2008 Honda S2000

The Feb 26th issue of Best Car has an article about "the final
version of S2000" and its successor. I thought it's something
everyone would like to know about, so I bought it, took it home, and
my scanner decides to give up its ghost. Oh well, I'll summarize what
I read though.


The Last S2000
"Loyal readers may remember that about 4 years ago, in 2003, Best Car
reported on the release of the S2000 Type R. Unfortunately it never
materialized. At that time, it was not just wild guesses and
Photoshop'ed art work. There was an actually S2000 Type R proposal
that leaked out from Honda sources describing the S2000 Type R. The
proposal was dropped at the last minute in favor of the 2.2L AP2 to
satisfy the need for more torque in the American market, while Japan
complained of the decision being very 'un-Honda.'"

Apparently Best Car has reason to believe that Honda is revisiting
this Type R proposal for the final model change for the S2000. They
call it the "lightweight package" and it will follow the Type R
proposal's target of 100kg weight reduction, bringing the car from
1250kg to 1150kg, changing the power to weight ratio from 5.16kg/ps
to 4.75kg/ps. This should provide performance at turbo levels but
with the direct feel of natural aspiration.


The S2000 Type R model year 2004 proposal (official document from
Honda) consisted of:
-target of 100kg weight reduction
-balanced engine internals (Type R treatment)
-Type R exclusive interior
-air conditioning becomes a factory option
-SRS air bag becomes a factory option
-sound deadening material deleted
-front tire: 205/55R16 to 205/45R17 (implemented on AP2)
-rear tire: 225/50R16 to 245/40R17 (implemented on AP2)
-Type R exclusive suspension tuning
-Type R exclusive uprated brakes
-Type R exclusive body color(s)
-spare tire deleted
-mechanical LSD
-power soft top deleted
-lightweight carbon hard top
-audio becomes factory option


The S2000 is expected to be discontinued before March 2008, so the
lightweight package should be sold sometime between now and then.


The next S
Honda has been tossing around many ideas on the next S. From 4 door
sports car to FF compact sports. But it seems they have decided to
stay with the FR roadster format, and are preparing a concept car in
time for the discontinuation of the S2000. But instead of targeting
the likes of SLK and Z4, they are going to go with a 2.0L engine and
battle it out with the long-time popular Mazda Roadster (Miata in
US). Engine will be the new Advanced VTEC K20A with an output of
about 200-220ps. It will be a milder engine than the S2000, and the
suspension tuning will also follow this route. Styling is said to be
heavily based on the S500/S600/S800, Honda's first 4 wheel
automotive. Dimensions will be slightly smaller than the S2000 with
an overall length of 4000mm, overall width of 1730mm, height of
1250mm, and wheelbase of 2400mm. That's about the same size as the
Mazda Roadster. The roof will be electric powered metal hardtop, and
the car should weight in at 1250kg, which is slightly heavier than
the Mazda, but the extra power in the S will more than make up for
it. It is also probable that the car will be available only with a
clutchless 6spd manual shift transmission. Release date is expected
to be near the end of 2008, with a price of 30,000,000yen