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HONDA
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Distribution in Great Britain S2000. is a widely accepted modern classic.
Marketforce (UK) Ltd,
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London, E14 9AP traditionally cominated by England and examples while putting this publication
Tel: 0330 390 6555 Germany and revolutionised it. Where together, we’ve pitted them against the
Distribution in Northern Ireland and the once six cylinders would dominate, competition and we’ve delved into the
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four. The S2000 became just as great capture our hearts. Whether a long term
PRINTING
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a legend as the Subaru Impreza and fan or new to the S2000’s delights, this
Mitsubishi Evo, in no small part owing is a must-read for Honda ejthusiasts.
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be the original work of the author and not previously
published. Where photographs are included, which their dream cars the S2000’s star only Sam Skelton,
are not the property of the contributor, permission to
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HONDA S2000 | 3
CONTENTS
8 HONDA S-CAR HISTORY

From S360 through to S660 through
the S2000, we chart every iteration
of Honda’s highly regarded sporting
legend.
17 LIVING WITH THE S2000

We bring you everything you need
to know in order to maintain and
own an S2000 today, from servicing
to specialists.
24 HONDA S2000 TEST

DRIVE
The Honda S2000 showed the
world that proper sports cars didn’t
need six cylinders. But how are they
to drive today? 42 HONDA S2000 52 AUDI TT 3.2 V S2000
BUYING GUIDE The Audi TT was the must-have s
32 PORSCHE BOXSTER V S2000 So, we’ve tempted you into S2000 mall sports car of the early 2000s.
The S2000 takes on its most ownership? Here’s everything you But could fitting a V6 make
fearsome rival, the mid-engined need to know in order to buy the it an adequate S2000
Porsche Boxster 986. best example. challenger?
4 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

60 TVR TAMORA V S2000 66 HONDA’S GREATEST HITS 76 TRIPLE TEST
The Honda S2000 was the perfect Honda’s back catalogue includes The Porsche 987 Boxster and BMW
big sports car for someone who some impressive sporting heroes. Z4 were the two closest rivals the
craved power. But can the brutish We’ve rounded up a selection of our AP2 S2000 had. but could either
TVR Tamora beat it? favourites. beat it?
86 LOTUS ELISE V S2000 94 BMW Z3 2.8 V S2000

The Lotus Elise is the ultimate light At launch the car the Honda
sportscar. But can the bigger, more S2000 had to beat was the
powerful Honda S2000 keep up? BMW Z3 2.8. Did it succeed?
HONDA S2000 | 5
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HONDA S HISTORY
We chart the life and times of Honda’s famous sports car line. WORDS SAM SKELTON
he very first Honda car was an It’s sixty years since the very first be traced back to the Ministry of
T S-series sports car. So was its first

concept car. And since then the
nomenclature has been applied to a
S car was unveiled, even if it was a
concept that didn’t exactly get the
green light. Seven iterations on, it’s
International Trade and Industry’s
promotional program of 1955 to
build a car for the people. It would
series of successful sports cars – cars only right that we commemorate that have to cost under ¥150,000, hit
which have long been key choices model and celebrate the achievements 62mph, and carry four people. This
for the enthusiastic driver within their of the company which brought power would eventually result in cars such
segments. As far back as 1962, Honda to the people. These cars realised the as the Subaru 360 and the Suzulight
had been experimenting with the power of dreams. 360TL. Honda was expected to join
open sports formula, and while there the ranks of kei-car producers – after
was a considerable gap between the S360 all, its Super Cub motorcycle was
S800 and the S2000 the largest and The first Honda car never strictly launched in 1958, and has become
most powerful S car conforms to the made production. But it is key to the favoured transport of millions not
same design credentials as the smaller the S story because it cast the die only in Japan but around the world.
offerings, trading torque for revviness for the next three generations, But company founder Soichiro Honda
and power beyond the realistic each of which enjoyed road and was cautious; in December 1959 he
expectation of its cubic capacity. track success. The S360’s roots can stated that Honda shouldn’t rush into

car production without research. He
stated that Honda must be “absolutely
confident that every requirement
has been fulfilled, including the
performance of our cars and
production facilities.”
The kei car regulations were strict.
By 1951 they had relaxed to permit
cars of up to 360cc, 4’3” in width,
9’10” in length and 6’6” in height,
but were a means of offering transport
to those whose budgets wouldn’t
justify a full sized car, but who could
afford a motorcycle. It’s important
to note that the Ministry’s “national
car” directive of 1955 was not to
develop a kei-car, it was to permit
something larger and subject to fewer
restrictions, that the public could
still afford. By 1962, Honda had a
proposal. The S360 was unveiled
on 5 June 1962 at Suzuka Circuit,
paraded by Soichiro Honda himself.
Dealers were impressed – the car
would give them something to sell
when motorcycle sales dropped off
during the winter, as an alternative
for those who felt two wheels in bad
weather was a risk.
That October, Honda unveiled
three four wheeled products at the
Japan National Auto Show – the
T360 kei-truck, the S360, and the
larger engined S500. While the
public response was strong, Honda
never productionised the S360 and it
was felt that the larger engined S500
would be a more marketable concept.
HONDA S2000 | 9
GROUP ROUNDUP
HONDA S HISTORY
“ This was to become a national sports

S500
The S500, on the surface, seemed
little different to the S360 that had car, and the fact that it wasn’t bound by
previously been seen. But the S360’s
AK250E twin cam four produced speed regulations levied upon the kei-cars
30bhp – an astounding amount for its
cubic capacity and a specific output
was a distinct advantage.
of 85bhp per litre in a world where the S360 prototype. It may have been advantage.
the BMC A-series could produce larger than the kei-car regulations of The engine’s specifications were
well under half of that figure, but not the time permitted an engine to be, but avdnaced for its era; double overhead
much in a sports car. First produced as the car itself was too large to meet cam, quad carburettors, a needle
in October 1963, the S500 used a the kei-jidosha regulartions it wasn’t roller bearing crank, and a redline
532cc version of the same unit – itself strictly relevant. This was to become a of 9500rpm. Maximum power was
destined eventually for the T360 van national sports car, and the fact that produced at 8000rpm. 80mph was
– which produced 44bhp, offering it wasn’t bound by speed regulations possible, thanks in no small part to the
almost half as much power again over levied upon the kei-cars was a distinct car’s low kerb weight.

