The likelihood that Honda will redesign the S2000 is apparent.
This is expected to occur in 2024, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original S2000, according to insider reports.
The next-generation Honda Civic Type R’s engine will likely power the S2000, but Honda supposedly wants to make the new car seem remarkably identical to the original (to the extent this is possible with modern requirements around safety etc).
In the interim, the original S2000 is the only convertible Honda sports car worth considering.
For more details on this fantastic car, see our Honda S2000 buyer’s guide and model history.
Do you anticipate Honda bringing the S2000 back? What additional Honda models would you like to see updated? Please feel free to comment below to start the conversation.
In This Article...
Honda S2000: Are they still produced?
Honda, a Japanese automaker, produced the Honda S2000, an open-top sports car, from 1999 until 2009. To commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary, the production version of the SSM concept car was unveiled on April 15, 1999, at the Tokyo Motor Show. In keeping with the S500, S600, and S800 roadsters of the 1960s, the S2000 is called after its two-liter engine displacement.
Over the course of the vehicle’s manufacturing, numerous modifications were made, including adjustments to the interior, bodywork, suspension, engine, and gearbox. The initial launch model was given the chassis code AP1, and the facelifted model, known as the AP2 in North America and Japan, included considerable improvements to the drivetrain and suspension despite sharing a similar exterior. On August 19, 2009, the S2000’s manufacturing halted.
The Honda S2000 stood out for having the highest mass-produced naturally aspirated engine specific power output at roughly 124 horsepower per liter, or about two horsepower per cubic inch.
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Since then, the price of valued models in good condition of the S2000 has significantly increased, making it a legitimate example of a modern vintage automobile. Special edition productions, like the CR (Club Racer) in the USA market, are the most sought-after models in the JDM community and the automotive industry as a whole. Standard AP1 and AP2 vehicles have also turned into collectibles.
What caused Honda to stop making the S2000?
The Honda S2000, a lightweight roadster that was first introduced in 1999, immediately established a reputation as a formidable rival to the venerable Mazda MX-5 Miata. However, the S2000 was terminated in 2009 due to sluggish sales, and plans for a replacement were shelved due to the financial crisis, whilst its Japanese rival is still being produced today. Since 2015, there have been rumors about a second-generation model, and it currently appears that Honda is getting closer to producing a replacement to reenter the market and compete with the Mazda Miata.
Why is S2000 such a hit?
First of all, that engine contributed to the mythology of the S2000. When you first start the car, this might not seem to be the case because it doesn’t seem to show anything exceptional as you wait for it to reach idle. You continue to apply some revs while pondering the fuss. However, the S2000 really starts to become truly unique until you find that redline and begin to drive it seriously. The S2000 had a normally aspirated production automobile engine with the highest specific output ever recorded. Remember that the engine produces 124 horsepower per liter—without a turbocharger or supercharging.
The engine is connected to the absolutely stunning manual transmission. For years, people have waxed poetic about this gearbox, but the truth is that it is just that amazing. According to publications like Top Gear, the mechanical connection you feel between the engine and the gears may perhaps be the greatest available right now. In the S2000, changing gear is an event rather than just a procedure. At high rpm, you can shift into the next gear quickly, or when softly cruising, you can shift into the next gear gradually. Honda did a fantastic job pairing the engine and transmission.
The S2000 is quick.
What Speed Is an S2000? The S2000’s 1,997cc inline four cylinder DOHC-VTEC engine produces 237247hp (depending on the market), allowing it to reach 100 km/h in about 6 seconds and reach a top speed of little over 255 km/h (158 mph).
Honda S2000s uncommon?
Honda sold only 700 S2000 CR models, making them exceedingly rare. Due to their scarcity and assortment of track-focused improvements, they have increased in value over the past five years from being $30,000 cars to six-figure collectors. In addition to having unique wheels, a quicker steering rack, stiffer suspension, revised aero, extra chassis bracing, and a one-piece detachable hardtop roof, CR models also received these upgrades.
This one, which has 123 kilometers on the odometer and is finished in yellow over black Alcantara and cloth, looks the part. The interior is in excellent condition, and the body panels and roof piece appear to be in flawless condition. The car’s engine compartment and underside appear to have never been touched by the outside world, which is not unexpected given that it has only traveled an average of 8.7 miles annually since it was first delivered in 2008.
Currently, a similarly equipped CR that sold for $122,500 on Bring a Trailer back in February 2022 has the distinction of most valued S2000 in the world. However, the mileage on that vehicle was 5500 when it was sold. At the time of writing, Rahal’s CR had received bids as high as $111,111, and there were still three days left to place them.
