Honda S2000

In the ’90s, they used to play a song on the radio that said, “I bought myself a Honda car, a Honda car…” So if you’ve decided to swing at a Honda car, but not a Honda S2000 car, we’re sincerely shaking hands – the choice is right! Let’s plunge into history. The S2000 model was timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Honda’s existence. It is a sports car, which was produced for 10 years, from 1999 to 2009. It became a continuation (and very successful!) of roadsters of series S – models 500, 600, 800. Restyling was exposed only once – in 2003. The whole model range is Honda.

Exterior

The external update, which affected Hondu S2000 and which acquired the factory name AP2, is almost no different from the previous model. Shigeru Uhara, the responsible designer of the sports department of the company, was well aware that a sharp change in the appearance of the car can only harm it. But despite this, the car received a new rear and front bumper. The changes also affected the front and rear optical light-amplifying system, which is filled with LEDs.

The shapes of the exhaust pipes were changed, which received an oval design, as well as changed the shape of the rear spoiler, which is well located on the luggage compartment. Speaking in general, the car of 2003 year is divided by nominal changes in the direction of sports qualities. Partly it is noticeable by the shape of the nose of the car and headlights. With the use of new front lamps, in which three light sources were installed, the power of light flux has increased.

A strong projector beam of dipped beam (HID) has found its place between the turntable and the high beam. The body part of the car was made entirely of steel, except for the hood, which was made of aluminum. With the help of balanced proportions, the car is elegant and muscular. The presence of sharp and sharp lines indicates the excellent dynamism of the roadster. With a short front overhang, rather low hood line and widely spaced wheels, the car gets an aggressive appearance.

The side of the car is still impressive. The shape of the door panels has been redesigned to increase the space available in the elbows and shoulders of the front seat by 20 mm. The side gives the impression that the car is designed to cut through the airflow. This is partly true, because the S2000 has good aerodynamic performance.

Stampings, which are visible on the door and side of the car, give it more originality and sharpness. The rear view mirrors are painted to match the colour of the entire car. The soft roof of the roadster is smoothed and smoothed out within 6 seconds with the help of an electric drive. Hardtop will only be available as an option. The stern of the Honda S2000 also has a modified rear bumper shape and a pair of oval-shaped chrome exhaust pipes. The new lighting is represented by LED lighting technology, which greatly improves the brightness and speed of switching on the lamps, which are closed by a transparent bulb.

A little deeper, the rear fog lamp has been replaced by a rear fog lamp, near which there is a turn signal lamp in the reflective housing. The edge was covered with combined parking lights for the brake signal/signal. Also on the edge of the car there were side marker LED lamps in the reflective housing. All this makes the roadster more dynamic. Thanks to the small size of the machine, it was possible to reduce the weight by a minimum and increase the roadster’s maneuverability.

Interior

If we speak for the interior of Honda S2000, there have been some minor changes. For example, on the first generation of the car there were red seats, but now they are painted in a combined color (red and black). On the console, mounted in the center, the chrome insert found its place. Previously, there was an outdated audio system, now it has been replaced by a newer, more progressive one. These changes have also affected the climate system.

The seat headrests have been enhanced with additional loudspeakers for improved sound quality and more comfortable listening, even when the roof is open. When you drive a car from Japan, Honda S2000, you feel the inherent spirit of a sports car. The cockpit only confirms this. It is also noticeable in the low landing, high doors, central tunnel and minimalist interior of the sports car.

When designing the interior design, the company’s design staff tried to reflect the real sports style in it. It is noticeable by simple, clean lines, digital dashboard, which is put on the racing cars, control levers, located near the steering wheel – all this seems to remind of the world of competition and speed. In creating a semicircular digital dashboard, the engineering staff was inspired by the images of prestigious Formula 1 races. As long as the ignition is not on, the dashboard is a dark space, but is illuminated by orange light, just turn the key in the ignition.