GROUP ROUNDUP
HONDA S HISTORY
Underneath, there were definite hints 1363 S500s were produced in the fixed head S600 Coupe – an
of Honda’s heritage as a motorcycle just eleven months, before production even greater sop to the would be
manufacturer. Fully independent wound down in September 1964. motorbikers who wanted to avoid the
suspension was a distinct advantage This success would prompt rivals bad weather, and something welcomes
over any of the car’s rivals – and such as Toyota (Sports 800) and with open arms by Honda dealers.
Honda avoided the difficulties posed Datsun (Fairlady 1500) to work on Once again, power would come from
by a live rear axle by mounting the their own small sports cars, and a twin cam, water cooled engine
differential and driveshafts ahead of subsequent Honda models would enjoy with quad Keihin carburettors – but
the rear wheels, using the trailing arms competition. this time, the S500’s 531cc would
as mounts for individual chain drives to be expanded to 606cc, enough to
each rear wheel in the manner of that S600 offer 57bhp. The convertible weighed
fitted to a bike. Rear springing was by Production became serious with just 715kg, and the coupe 730kg
coils over shock absorbers, while at the the introduction in March 1964 of courtesy of its roof panels – 57bhp
front there were torsion bars. A four the S600 – which, for the first time, was enough for both models to exceed
speed gearbox with synchro on the top would be available with a choice of 90mph. Once again, there would be
three was used. bodystyles. In 1965 Honda launched independent suspension, a four speed
HONDA S2000 | 11
GROUP ROUNDUP
HONDA S HISTORY
gearbox, and a chain drive to each

rear wheel.
Where the S600 built upon its
predecessor would be in marketing.
The S600 was the first Honda to be
produced for the mass market – initially
only in right hand drive as befitted a
Japanese classic, but subsequently also
in left hand drive to satisfy international
requirements. The first export market
was Australia, though left hand drive
would enable Honda to offer cars
throughout Europe. Six right hand drive
cars had come to the UK in a tentative
exploration of the market, but were
never officially marketed in Britain. In
countries such as Italy with tax classes
based upon cubic capacity, the small
Honda enjoyed relative popularity and
a strong sporting image.
Honda offered two levels of trim
for the S600 – the basic car and
the luxurious SM600, which offered
exclusive badging, a radio and
speaker, standard reversing lights, a
cigarette lighter, a heater and better
seats. There would also be special S800 April 1967 it was given the title of the
paint colours available. Total S600 The S800 built upon the achievements world’s most powerful 1-litre car. Its
production would amount to 11284 of the S600 by offering yet another rev-happiness helped; more so than
convertibles and 1800 coupes by the larger engine. Now, it was 791cc, but previous iterations, as the S800 was
time production ceased in 1966. By that was enough for 70bhp, and that capable of revving to 10,000rpm.
this point, the largest-engined and made the S800 Honda’s first 100mph Early cars kept the chain drive
most popular S, the S800, would be car. For an engine still well under system of the S500 and S600, but after
available. 1000cc this was astonishing, and in the first 994 S800s were produced this

GROUP ROUNDUP
HONDA S HISTORY
switched to a cheaper live axle rear

with four radius rods and a Panhard
rod. With the export market in mind,
costs had to be saved if the list price
“ Ranked highly in ownership surveys
worldwide, the S2000 became a
was to absorb the cost of shipping modern classic the day that the first
outside of Japan without raising it
beyond the level of its competition.
one left the factory.
A further 673 were built before the
front drums were replaced by discs.
By then the S800 was available in
Britain, at a Spitfire and Mini Cooper
beating price of just £779 inclusive
of purchase tax. Autocar reported
a 0-60 time of 13.4 seconds. It
also praised the lack of noise and
the well chosen gear ratios, some
drivers felt 12mph/1000rpm a shade
undergeared but when using all the
available rev range the performance
was exemplary. Mild understeer was
found to mask exemplary grip at the
rear, with no tendency to slide. 1548
found homes in the UK – more than
10% of production.
While these early S cars may not
have had VTEC, their basic revviness
and driver involvement makes them
as big a breath of fresh air when
compared with period rivals as the
S2000 would prove to be almost thirty
years later. The S800 would be the
final iteration of the original S series.
11536 would be produced before the
model was discontinued in 1970.
HONDA S2000 | 13
GROUP ROUNDUP
HONDA S HISTORY
S2000 cars like the Mazda MX-5, the Honda in molybdenum disulphide to reduce
The S2000 would be the first Honda to S2000 would compete against the friction at high revs. And it could reach
carry the S name in almost thirty years. BMW Z3 2.8 and the Porsche Boxster. 9000rpm when pushed – a return to
It updated the concept thoroughly – Honda previewed the concept with the high revving spirit of the 1960s
while the jump in cubic capacity seems the SSM concept car of 1995, and S cars. When it was launched road
alarming, it maintained a high specific by the time of the S2000’s launch testers around the world united in
output, and based its engine size it was clothed in one of the most their praise for the car, with its well
requirements around what had become attractive bodyshells of its generation. weighted steering, pointable chassis
a normal engine size by 1999. This The lightweight aluminium engine and excellent gearbox it became one
meant that it was competing in a more utilised twin overhead camshafts, now of the most entertaining sportscars
serious sportscar market than the S800 with VTEC in use on each one. The of its era. It might have lacked cubic
had done – while that may have been cylinder linings were fibre reinforced, capacity but it made up for it with
seen reasonable as a precursor to while the piston skirts were coated engineering intelligence which meant

that the 2.0 Honda could fight cars
with half as much engine again.
Ranked highly in ownership surveys
worldwide, the S2000 became a
“ Few Japanese manufacturers have
this ability to consistently please their
modern classic the day that the first audience. The Honda S-cars all hit the
one left the factory. The subsequent
AP2 model of 2004 would soften spot. We can’t wait to see what’s next.
the chassis slightly in the interests of
easier control, but the model remained
popular right to the end of production head turning small sportscar that he felt and while there was only so much
in 2009. would bring the joy back to motoring. what could be done with the drivetrain
By putting him in charge, Honda without violating kei-car regulations
S660 hoped to rekindle some of the spirit Honda modified the turbo mapping to
The most up to date of the Honda S that led Soichiro Honda in the early provide improved acceleration.
series also takes its inspiration from the days of the company – a man with no Production of the diminutive S660
past. But where the S2000 drew on formal education. ended in March 2022, 12 months after
the concepts espoused by the S800, Mukumuto was inspired by his own Honda announced that production
the S660 harks back instead to the Honda S2000, and developed the would cease.
diminutive mid-engined Honda Beat of S660 to speak to kei-car buyers who
the 1990s. might otherwise have considered the CONCLUSION
It was the brainchild of Ryo front wheel drive Daihatsu Copen. Each and every Honda S-car has
Mukumoto, Honda’s youngest ever Traditional Honda buyers who had had one primary objective; driver
lead engineer. Mukumoto had won fond memories of the Beat would enjoyment above all else. And while
an internal competition against 400 also approve of the new car, with they may have been built in different
other entrants in order to win his its mid engined, rear wheel drive decades for different types of customer
post – and at the time he took office, layout and 660cc engine. The latter, and to meet different needs, you can
his previous experience had been in which produces just 63bhp, was feel the familial strand which links each
creating research mock-ups. Aged taken from its existing N-box kei design to its predecessor and successor
just 22 at the time and with no direct car. Rumours of a 1.0 turbocharged in turn. Every S-car has the same
engineering experience, he was version for export never came to DNA at its heart, DNA which gives
given five years to create a new kei- fruition, though contemporary reports them a unqiue feel. Few Japanese
class sports car. Mukumoto wanted to suggest the chassis was stiff enough manufacturers have this ability to
challenge the stereotype among his to take it – stiffer even than that of the consistently please their audience. The
generation that believed cars were S2000. Handling was direct, with no Honda S-cars all hit the spot. We can’t
solely for transportation – creating a understeer or oversteer tendencies, wait to see what’s next. ■
HONDA S2000 | 15
THE POWER
OF DREAMS
Honda’s S2000 was a technological tour de force
but what’s it like to live with as it ages?
You might be surprised. WORDS PAUL WAGER

