Honda S2000 – The Time is Now

The Japanese have a history of taking a tried and tested formula and making it better. Refining what’s already there to create something fresh and exciting whilst still remaining uncompromisingly true to what made it so good in the first place. Let’s be honest, they have it down to a fine art at this point, but that’s not to say they don’t have any new and original ideas of their own though, far from it. The list of Japanese inventions and discoveries is an incredibly long one, with many having shaped the way that we live and see the world but, and we fully realise this does seem rather oxymoronic, when it comes to reinventing the wheel, the Japanese are pioneers. Citing an automotive example (this is Car & Classic after all) you just have to look at cars like the genre-defining Mazda MX-5 and Ferrari-besting NSX to see exactly what we mean. Another case in point is the Honda S2000, a car that again would radically refresh the roadster as we know it.

An Introduction to the Honda S2000

Very much inspired by the aforementioned MX-5, which in turn was a spiritual successor to the sporting British roadsters of the ’60s – cars like the MGB and Triumph TR series for instance – the Honda S2000 burst onto the scene in 1999. The initial design of the car, however, can be traced back to a concept by Shigeru Uehara that was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show all the way back in ’95. Known as the ‘Sport Study Model’ no one can say Honda doesn’t tell it like it is…

With the marketing department thankfully very much barred from the design and development meetings Honda managed to get it right straight out of the gate and the S2000 was properly configured in the front-engine, rear-wheel drive, manual gearbox tradition inherent in so many thoroughly enjoyable convertible sports cars that had come before it. The Japanese giant had perfected its VTEC system (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) since commercially debuting it in the 1989 Honda Integra XSi in Japan and the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-banger fitted to the S2000 uses the system to perfection.

Cast in the same mold as the MX-5 in that it was a good looking, well built roadster with near perfect balance and a rigid chassis thanks to its X-bone frame construction, the S2000, however, was streaks ahead in terms of performance. Producing 237bhp and combining it with a pretty lean curb weight of just one-and-a-quarter tonnes this rather rapid roadster can hit 60mph in just over six seconds as well as a top speed of 150mph.

Torque figures aren’t quite as impressive at 153lb ft but this is a VTEC, sans forced induction, and to get the best out of this wonderful engine you really need to be operating over and above 6,000rpm at all times. If you’re not used to driving up in this lofty range it can take a bit of getting used to but this really is where the car comes alive, both in performance and sound, so we highly recommend becoming acquainted ASAP.

Treated to various updates over its ten year production run, as well as a handful of special edition models, the S2000 saw a substantial facelift in 2004 with the release of the second gen ‘AP2’ cars. The fully independent double wishbone suspension remained but the system’s springs and anti-roll bars were softened in a bid to make the car more stable and less twitchy. Traction control would become an option in 2006 as well, before being fitted as standard two years later.

What Should I Look For?

Generally speaking the Honda S2000 is typically Japanese in its reliability, but with those earlier ‘AP1’ cars being renowned for somewhat snappy handling, pre-facelift S2000s in the wrong hands can easily become tree-seeking missile, especially in the wet, so accident damage is a very real issue. With that in mind it’s important to inspect for any evidence of fender benders. Patches of filler and oddly placed welds, as well as non-uniform panel gaps are all good indicators.

Corrosion isn’t so much of an issue as far as the bodywork is concerned but due to a lack of decent underbody protection rust can creep in so get yourself underneath and inspect for any potential rot lurking. Rear wheel arches can be problematic too, depending on the level of care and attention the car has received.

Engines, despite being high revving performance motors are generally pretty bombproof. Keep an eye on fluid levels as they can be a little thirsty for oil, though and timing chain tensioners are known to fail too. Thankfully an early warning rattle at start up will notify you of its impending doom. It’s a relatively cheap and easy job to replace though so it’s not the end of the world.

A correctly setup suspension system is key to how well these cars handle so make sure all of the bushings are operating as they should and have not seized or perished, paying particular attention to the wishbone bolts. The interior is a robust and well put together affair, as you would expect from a modern Honda, but early cars featured a plastic rear screen which can crack so do be aware if opting for a pre-2001 car.

What Are Prices Like?

Prices pretty much hit rock bottom a few years ago and you could legitimately pick up a high mileage, usable example for as little as five grand. Values have started to rise though and you’re now looking closer to double that for a similar car that isn’t going to cause you too many headaches.

Most decent, low mileage examples are now hovering around the £10,000 to £20,000 mark and you’ll be able to grab a very nice car in decent condition and spec at this price range. Tipping the scales at over £20K are the cream of the crop; cars in top condition with low miles and full history but the flip side is you may be reticent to use it as much should you choose a steed from this group for fear of clocking up too many miles.

Whether you opt for an excitable first gen or more forgiving post ’04 model (and there’s no shame there – we don’t all need to be hooning around on the limit 100% of the time), buy a good one, look after it and steer clear of those aforementioned trees and you’ll be sitting on a sound investment. Trust us.

Why Should I Buy One?

What Honda managed to do with the S2000 was create an incredibly sharp, analogue and traditional feeling sports car all wrapped up nicely in a modern, well-built package, perfectly melding these two seemingly dichotomous ideologies. Today it represents the perfect alternative to the forced induction, flappy paddle shenanigans of more modern fare and you may find that other cars in its class fall a little short and feel a little flat after smashing one about.

Evoking Elise levels of driver engagement and enjoyment (Honda did use the Caterham 7 as inspiration for the S2000 after all) we can’t stress enough just how hard you have to push the S2000. For some it may seem counter-intuitive but thrash the thing and it really does comes alive. The six speed manual gearbox, along with being an absolute peach of a transmission, really allows you to exploit all of the engine’s VTEC goodness, too and the Torsen limited slip diff makes it bags of fun and hugely rewarding to drive if you get it right. Depending on your preferred driving style the lack of low down performance may frustrate but the car will cruise happily outside of its peak power band, making it a rather practical modern classic when required. Chase the red line though and it becomes an entirely different and utterly intoxicating animal.

We’ll just leave this little link here, in case you fancy taking a look at the models we have for sale on Car and Classic. Go on, you know you want to…