The engine speed sensor range is numbered up to 10,000 rpm and the red zone ranges from 9,000 to 10,000 rpm. Near the steering wheel there is a button of red color “Engine Start”, which starts the engine of the machine. The seats have a comfortable anatomical shape and well developed support with built-in head restraints that follow the shape of individual safety arcs. These seats can hold passengers firmly in place, even when manoeuvring steeply. As a choice, the customer will be able to choose between two interior colours – red and black.

Special attention was paid to the quality of the materials used for upholstery panels and armchairs inside the machine. Realizing that the interior of the machine will be exposed to the sun when the roof is open, the finishing materials were used taking into account their resistance to ultraviolet irradiation. There is also a new compartment for the safety of the trifles between the seats and a pair of cup holders, which can be closed with a sliding lid.

On the steering wheel there is already all the well-known logo of the Japanese company. The updated panel also made it possible to set the watch. As a separate option, you can set a hard top, which will allow you to save yourself from the cold in winter. The size of the luggage compartment is not so large and equals to only 152 liters of useful space, but do not forget for what reason and why buy cars in this class.

Specifications

Powertrain

It eats a similar, non-weak power pack of about 14 liters of fuel. At low tachometer values, the pickup is not surprising, but everything changes after reaching the arrow values of 4,000 to 9,000 revolutions per minute. There was no automatic gearbox option. Almost flawless controllability is provided by the presence of widely spaced wheels, rigid body and the work of the system of directional stability. It is worth noting that the first time you will have to get used to lightning-fast steering, where a very fast reaction.

Thanks to the upgrade, the 2.0-liter engine was removed from production, and it was replaced by an improved 2.2-liter engine running on gasoline. It has 237 or 242 horsepower. The old 6-speed manual gearbox was slightly changed too – the first 4-speed gearboxes made it shorter, which made it possible to accelerate the machine, and the last two were lengthened.

After the upgrade, the rear suspension was reconfigured and added stiffness to improve the machine’s behavior, which became more predictable when turning abruptly. It was based on a strong, but lightweight aluminium frame with an X-shape integrated into the body. There is an independent walk in front and behind – two lever and multilever systems. The steering is carried out by means of the built in electric amplifier with disk system of brakes on all wheels (forward ventilated) which are equipped with system ABS.

Dimensions

Despite the fact that the wheelbase remained the same (2,400 mm), the bodywork itself became smaller by 16 mm (previously it was 4,133 mm, and now it is 4,1117 mm). The height of the car has increased by 18 mm (previously it was 1,270 mm, now it is 1,288 mm). The width of the car is 1,750 mm. The wheels are no longer installed with a diameter of 16 inches, and 17 with the branded tires of the world-famous company Bridgestone RE-050.

Crash test

Price and equipment

In 2004, the Honda S2000 was slightly modified. The changes mainly affected the interior of the already magnificent appearance. What concerns the cost of this vehicle with low mileage (up to 50 thousand) can be purchased today for 25-30 thousand U.S. dollars.

Pluses and minuses

We sum up

In the end, I would like to say that despite not a large-scale update, the car Honda S2000 has become better. This has affected first of all the exterior of the car, there are some sharp lines, new lighting equipment, both bumpers have changed. Inside also became much better. This has affected the quality of materials used, the quality of the assembly itself. The dashboard became more pleasant to look at, and seats received good lateral support and the confident form with working headrests.

The engine is now more voluminous, but consumption has not affected it much. It is also practical and does a great job. The new redesigned manual gearbox allowed faster acceleration. A good suspension does not cause any complaints, and the steering will allow you to fully control the situation on the road. Honda S2000 is still designed for two people and has a small luggage compartment. However, do not forget for what purpose this car was created – it is a sporty character with elegant practicality and comfort. The given car takes a worthy place in a ruler of the Japanese cars.

We advise you to read the article: History of Honda

Honda S2000 photo

Test drive

Video Overview