t’s become the accepted version of
I automotive history that the 1990s

roadster resurgence was kick-started
by Mazda’s MX-5 which then saw
all the major makers scrambling to
produce their own modern sports
car, from Barchetta and MR2 to
Boxster and SLK. Honda was there
too, releasing its own roadster in
1999 but always the maverick among
the Japanese makers, it took a very
different approach.
Instead of the MX-5’s mildly
stimulating performance, the S2000
dialled it up to 11 with a VTEC-
equipped engine revving like a sports
bike and providing 240bhp without a
turbocharger in sight.
The styling was as sharp and
modern as the running gear too,
without so much as a nod to retro
and the S2000 served as a very
appropriate present to itself on
Honda’s 50th anniversary.
HONDA S2000 | 17
The heart of the S2000 was the in character was startling as the VTEC The body was designed to achieve
engine: a 2-litre twin-cam four-cylinder did its thing and the needle leapt to class-leading rigidity but the S2000
into which the firm threw the total of its the 9000rpm redline. At this point, the also weighed in at just 1260kg,
accumulated knowledge over its half- short-shifting six-speed box came into meaning performance was lively:
century of existence, with many of the its own and the grip afforded by the 0-62 mph in just 6.2 seconds and a
design team taken from the F1 engine double wishbone chassis was much top speed of 150mph. Not bad going
programme. The result was a power appreciated. from a 2-litre four-pot.
output of 240bhp which was achieved
without forced induction but by adding
the firm’s trick VTEC variable cam timing
and letting it spin to a heady 9000rpm.
You could be forgiven for expecting
the result to be a lumpy, awkward
unit to drive but in reality it
was as docile in everyday
use as a basic Civic and
was also able to meet the
strict California emissions
regulations. Keep your foot
in it until the needle hit 6500
rpm though and the change

LIVING WITH
HONDA S2000
All of which means there’s nothing top and minor cosmetic details: a new a softer rear end, revised bumper
quite like the S2000. Yes, there are leather and alloy gearknob, silver design and 17-inch wheels, while the
open two-seaters which provide similar stereo cover, darker alloy wheels, VTEC ‘switchover’ was made smoother,
performance but none of them manage chrome rings around the tail lights and with many owners reporting that these
it with such elegance of engineering larger Honda badges. In 2004 the car revised engines use less oil. A welcome
and without using either much larger received more major modifications, change for the 2006 model year was
engines or at least one turbo. For that among them more significant the change to a drive-by-wire throttle
reason alone, it deserves the status of suspension changes Including instead of a mechanical cable, which
modern classic. permitted the option of traction
As launched in 1999, the S2000 control.
was off ered in UK-market form as
just a single 240bhp model.
Standard spec was generous,
including an electric roof,
leather seats, HID lights and
air conditioning. For the
2002 model year, the car
received revised spring and
damper settings to make it
less twitchy, a heated glass
rear window in the convertible
HONDA S2000 | 19
LIVING WITH
HONDA S2000
Many owners pushing too hard in and dampers as well as different alloy with owners. Much like the Mk1 MX-
the wet had discovered just how easy wheels with a wider spoke design. 5, the cars have got to the point now
it was to spin a rear-drive car like the Production of the S2000 finally ended where the Fast & Furious modified cars
S2000 and this saved many from in 2009 after more than 110,000 had have fallen by the wayside and a clean
embarrassing spins. You can recognise been sold. standard car is now a sought-after
these cars at a glance by the lack of a Today, the youngest S2000 is over thing.
hole in the centre of the headrests. a decade old, while the oldest will
The final change came with the have seen 20 years on our roads, but LIVING WITH THE S2000
2008 model year, which introduced you’ll rarely see a tatty one, which is Here at Kelsey Media, we’ve had an
traction control as a standard feature credit both to the high quality of the S2000 on the scene for the last eight
and brought more changes to springs car and the enthusiasm they generate years but rather than a magazine

LIVING WITH
HONDA S2000
project car it’s the personal property £5500 from an independent dealer. damaged as well as making the car a
of publishing boss Phil Weeden. The A 2003 car, it comes with the benefit chilly prospect for regular winter use.
fact that he’s held on to the car through of the glass rear window but predates the The hardtop makes the car a much
successive house moves and a growing larger wheels and suspension revisions more useable year-round proposition, he
family tells you all you need to know introduced the following year. Phil recalls reckons and of course the scarce used
about the appeal of these cars. that the car was originally off ered with ones on the market now go for more
“I’ve always liked something a bit a hardtop for an extra £500, an off er than the £500 the dealer was originally
left-field,” admits Phil and that explains he now regrets taking up. One of the few asking.
why it was the S2000 which took his criticisms he makes of the car over his During eight years and 35,000 miles
fancy rather than a Boxster, SLK or MX-5 ownership is that the convertible top is a of ownership, the S2000 has lived up
at similar money – which at the time was basic single-skinned item and so is easily to Honda’s reputation for quality and
“ The S2000 has lived up to Honda’s

reputation for quality and expenditure
on parts has been minimal
HONDA S2000 | 21
LIVING WITH
HONDA S2000
As for servicing, it’s no secret that a car

expenditure on parts has been minimal,
while the paint and interior still look great.
A period of little use resulted in the
seized rear callipers recently needing
“
like the S2000 needs proper maintenance by
replacement, while the rear dampers someone who knows what they’re doing
were replaced a couple of years ago by
Koni parts. Interestingly, Phil reports that On the subject of which, most S2000 Other issues over the years have
the Konis are very slightly softer than the owners will agree that the right tyres are been of the niggling variety rather
originals and as such mirror the 2004 crucial on these cars and Phil agrees. “It than major issues: a sticking bonnet
suspension changes, making the car had Uniroyals on it when I got it, which catch and a lazy driver’s door lock
easier to drive hard – without the brittle were awful,” he recalls. “I changed are about the only things that spring to
ride, it’s less easily unsettled especially them for a set of Bridgestones and they mind, which isn’t bad for a specialist
in the wet. transformed it.” performance car like this.

