The Honda brand is world-renowned and this legendary car manufacturer from Japan has ties from Formula One to Superbikes and everything in between. One of the most desired cars Honda has ever produced is the Honda S2000. The S2k was built between 1999 - 2009 and during this run produced some of the coolest road cars for the track.
10 Track Car For The Road
The Honda S2000 is legendary for its perfect 50/50 weight distribution. This makes it ideal for use as a daily driver and means it also handles great on track days. Its X-Bone frame makes the car feel more rigid giving it a distinctly racier feel.
Given the S2000's sports heritage, it requires a driver who is focused, for sure. The car can be quite demanding when on track and quick reactions are a must. This is down to the sports suspension which is stiffened for a snappy response.
9 Strange Features
One strange feature of the S2000 is the placement of the headlight washer button. This is placed right next to the gear shifter and is notoriously easy to hit accidentally whilst changing gear.
Some other odd features include the secret compartments. Your average car will have one, being the center console. The Honda has three. The one in the center console as well as one behind the seats with one extra under the mat in the trunk.
8 Affordability
The S2000 can range anywhere from around $14,500 to as much as $40,000 depending on spec and model.
This makes the Honda both accessible and quite pricey. Some of the more expensive models are the newer 2008 roadster versions.
7 JDM Icon
The S2K is undoubtedly one of the most iconic Japanese roadsters available. It's well-documented as being a competitor of the classic European roadsters like the BMW Z4 or the Porsche Boxster.
It has even made an appearance in The Fast and the Furious franchise further cementing its place in JDM history. It is a highly sought-after car for enthusiasts, especially for those with a keen interest in JDM cars.
6 Award-Winning Engine
With roadsters, the main factor is a lightweight feeling and speed. The Honda excels in this area with its award-winning engine. Honda's reputation for building engines is legendary and the S2000 takes full advantage of this.
In 2003, Honda received the award for 'engine of the year' with the S2000's 2.0l engine which revs to 9,000 RPM. The 240hp output also made it the most powerful naturally aspirated engine at the time.
5 Reliability
The reliability of the Honda S2000 is excellent. It is more than capable of driving over 300,000 miles in its lifetime with hardly any maintenance. Oil changes are required every 6000 miles. Rust issues can be fairly common if the car is not maintained properly, however.
It's also said that the car can easily perform multiple laps on tracks at a high rpm without having any sort of heating issues further adding to its track car reputation.
4 Increasing In Value
The values of the S2000s are only going up. People with an interest in this car can potentially make money from it or retain their investment at the very least. Models from 2004 onwards are seen as the most desirable as they have a larger engine and redesigned suspension.
This could make the S2K quite desirable for collectors and those who are looking to purchase an exciting car without the risk of losing a bunch of money in the process. Someone interested in the Honda should consider a purchase as soon as possible to take full advantage.
3 Car For The Drag Strip
A possibly unexpected use for the S2000 is as a drag car. It's fairly common to see the S2000 as a track car as it was never known for its straight-line speed. However, with some modifications, it can easily surpass its competitors.
There are records of the S2000 breaking speeds as high as 200mph on the drag strip and smashing sub-7-second quarter-mile times. One reason for this is its high RPM range allowing it to stay in gears for longer than its rivals.
2 Fuel Efficient
The fuel efficiency of the S2000 is also higher than may be expected. Due to the car being very light at just over 1,200kg. It has a 50L fuel tank and with some careful driving can easily achieve over 25mpg.
The MPG and weight stats may not seem too impressive by modern standards, but when you consider that some models are almost 2 decades old it becomes all the more impressive. These stats are fairly comparable to the newer Mazda MX-5 from 2019.
1 Easy to Modify
As with the majority of Japanese cars, modification is a large factor in what this car is all about. Although, it is debated whether the car itself even needs modifications as it is seen as near perfectly engineered. This of course doesn't prevent owners from trying to improve on perfection.
Spoon is one tuning company that specializes in modified Hondas. Some common mods for the S2K include modified and upgraded suspensions, intakes, exhausts, and body mods. It is incredibly rare to find an S2000 with its original suspension as for those looking to modify the car this is usually the first thing to be replaced.