Rahal has relocated an S2000 using the Bring a Trailer platform before. The six-time IndyCar race winner paid $48,000 back in 2018 for a pristine 2000 S2000 painted in red with 1000 kilometers on the odometer. The next year, he earned $70,000 by auctioning off a 91-mile example.
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What kind of power can an S2000 produce?
Intensity and Power The S2000 has a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 162 pound-feet of torque at 6,800 rpm and 237 horsepower at 7,800 rpm.
Will the S2000 gain in worth?
The Hagerty Valuation team has learned a lot about the most recent Honda S2000 transaction prices, so please check here for the most recent values. The most recent data update shows no significant price increases. Cars that would be classified as #1 (Concours, or “best-in-the-world examples”) and #2 (Excellent) have remained unchanged over the past four months, but #3 (Good) and #4 (Fair) have increased by 2%.
S2000 levels, however, have dramatically increased over a longer time period. In 2013, when we first formally began keeping track of S2000 values, cars in #2 (Excellent) condition were typically valued at $24,000. The average price of an S2000 is $29,500 as of February 2021, a 23 percent increase. If that seems excessive, it’s because the majority of the gain is the result of soaring prices for cars in condition #1 (Concours) and #2 (Excellent).
The value of AP1 cars is often a little higher than that of AP2 cars. A 2003 S2000 with 855 miles was sold by Mecum in 2018 for $71,500. (Mileage is important for these really expensive autos.) A 1000-mile New Formula Red S2000 from the first model year that sold on Bring A Trailer for $48K has a similar backstory.
Over the past three years, AP1 vehicle insurance quotes have increased by 103%, and over the past five years, they have increased by 257%. Additionally, agreed values have increased by 15% over the past five years and 17% over the past three years.
The demographics of S2000 ownership should reveal a lot if you’re curious in how young people feel about vehicles today. Baby boomers possess 40% of the market for vintage cars overall, but 35% of the S2000s insured with Hagerty. Although millennials only account for 18% of the vintage automobile market, our data reveals that 31% of S2000 owners fall into that age group.
Only 66,860 of these vehicles were ever imported into the country, and many of them suffered damage over the years. The newest and oldest of these vehicles are each twelve years old. Spend some time finding an excellent one that you’ll like to drive. There aren’t many vehicles available at this price bracket that provide this level of driving enjoyment. Find the S2000 in the greatest condition you can afford, and you should have years of enjoyment from your investment!
The S2000: Is it a Classic?
What characteristics characterize a classic? A classic is something that endures long after its original release. Something exceptional that can stand on its own is a classic. Whatever the world and its peers change around it, something that was great will always remain great.
Honda’s S2000 is undoubtedly one of the best examples of a vintage car in modern times and was in many ways always intended to do so. The S2000 effectively improved the traditional roadster recipe by combining Honda dependability and new-millennium technology with the spirit of a vintage driver’s car.
In late 1999, it was introduced in Australia for close to $70,000. Yes, it is pricey for a Honda, but it is also more affordable, superior, and probably prettier than its German rivals. And no one—certainly not Honda—has been able to create a vehicle quite like it in the years since production was stopped due to an increase in the demand for SUV crossovers around the world.
In the US, how many S2000s exist?
Honda’s S2000 sports car, introduced for the 2000 model year, gained popular right away for these and many other factors. Before discontinuing the model at the end of 2009, Honda sold more than 66,000 of the roughly 111,000 units produced globally in the United States.
How durable are S2000 engines?
The now-famous Honda F20C is the engine found beneath the hood of the AP1 Honda S2000. The F20C’s 9,000 rpm RPM limiter is likely its most illustrious feature. As a result, the F20C is one of the most powerful production engines ever installed in a vehicle. This preserves the legacy of its forebears as well, since the S600 tops the list of production engines with the greatest maximum revs thanks to its 9,500 rpm restriction. Let’s look at the renowned F20C’s specifications.
The F20C engine is lightweight because its cylinder head and engine block were both manufactured from an aluminum alloy. It has four valves per cylinder and is an inline four-cylinder engine. It has a dual overhead camshaft design and includes multi-port electronic fuel injection as standard. It also includes VTEC, Honda’s renowned variable valve timing technology.
The 240 horsepower and 153 lb.-ft. of torque of the F20C delivered in the US. It features an 11 to 1 compression ratio. The F20C model sold in Japan’s domestic market (JDM) had a little higher compression ratio of 11.7 to 1, which gave it a little bit more power.
250 horsepower and 161 lb.-ft. of torque are available in the JDM version. The F20C had the highest power per liter of any engine ever developed at the time of its debut.
Honda engines are known for being incredibly dependable, and the F20C is no exception. A Honda S2000 engine may operate for well over 200,000 miles if properly maintained. A few S2000s have accumulated more than 300,000 kilometers, as well.