LIVING WITH
HONDA S2000
As for servicing, it’s no secret that The car was later looked after by a cost of new tyres and having all four
a car like the S2000 needs proper more general local garage which saw wheels refurbished and the total bill
maintenance by someone who knows a few S2000s, with the most recent was still only £1300.
what they’re doing, especially when it service being performed by Honda As for the practicalities, the Honda’s
comes to the three-year valve clearance specialist TGM Sport in Hampshire. boot space is certainly on a par with
service. The ‘big’ service including the valve the MX-5 or Boxster and the car’s
Initially Phil used the local Honda clearances and rear diff erential fluid easily up to long distances. It’s at its
main dealer and was pleasantly came in at about the cost of an interim best on cross-country B-roads though,
surprised at the cost and levels of service for something like a Boxster since long motorway journeys can
service, appreciating their sensible – the car’s natural competitor as a get tiring with the wind noise from the
advice when expensive items were modern classic – which makes the roof. What was that about hard tops
looming on the horizon. S2000 look reasonable. Throw in the again..? ■
HONDA S2000 | 23
MILLENNIUM BUG
Honda’s famous sports car was so good, our Paul bought one. WORDS PAUL WAGER
s I type this, my driveway is think given that it deploys three times clean-sheet design which capitalised on
A home to an incongruous pairing

in the shape of a Honda S2000
and a V12-engined Aston Martin and
as many cylinders as the Honda and
indeed triple the capacity. It’s also vastly
larger on the outside than the S2000
the late ’90s popularity of the reborn
roadster but did so very much by
ploughing its own furrow when it came
although any comparison between the yet offers less usable space inside, to the engineering philosophy.
two would be tenuous at best, they do while its handling is best described as The S2000 is one of those cars
illustrate rather neatly the appeal of the nautical next to the Japanese roadster. in which all the design elements are
S2000. It’s comparisons like this which interlinked and as such it stands up next
Yes, the British car is faster but throw into perspective the steely focus to other landmark cars as diverse as the
not by as big a margin as you might of Honda’s engineers in creating a Citroën 2CV and McLaren F1 – both

designed to one job and do it better Perhaps the most obvious part of Honda will click open and shut this
than anything else. this is evident before you even thumb precisely for the next million times.
It’s this which means that although that red ‘Engine start’ button and it’s At this point you’ll also notice the
road testers inevitably alight upon the the structure itself. As the door swings lack of storage space which may be a
F20C engine’s fabled 9000rpm redline shut, there’s a very precise click falling bit of a What Car? observation but can
as their introduction, that’s slightly somewhere between the plasticky clatter be an irritation in daily use. Modern
missing the point in many ways: there’s of an MX-5 and the heavy thump of smartphones always end up vying for
so much else in the S2000 to fascinate a Boxster, but resonant of a perfectly space with house keys in the ashtray/
anyone with an interest in automotive judged structure: light enough, but not cup holder, while anything larger goes
engineering. too light and a mechanism which being into the fold-down cubby between the
HONDA S2000 | 25
TEST DRIVE
HONDA S2000
seats or the upper glovebox-sized bin

dubbed the ‘secret compartment’ by
S2000 enthusiasts on account of its
hidden catch.
“ It’s also surprisingly comfortable
for a small open-topped sports car, this
The high rear bulkhead and being a key part of the original brief,
prominent centre console are to blame,
but both are part of what Honda terms It’s also surprisingly comfortable for a display apparently derived from the
the ‘X-Bone’ construction – essentially small open-topped sports car, this being type preferred by Ayrton Senna.
a high centre tunnel creating an forked a key part of the original brief, with the Turning a key and pressing a start
backbone structure not dissimilar to that seats being designed specifically for the button will always seem like going
once used to good effect by Lotus and car and offering a ‘hip point’ only very back to the ’50s and in some ways is
paired with tall sills connected by rigid slightly higher than the NSX. rather unlike the elegant engineering
floor sections. Test data revealed the As for the ergonomics, Honda’s press which pervades the rest of the car, but
concept to provide torsional strength material from the time boasted of the gimmicky thought it may be, it pointed
identical to an equivalent saloon and layout being inspired by an F1 car and at the car’s sense of occasion and kick-
the lack of scuttle shudder is something although this may seem an extreme started a trend which saw ‘start’ buttons
which really sets the S2000 apart from leap, the reality was a driver-focused fitted to every self-respecting Max Power
its rivals. layout with the digital dashboard contender.

TEST DRIVE
HONDA S2000
Press it though and you may well

be underwhelmed initially. Back in
1999, most cars offering this kind of
performance did it with a at least six
and generally eight cylinders, making
the S2000’s four-pot exhaust note sound
rather anonymous.
The fact that it does though is another
illustration of the engineering excellence
of the F20C engine. There’s no hunting
idle to hint at wild cam profiles, no
barking exhaust or induction hiss, just a
sewing machine purr which wouldn’t be
out of place in a basic Civic.
Ease the short-shift (just 23 mm
across the gate) into gear, give it some
gas and the sharp response lets you
know there’s something special on offer.
HONDA S2000 | 27
TEST DRIVE
HONDA S2000
Like most Japanese cars of the period,

the S2000 is notoriously short geared,
so newcomers to the car will discover
just how free-revving the engine is
“ Most S2000 and Type R owners will
be agreed that there’s an unwritten law of
before they’ve managed to snatch
second gear.
ownership which means you’ve got to use
Naturally this helps to offset the the VTEC at least once in every journey...
engine’s relative lack of torque,
although this is something which has 7500rpm. In practice though, the torque owners who in their entire period of
been exaggerated by urban rumour. curve flattens from around 2500rpm ownership have never troubled the
The truth is that a maximum of 153 and in everyday use the car feels lively VTEC yet still find the car enjoyably
lb.ft is respectable for a 1240kg car, enough without constantly stirring the brisk.
but that maximum isn’t reached until gearbox. Indeed, there will be countless To get the best out of the car requires

