCB: Any favorite drives in your area? RF: Yes— the ones that leave Florida and enter Georgia, going up toward the mountains… RF: If anyone is looking for a car and is considering an S2000, drive one and you will be sold. To borrow another manufacturer’s line, there is no substitute. Posted in Guest contributor, Still images, What would you buy Project S2000 Part One, Wheels and Tires posted on January 24, 2010 19:41 By Khiem Dinh, photos by Jeff Naeyaert Khiem Dinh is an engineer for Honeywell Turbo Technologies at the time of this writing.  

All statements and opinions expressed by Khiem Dinh are solely those of Khiem Dinh and not reflective of Honeywell Turbo Technologies. The Honda S2000, or S2K as it is affectionately known, is one of our favorite cars from one of our favorite brands. Its most endearing feature is its front engine rear drive chassis with a front mid engine configuration giving an ideal 50/50 weight distribution.  Although the S2K has a bad reputation as being a twitchy, hard to handle car, we have found, that with the proper modifications it is just the opposite; a sweetheart that is easy for a reasonably skilled driver to flat out haul ass in that is nearly impossible to make understeer. The S2K is blessed with its wonderful F-series powerplant which shares many attributes with the K-series engine, the engine we consider to be the best production 4-cylinder made to date.  Available in 2.0 liter F20C and 2.2 liter F22C1 variants, the F-series has an excellent flowing head and Honda’s awesome VTEC variable valve timing and lift system.

The F motor powers the S2K through a close ratio six speed transmission. The S2K’s chassis leaves nothing lacking with unequal length A-arms at all four corners, advanced electrical power steering and a helical limited slip differential as standard equipment. The S2K was released in two versions, the AP1 which was built from 1999 to 2003 and the AP2 which was built from 2004 to 2009.  The AP2 was a more refined car with a bigger, 2.2L F22C1 engine, revised closer gear ratios, improved syncros to eliminate the AP1’s troublesome grinding and most importantly, revised rear suspension geometry to give some toe-in under roll which fixes the twitchiness associated with the early AP1 S2K’s.  This is not a big deal as the rear geometry is easily corrected on the AP1 with aftermarket toe links. Although the S2K is an excellent car out of the box, the MotoIQ crew is never one to leave things alone.  So we introduce Project S2K.  Our goals for Project S2K are not as crazy as the usual MotoIQ fare. 

We are not out to build the baddest assed time attack car or build an unbalanced street terror.  With project S2K, we are going for refined daily driver performance.  We want to get the most from our S2000 but we do not want to give up OEM levels of drivability. We want something that we can drive to work every day, then drive to the track without a trailer, pound out some fast laps and drive home.  We also don’t want something that screams give me a ticket to our local law enforcement agencies. Our Project is starting with a bone stock AP2 S2000 that we bought used for a really good price.  With that said we will begin our long journey towards building the balanced daily driver all around machine. Where do you have a photo session in the middle of a ultra rare Southern California rainstorm of biblical proportions?  In a parking garage!  We still had to detail the car to get the rain induced grime off. Page 1 of 5 Next Page Posted in: Magazine, Tech, Project Cars, Honda, Project S2000 (AP2), S2000