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.
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What makes the S2000 unique?
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.
What makes it an S2000?
Honda S2000: Meaning and Origin In S2000, the “S” stands for the new generation’s true sports. 2000 refers to the F20C engine displacement (1997cc). S2000 also has a wish for the year 2000. A few years after the S2000’s introduction, the engine was changed to the F22C, which had a 2156cc displacement, but the name of the vehicle was left alone.
Are 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.
How quickly can a Honda S2000 travel?
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).
Is buying an S2000 worthwhile?
A fantastic high-performance roadster that is practical for regular driving is the Honda S2000.
For aficionados of sports cars and roadsters, the late 1990s and early 2000s were a brilliant time, as numerous fantastic models, including the Nissan 350z, Mazda MX-5, and of course the Honda S2000, were debuted. The Honda S2000 is still extremely desirable because it is still one of the best sports cars you can buy.
It’s a fantastic alternative for anyone seeking for a used roadster because to its renowned VTEC engine and classic design. There are a few drawbacks to purchasing an automobile that is 22 years old, though, because of its age. Before purchasing a Honda S2000, consider the ten items listed below.
Why did Honda abandon 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.
Honda S2000: Is it a collectible?
Due to their high level of intelligence, today’s drivers view their vehicles as more than just means of transportation. Many people are searching the area to determine which vehicle will become the next collectible in the future. The worth of so many vehicles has recently taken us by surprise; these are vehicles that were taken for granted when they were new but are now fetching millions at auction. Here are some reasons why the S2000 is a sure thing to become valuable in the future.
Which S2000 year is the best?
What years are ideal for purchasing? Truth be said, there is no undisputed “best year S2000. On paper, the 2002 and later versions should be chosen because they have updated suspension and glass back windows.
Which Honda vehicle is the fastest?
NSX Honda. Honda NSX shares first place with its 191 mph peak speed. It has two doors, all-wheel drive, a mid-mounted 3.5L V6 bi-turbo petrol engine, and two seats.
What S2000 color is the rarest?
Right now, there is a great deal of uncertainty in the world. We’ve briefly discussed the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the world auto market, but for many auction organizations, it’s either sink or swim. Live auctions that were scheduled for the spring or summer have been pushed back until the fall or switched to being conducted only online, as will be the case with RM’s upcoming Essen sale in June and its next Palm Beach auction in late March.
Little seems to have changed at Bring a Trailer in the meanwhile. A 2008 Honda S2000 CR sold last week for $80,325 with buyer’s premium. By surpassing a never-driven, never-registered AP1 that sold for more than $70,000 the previous year, that vehicle set a record. Why did this S2000 sell for more than double its $37,000 MSRP and 34% more than the typical #1-condition (Concours) value?
The listing made it obvious that this car was unique. One was that this CR had barely covered 1300 kilometers. In addition, the vehicle was first owned by Honda’s American division before being sold to a worker.
Between the 2008 and 2009 model years, fewer than 700 S2000 CRs were built. The S2000 CR only offered air conditioning and radio as options, doing away with the standard car’s spare tire to cut weight and lower the center of gravity. These options make this CR less uncommon but more bearable. Less than ten percent of CRs had the dual delete option. The rarest color of the automobile, with just 90 produced, is Grand Prix White, not this one. It has an interior that is two-toned yellow and black with Alcantara trim, much like all CRs.
This S2000 is immaculate. The plastic air dam under the front fenders has several toothpick-sized scratches on it, which is the only imperfection that can be seen in the images. Not even 13 miles or 1300 miles seem to have been driven in the car.
Many viewers of the auction who left comments on Bring a Trailer expressed disappointment that this car wasn’t driven. I disagree with that viewpoint. As the engineers expected, the majority of S2000 CRs were driven hard. This vehicle, at a specific point in its past, was one of the few CRs of museum-caliber. It would have been inappropriate to remove it from the wrapping at that time. It belongs in a museum, and I’m going to agree with Indiana Jones on this.
If this sale is proof of anything, it’s that desirable cars in excellent condition still fetch high prices. That isn’t only accurate for Bring a Trailer. A 1950 Jaguar XK120 offered in RM’s online-only Palm Beach auction sold for $143,000, four grand more than the $139,000 industry average for Concours-quality vehicles. Many consumers are naturally hesitant to enter the market at the moment, but some are still eager to spend money when the right vehicle comes along.
What sort of an engine does a Honda S2000 have?
For usage in the Honda S2000, Honda created the F20C and F22C1 inline-4 engines. They are one of the few Honda 4-cylinder car engines with a longitudinal seating arrangement for rear-wheel drive.
These engines are not closely related to the F-series engines used in the Honda Accord and Prelude in the mid-1990s.
[1] Honda engineers used technologies from Honda’s racing engines to make the most of the little engine.
The F20C and F22C1 both use a timing chain and have two overhead cams with roller followers, a ladder-frame main bearing stiffener, a VTEC system for both the intake and exhaust camshafts, Fiber-Reinforced Metal (FRM) cylinder liners, and molybdenum disulfide-coated piston skirts for reduced friction.
There are two distinct cam lobe profiles used in the VTEC system. The cam phasing is not variable. In order to reduce friction in the valvetrain, roller followers are used. Metal injection molding is used to build the rocker arms.
The aluminum engine block has a metal sleeve with fiber reinforcement. The cams are driven by an intermediate gear, which is driven by a timing chain. They are aluminum forged pistons. For quick engine response, the intake plenum was designed with a small volume, and until 2004, a 14 lb (6.4 kg) flywheel was included. The combination of a high-flow catalyst and an exhaust air-injection system significantly reduces the catalyst’s light-off time and cold emissions.