TEST DRIVE
HONDA S2000
commitment... and also requires that idea of hitting the full 9000rpm every power doesn’t drop off as soon as the
you forget all the mechanical sympathy day, but a well-maintained F20C will be throttle is closed, with the six closely-
you may have acquired in life thus far. happy to take the punishment. spaced ratios beautifully judged to
And I mean all of it. There are countless In practice, it’s not so much the ensure an uninterrupted surge of power.
cars which have been marketed with outright rev limit which is the key to the Most S2000 and Type R owners will
an optimistically heady redline on car’s appeal but the abrupt change in be agreed that there’s an unwritten law
their tacho but in the majority of cases character when the VTEC comes on of ownership which means you’ve got
frequently troubling the governer will song. It doesn’t happen until there’s at to use the VTEC at least once in every
result in disaster. least 4000rpm wound on to the digital journey and I speak from experience
Not so with Honda though, which is rainbow, but when it does, the surge in when I admit to being slightly
justifiably proud of the reliability record power will be familiar to anyone who disappointed in myself whenever I don’t
of its VTEC-equipped engines. Few has owned an ’80s turbo car. Unlike manage it.
owners will be comfortable with the a laggy old-school turbo though, the At full chat the S2000’s anonymous
HONDA S2000 | 29
TEST DRIVE
HONDA S2000
exhaust note disappears, replaced by a the occupants sited suitably far back, weighted wheel with just 2.25 turns lock
scream which shouts race engineering it’s beautifully balanced and offers a to lock.
just as loudly as any V8 bellow, lightness of feel you simply don’t get in Turn-in is crisper even than the much-
especially with an aftermarket exhaust bigger competitors, even the Boxster. vaunted 205 GTI and the entire car has
and is closer to a big sports bike than Back in 1999, electric power an alive feel which is reminiscent of the
any other production car. steering was still a relatively new best of the hot hatch era – which on
It’s addictive stuff, but you don’t need technology and early systems were early examples gained it a reputation
full VTEC and hair on fire to appreciate criticised for a lack of feel, but for twitchiness.
the S2000’s delicate handling. With unsurprisingly Honda managed to make For the 2002 model year Honda
the engine up against the scuttle and it work and the S2000 has a nicely revised the spring and damper rates

SPECS: HONDA S2000
ENGINE: 1997cc
POWER: (bhp/rpm) 240/8300
TOP SPEED: 150 mph
0-60 mph: 6.2 secs
CONSUMPTION: 29 mpg
GEARBOX: 6sp man
LENGTH: 4135 mm
WIDTH: 1750 mm
WEIGHT: 1260 kg
which made the car less lively, but development team. which brings a smile to your face in the
although ABS was standard-fit, the car Yes, it demands respect in the wet daily commute.
didn’t gain traction control until the but at least the modest low-speed And bringing a smile to your face is
adoption of fly-by-wire throttle in the torque makes it unlikely for you to exit what the S2000 is all about. My verdict
AP2 generation made it possible. roundabouts backwards TVR-style... after living with one for a year? Sorry,
This gives it a delightful touch of the unless, that is you’re already half- it may be the best-selling sports car of
old-school which is a complete contrast expecting it after pushing your luck. the modern era but after sampling the
to the rest of its behaviour and which In more sedate use though, it does S2000, any appeal the MX-5 once had
coupled with the 9000rpm redline mean there’s the possibility of provoking has simply evaporated. As for that V12
hints at the real passion among the an easily-controlled squirrelly moment Aston... I really must use it more often. ■
HONDA S2000 | 31
BOXING CLEVER
We try to decide between two very different ways of creating a
150mph modern classic roadster. WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL WAGER
n the face of it, here we have their shopping list. We try to make the and workers being laid off.
O two very similar propositions:

both two-seater sports cars, both
packing over 200bhp and with the
decision.
PORSCHE BOXSTER
Porsche’s position wasn’t helped by
the 911 looking increasingly antiquated.
Despite an extensive update into the 993
potential to crack 150mph. For many readers, this comparison is generation in 1994, the car’s bodywork
The practical reality though is that over before it’s even begun: for anyone was still based largely on the structure
in many ways they couldn’t be more suddenly priced out of the 911 the of the 1964 original and although the
different both in their background and Boxster represents an affordable way air-cooled six gave the car its signature
in the way they go about getting to to achieve a dream. Growing up with soundtrack, it was coming to the limits of
that magical ton-and-a-half: one was a air-cooled VWs as I did myself, a six- its development.
calculated attempt to extend the appeal cylinder Porsche was always an ultimate At the other end of the slender range,
of the Porsche brand downwards into a goal and to discover that it was a the entry-level Porsche of the time was
more affordable market, while the other realistic proposition was a delight. the 944, itself descended from the
was Honda’s single-minded celebration It was this thinking which informed VW/Porsche 924 of 1976. Alongside
of its engineering prowess. Porsche’s decision to produce the car these, the 928 was still plugging along,
Despite that though, it’s a fair bet that in the first place: declining sales in the expensive both to make and to buy and
anyone looking for a credible modern crucial US market combined during the never a big seller despite its capability.
classic roadster with sufficient pace to mid 1990s with financial pressures back Heads were duly scratched in
make it a step up from the likes of the home generated by the newly reunified Stuttgart and a two-part survival plan
MX-5 may well have both of these on German economy to see profits falling was worked up. Firstly the 944 would

be updated into the 968, Porsche completion it was decided to go for – but it did capture the imagination and
claiming the car to be 80 per cent new, a six-cylinder unit both to give the car the availability of a self-shifting box did
which would hold the fort while a new a clear Porsche character and also to extend the appeal of the car. In fact the
generation of affordable Porsche would lift it further above the lesser-branded automatic was a £2500 option.
be developed. competition. It also made sound financial So much so in fact that there’s
Secondly, a new 911 would be sense, since the engine was to be something of an urban rumour
developed, but would share as much shared with the 911 being developed in developed suggesting that all early
as possible with the new entry-level parallel. Boxster were Tiptronic cars which isn’t
car – specifically, its front end structure. This was a big job, since even the case:
After all, this would be the first time in Porsche had been forced to admit that Styled by in-house Porsche designer
Porsche’s history that its cheaper model ducting ambient air over the cylinders Grant Larson with clever echoes of the
hadn’t been developed in conjunction could no longer cut it from a noise 550 Spyder and 718RSK, the concept
with the Volkswagen group and so and emissions point of view and so was given the name Boxster – combining
resources were correspondingly tighter. the Porsche flat six was to become ‘roadster’ and ‘boxer’ – and was
Given project name 986, the new car water-cooled for the first time. Using displayed as a concept at the Detroit
was envisaged as being smaller than the same engine in both models offered show in January 1993.
the 911 and since it had been decided production economies and avoided the Like the Audi TT, the design was very
that it would be a strict two-seater, prospect of the four-pot motor being little altered in the journey from concept
the opportunity was there to retain a compared to a Subaru. The Boxster to production, although just like the
rearwards engine position and so give would initially use a 2.5-litre version of Audi it did gain a stubby rear spoiler to
the new car a selling point setting it the new engine, good for 204bhp and compensate for its lack of downforce at
apart from the likes of the MX-5 or SLK. would also be offered with Porsche’s high speed.
The clever bit was in deciding to newly developed Tiptronic automatic The body itself used a front-end
rotate the engine and transaxle through as an option. Although hyped as structure which was almost identical
180 degrees to make the car mid- revolutionary, the Tiptronic was in fact a to the 911 which would be unveiled
engined as opposed to rear-engined, conventional torque converter automatic later the same year, with high-strength
which gave the design the required with switches on gearlever and steering steel used in critical areas, the panels
touch of the exotic, yet avoided the wheel to command the unit’s ECU to provided by BMW’s Eisenach plant
911’s tricky handling. change gear manually. In fact it was which had the ability to press the high-
Early prototypes used a four-cylinder nothing new – BMW tuner Hartge had strength metal.
powerplant but as the project neared been offering a similar system for years The Boxster was offered only as an
HONDA S2000 | 33
TWIN TEST
S2000 VS BOXTER
open car and its body engineering used from Porsche, but the masterstroke cheaper than the £49,965 Jaguar XK8
the roll hoops as an integral part of was in its pricing. In the US market, and even undercut the BMW M3 coupe
the structure, while the roof itself was it was positioned at a shade under at £40,130. Its nearest competitor was
engineered to fold to a very compact $40,000 – $39,950 to be precise perhaps the £31,601 Mercedes SLK,
size – necessary to fold flush above the – and it would go on to outsell the offered initially only in four-cylinder
high rear deck above the engine. With 911 comprehensively. Here in the UK SLK230 form and with automatic box.
no fewer than 12 motors, it could be where the car was launched in October The Boxster also had the build quality
raised in just 12 seconds and needed no 1996, it wasn’t quite the affordable car to back up the brand, with the car
fiddly cover to make it look neat. American buyers enjoyed, but it still put finished to the usual Porsche standards
This kind of engineering was a ‘proper’ Porsche within reach of many. which put it far ahead of both Mercedes
perhaps nothing less than was expected At £39,210 it was a massive £10,000 and Jaguars of the era.

