S2000
Electric S2000: Honda’s 75th Anniversary Surprise
It seems Honda is eager to capitalize on their 75th birthday by venturing into the EV sports car arena with an electric S2000.
Update: 2013 Honda Accord Coupe V-6
There’s a misconception that since the death of the S2000, Honda’s only really “fun” car is the Civic Si (with respect to the tossable, but ultimately underpowered CR-Z). We’d dispute this point of view, and we think you would too, if you’d just got done testing Honda’s new Accord Coupe.
Secondhand Gems: $33,000 Roadsters
Look closer at the segment, however, and one finds a roadster sweet spot just about in the middle, in the vicinity of $33,000. At that price point there exist three roadsters in the secondhand market that have the ability to deliver everything an enthusiast could ever want. Each machine has a different personality. All share a front-engine/rear-drive configuration with a manual gearbox, and the ability to properly carve corners. At $33,000 you can probably guess the two Japanese makes on the list, but the American entry just might surprise you.
Secondhand Gems: Hardcore Performance
As auto enthusiasts, we love to drive. Some of us like it more than others. And then there’s the third group, filled with fleeting thoughts of going pro, or at least semi-pro.
Driven: Saying Goodbye To The Honda S2000
Throughout the 1990s, the Mazda Miata was the go-to choice for inexpensive, lightweight, whipping-boy roadster fun. But all of that changed in 1999 when Honda launched the S2000 with its mean little style, simplistic interior, and high-revving (9000 rpm!) 2.2-liter four. And while the Miata went through a series of refreshes and shortened its name (to MX-5) since that time, the Honda proved to be a very stiff competitor without many changes over its lifespan. We grew to love the S2000 because of its taut, firm suspension, incredible steering feel, and impeccable transmission—the six-speed manual gearbox is, to this day, one of the best sticks we’ve ever driven—and we were indeed saddened when American Honda announced that 2009 would be the S2000’s last model year.
Keepers: Honda S2000—Shopping
Traditionally, even well maintained sports cars tend to be maintenance-heavy due to their high-strung personalities. There is good news, however, for all you would-be Honda S2000 owners, because the S2000—aside from being a high-strung sports car—is still a Honda. That means high levels of reliability despite its performance car status.
Keepers: Honda S2000
In the broad realm of performance motoring, there are essentially three classifications of enthusiasts: Those who seek pure power, those who seek pure finesse, and those who seek a balance of the two. For those seeking finesse, top-down sports motoring doesn’t get much better than the Honda S2000, and while the high-revving, 240 horsepower four banger under hood won’t satisfy the power hungry, it does propel the S2000 with enough punch to get an inexperienced driver into trouble, and boy does it sound good doing it.
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