TWIN TEST
S2000 VS BOXTER
In manual form, the Boxster had the It’s a manual car we have here and will cost the difference to bring a really
pace to keep up with the competition, one of the nicer early Boxsters out there, cheap example up to the standards of a
too: its 0-60mph time was just half a too. Regular readers will no doubt be nicer example and possibly more.
second adrift of the Jaguar and a second aware that you can pick up a road-legal In fact, sampling a well presented
ahead of the Mercedes, although the example for as little as £3000 these Boxster like this, you start wondering
M3 ‘Evo’ did have it beaten. Either days, but popular opinion suggests that why anyone would have chosen to
way, it was in a different world from the you really shouldn’t, unless you want splash the extra £10,200 on the entry-
likes of the Mazda and the four-cylinder a project and have a well-equipped level 911 Carrera. To my mind the
BMW Z3, although the six-pot Z3 2.8i workshop to hand. Indeed, as Paiul styling is better proportioned than the
launched a year later would offer a Watkins of Freewheeler who brought this rear-engined car, the Boxster’s interior
fairer alternative. car along to our photo shoot suggests, it is more spacious in some ways and the
HONDA S2000 | 35
TWIN TEST
S2000 VS BOXTER
twin luggage boots of the mid-engined Boxster is real deal Porsche. From the well and the plastics and leather still look
car make it generally more practical. Yes moment you turn the key and hear the presentable.
the 911 is in theory a four-seater, but in gruff flat-six beat you know you’re in Mindful of the fact that the supposedly
reality the back seats are for occasional something special and the view from entry-level car would be overlapping
lift-home-from-the-pub use for anyone the driver’s seat reinforces that. The the bottom end of the 911 market,
larger than toddler-sized. overlapping dials with their script Porsche offered the chance to spend
Let’s be honest though, boot space font scream 911, as does the overall the difference on options and this
isn’t going to be uppermost in your design of the dashboard which is all but example is more lavishly trimmed than
mind when you’ve already decided identical to the 996-generation 911. many, featuring the extended Savannah
on a two-seat sports car and when it High quality materials mean even the leather, electric seats and factory air
comes to the driving experience, the earliest examples have worn the years conditioning.

TWIN TEST
S2000 VS BOXTER
As expected from a car which was The 2.5 offers a useful 240lb.ft at engined layout the Boxster is easy to
supposed to extend the brand’s appeal, a lowish 4500rpm which together drive hard. It feels reassuringly stable
the Boxster is a much easier car to drive with the manual car’s 1290kg kerb at speed and its compact size makes
than a classic 911, with a light clutch weight translates to a muscular feel. it easy to place on the road, while the
action and an easy cable-operated it’s happy to pull 30mph in fifth gear, suspension tuning is largely benign.
gearshift to the Audi-sourced five-speed. while extending it towards the 6500rpm Really push hard in a Boxster and you’ll
Together with a longish throttle pedal redline will release that 911 soundtrack find it nicely balanced, tending towards
travel, it makes the manual car easy to despite the quietening effects of water gradually building understeer rather
drive in traffic and for a car with its exotic cooling. than the snappy behaviour of many mid-
looks and high performance, it didn’t Without an engine over the front engined cars.
present an intimidating prospect to those wheels, the steering is wonderfully And when the red mist has subsided,
trading up from the likes of a Golf GTI. communicative and despite the mid- you can polish the Porsche crest you
HONDA S2000 | 37
TWIN TEST
S2000 VS BOXTER
never thought you’d be able to afford with other Hondas. required correspondingly higher engine
at MX-5 money. Does that make it the It was this steely focus on speeds, much work concentrated on
ultimate sensible exotic... or perhaps too performance, weight-saving and friction reduction and reduced inertial
sensible? efficiency which meant a six-cylinder weight.
engine was out of the question, Honda A relatively short-stroke design
HONDA S2000 employing its traditional recipe of running 11:1 compression, the engine
It’s not often you get a car this side a multi-valve four-cylinder instead. uses low-friction valve gear with roller
of a Ferrari which could be said Honda had traditionally rejected forced rockers, a special low-friction coating
to make a Porsche look staid, but induction in favour of its trick VTEC on certain surfaces and of course the
the Honda S2000 is one of them. variable cam timing set-up which meant VTEC system to permit an astonishing
Conceived by Honda as a celebration that its 240 bhp would be achieved 9000rpm redline. Motorsport-inspired
of its engineering prowess to celebrate without the use of a turbocharger. detail touches are evident throughout
half a century in the car business, its Achieving that kind of power from a the design, from the straight-port inlet
development took a very different path normally aspirated 2-litre which could be manifold to the low-friction oil pump and
from the Boxster. driven comfortably on the road was a stiffening ladder bolted between block
Rather than a means of extending tall order and it’s the engine which is the and sump.
a brand downwards and achieving heart of the S2000. The result feels like a race engine
economies by component sharing, the Many of the design team were and although it’s docile enough to be
S2000 was driven by the engineers plucked from Honda’s F1 programme happy trundling around in urban traffic,
rather than the market or production and since the route to increased power it doesn’t show its talents until there’s
accountants and shares virtually nothing without resorting to turbocharging at least 5800rpm showing on the

TWIN TEST
S2000 VS BOXTER
digital dials, since that’s when the VTEC sports car and less of a tourer, something car you really need to throw away a
changeover happens. reinforced by the racy ‘engine start’ lifetime’s worth of mechanical sympathy.
Driving through a six-speed box button, its glamour rather diminished by At engine speeds where the Boxster
with a Torsen LSD in the rear axle, the needing to turn a conventional ignition driver is already thinking about an
F20C engine is mounted well back in key lock first. upshift, the Honda engine is just getting
the chassis, the rear of the block almost The sound which greets you is a into its stride and there must be many
under the screen and Honda claiming world away from the Porsche’s muscular owners who have ever experienced its
a 50:50 weight distribution. The body six-cylinder idle but the hard-edged full potential. “Drive it like you stole it”
structure is designed as a ‘high X-bone buzz still hints at its potential. Throttle was the instruction I was given on my
frame’ which translates to it being response is razor sharp compared to the first acquaintance with a Honda VTEC
designed from scratch as an open car bigger Porsche engine and although it’s and it applies to the S2000 more than
using a deep centre tunnel and sills, with as easy to drive as a basic Civic, the any other: wind it out to 8000rpm and
all the rigidity benefits that confers. Like S2000 feels like a proper sports car of the surge as the VTEC does its stuff is as
the Porsche, the roll hoops behind the the old school. The gearlever is mounted sudden as a turbo coming on boost.
seats are built in as part of the structure. high on the tunnel and there’s just 40mm And the thing is with these engines,
Its styling meanwhile couldn’t be more movement between ratios, which is just you can do that time and time again
Japanese, the thrusting shape ignoring as well considering how often you’ll be without it breaking, such is Honda’s
the Porsche’s retro touches in favour stirring the six speeds. reputation for reliability. Popular opinion
of a very modern aggression. As soon Newcomers to the S2000 could be suggests that cars driven in the VTEC
as you climb abord the Honda it feels forgiven for wondering that all the fuss zone constantly will use a touch of oil
smaller than the Porsche, more focused is about, but to get the best from the but it’s addictive stuff.
HONDA S2000 | 39
TWIN TEST
S2000 VS BOXTER
Of course, driving the car as if

you’ve a pair of committed blue lights
flashing in the mirror might be the
way to get the best from the peaky
“ The S2000 isn’t for everybody and it’s fair
to say that the Porsche’s talents are more evenly
engine, it’s also the best way to end
up the wrong side of the hedge. The
spread, making it the more practical choice in
S2000’s fiery nature has won it a
reputation for being tricky to master in
pretty much every respect.
the handling stakes, although that’s to
some extent exaggerated. The chassis THE FACTS PORSCHE BOXSTER HONDA S2000
is pure Honda, with double wishbones ENGINE: 2480cc 1997cc
throughout and is beautifully balanced TRANSMISSION: 5-spd man 6-spd man
with it, but there’s no getting away from MAX POWER: 204bhp 240bhp
the fact that these cars can be twitchy, MAX SPEED: 149mph 150mph
especially in the wet. The handling 0-60 MPH: 6.9secs 6.2secs
revisions for the 2003-onwards cars LENGTH: 4.3m 4.1m
did tame things to some extent with WEIGHT: 1250kg 1260kg
revised suspension settings, but traction
control wasn’t offered until the car was VERDICT it the more practical choice in pretty
facelifted in 2007 into the AP2 model. For those with their heart set on a much every respect.
The upshot is that the S2000 does Porsche, the more relevant choice is So my advice is to go for the Boxster
need to be treated with respect, perhaps between buying from the top- then, the surprisingly affordable way
especially in the wet, even if you do end of the Boxster market or taking a to get yourself into a proper flat-six
fancy yourself as an opposite-lock chance on a cheaper 996 generation Porsche... or is it? Having grown up with
hero. Drive sensibly though and it’s a 911, but for others it’s not so clear-cut. air-cooled Beetles, it was after setting out
rewarding prospect with only the odd Nobody ever expected a Porsche to be shopping for a Boxster that I came home
moment on a wet roundabout to keep rendered the sensible choice without with the Honda in our photos and it’s not
you awake. involving anything big-budget and a decision I’ve regretted. Sometimes it
The rest of the ownership prospect Italian, but the S2000 makes it seem like pays to break out of your comfort zone.
is the equal of the Porsche, with a the safe bet... and after the high-revving,
powerful heater, a nicely screwed single-minded Honda it can even seem a BUYING AND OWNING
together interior and a roof which touch, well, boring. You can buy a Boxster for as little as
motors up and down just as quickly. But the S2000 isn’t for everybody £3000 but you might not want to.
And that doesn’t make it at all easy to and it’s fair to say that the Porsche’s Typically cars at the bottom of the price
choose between them. talents are more evenly spread, making barrel will have sketchy history and any

TWIN TEST
S2000 VS BOXTER
Porsche of this era with the M96 engine 9000rpm engine needs regular servicing miles for as little as £4500 and dealers
can be an unknown quantity, thanks to so again history is crucial, particularly asking £10,000 and more for late-
the bearing on the intermediate main for evidence of the valve clearance model AP2 facelift cars. The sweet spot
shaft (IMS) which drives the oil pump service and oil changes. is the 2003-on model with the glass rear
and camshafts. It’s been known for The Honda in particular attracts window and revised suspension, which
the supposedly sealed-for-life bearing modifiers of the Fast and Furious kind, runs anywhere from £7000 to £8500
to fail with predictably catastrophic so cheap cars can often get expensive depending on mileage and condition,
results, but like most things it’s largely when putting parts back to standard, with the factory hardtop (standard on
exaggerated by urban rumour. It’s often but the big issue is bodywork condition. the GT model) commanding some £500
said not to affect the earlier engines and Honda’s rust protection wasn’t the best extra.
less common on cars which are driven and there are plenty of tatty cars out Boxster prices are similarly varied,
harder; indeed, many cars are quite there. It goes without question that the with cars available from just £3500
happily running the original bearing. It’s S2000 is one car which also needs which look like usable prospects but
common to have an uprated part fitted to checking carefully for evidence of off- can easily become money pits if you
solve the problem though, which is why roading of the unintentional kind. The don’t tread carefully, and plenty of better
a good history is peace of mind... unless convertible roof is also fairly basic and historied examples at the £5000-£8000
the car is cheap enough to simply have can be easily damaged, although higher- mark. Nicer cars run up to the £9000-
the work done. quality replacements are easily sourced. £10,000 mark for which you can expect
The S2000 doesn’t suffer any Values for the S2000 are all over the a car needing nothing spending on it for
particular Achilles’ Heel but any place, with early cars showing 150,000 some time. ■
HONDA S2000 | 41
RACE Honda’s answer to the MX-5 wasn’t to
join it but beat it into submission with
its astonishing S2000, offering 240
BRED
bhp from a race-bred four-cylinder
engine without a turbo in sight.
WORDS: PAUL WAGER
hen a company like Honda significantly more sophistication and cam timing and letting it spin to a heady
W decides to build something

special to shout about its 50
years in business then you know the
nearly double the power output.
The heart of the S2000 was its
engine: a 2-litre twin-cam four-cylinder
9000rpm.
You could be forgiven for expecting
the result to be a lumpy, awkward unit
result is going to be impressive and so into which the firm threw the total of its to drive but in reality it was as docile in
it was when the wraps came off the accumulated knowledge over its half- everyday use as a basic Civic and was
S2000 in 1999. century of existence, with many of the also able to meet the strict California
Fresh on the heels of the technology design team taken from the F1 engine emissions regulations. Keep your foot in
showcase which was the NSX, the programe. The result was a power it until the needle hit 6500 rpm though
S2000 was in concept a kind of grown- output of 240 bhp which was achieved and the change in character was starting
up Mazda MX-5, taking that car’s without turbocharger or supercharger but as the VTEC did its thing and the needle
back-to-basics approach but adding by adding the firm’s trick VTEC variable leapt to the 9000rpm redline. At this

point, the short-shifting six-speed box quite like the S2000. Yes, there are What’s more, they’re currently startling
came into its own and the grip afforded open two-seaters which provide similar value but you’d best be quick: these cars
by the double wishbone chassis was performance but none of them manage have always had a strong enthusiast
much appreciated. it with such elegance of engineering and following and the demand for standard,
The body was designed to achieve without using either much larger engines unmodified cars will shortly see values
class-leading rigidity but the S2000 also or at least one turbo. For that reason climbing.
weighed in at just 1260 kg, meaning alone, it deserves the status of modern
performance was lively: 0-62 mph in just classic and that’s before you factor in HISTORY
6.2 seconds and a top speed of 150 the superb Honda build quality and the Launched in 1999, the S2000 was
mph. Not bad going from a 2-litre four- neat styling which successfully updated offered in UK-market form as just a
pot. the traditional roadster shape without single 240 PS model. Standard spec
All of which means there’s nothing resorting to clumsy retro. was generous, including an electric
HONDA S2000 | 43
BUYING
HONDA S2000
roof, leather seats, HID lights and air suspension changes Including a softer like the S2000 and this saved many from
conditioning. For the 2002 model rear end), revised bumper design and 17- embarrassing spins. You can recognise
year, the car received revised spring inch wheels, while the VTEC ‘switchover’ these cars at a glance by the lack of a
and damper settings to make it less was made smoother, with many owners hole in the centre of the headrests.
twitchy, a heated glass rear window in reporting that these revised engines use The final change came with the 2008
the convertible top and minor cosmetic less oil. A welcome change for the 2006 model year, which introduced traction
details: a new leather and alloy model year was the change to a drive- control as a standard feature and brought
gearknob, silver stereo cover, darker by-wire throttle instead of a mechanical more changes to spring and dampers
alloy wheels, chrome rings around the tail cable, which permitted the option of as well as different alloy wheels with a
lights and larger Honda badges. traction control. Many owners pushing wider spoke design. Production of the
In 2004 the car received more major too hard in the wet had discovered just S2000 finally ended in 2009 after more
modifications, including more major how easy it was to spin a rear-drive car than 110,000 had been sold.

BUYING
HONDA S2000
S2000 offers 237bhp from just two litres courtesy of VTEC acting on both cams.
“ Considering its impressive specification, the Honda

engine is surprisingly free of any issues, with most
problems being niggly rather than fundamental.
HONDA S2000 | 45
BUYING
HONDA S2000
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
BODY
For once, we won’t be advising you
to grovel under the car looking for
“ For once, we won’t be advising you to grovel
under the car looking for structural rust, but
structural rust, but instead be on your
instead be on your guard for accident damage.
guard for accident damage. It’s a
powerful, lightweight car driven by its speed, this can be down to worn striker wiring to the ECU can cause rough
rear wheels and with pre-2006 models plates which are easily replaced with running problems which can be tricky
not coming with electronic traction later parts which are thought to be to diagnose. Other problems can
control they’re notoriously easy to made from harder metal. include failed oxygen sensors, intake
spin, especially in the wet on less than air temperature sensors and injectors
perfect tyres. For that reason it pays to ENGINE but all are easily sorted and are simple
make the usual checks of panel gaps, Considering its impressive DIY fixes too. A noisy cam chain can
overspray and paint mismatch. specification, the Honda engine is be caused by a failing tensioner.
The electric roof is generally reliable surprisingly free of any issues, with
too, although many don’t sit flush most problems being niggly rather TRANSMISSION
with the bodywork when lowered than fundamental. A faulty MAP The gearbox in the S2000 was
as the elasticated tensioning straps (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor developed specially for the car with
tend to weaken with age. Aftermarket can cause intermittent rough running, the aim of making it light and also as
replacements are available which will ‘kangarooing’ at slower speeds and narrow as possible in order for the
make the hood fold neatly again. If misfires in the VTEC rev range but is engine and box to sit as far back as
the roof catches at the screen rattle at easily cleaned or replaced. Corroded possible in the bodyshell. The design

BUYING
HONDA S2000
features lightweight gears working BRAKES TYRES

with a similarly lightweight engine You’re looking at 11.8 inch vented discs The S2000 is very sensitive to
flywheel and is generally a reliable on the front with 11 inch solid discs the correct tyres and the original
unit although some hard-driven cars at the rear and they’re well up to the Bridgestone ES02JZ were specially
have shown problems with the synchro car’s performance. If a car has uprated developed for the car. These were
in higher gears. Some owners have brakes, ask yourself why: it could have later replaced for the 2004 model
reported that heavy clutch action has seen a fair few track days. Service by Bridgestone RE050s which are
been cured by carefully greasing the parts aren’t too expensive for a car of a well regarded tyre and a good
release fork through the aperture in the this calibre: a set of front pads is £47, replacement for the originals which
bellhousing using grease on the end of although the front discs are costly at are no longer available.
a piece of wire. around £90 each.
HONDA S2000 | 47
BUYING
HONDA S2000
“
STEERING & SUSPENSION
In order to reduce the parasitic drag
The suspension is one of the car’s few
from an engine-driven hydraulic pump,
Honda went for electric power steering
Achilles’ Heels though. It’s described as an
on the S2000. Derived from the NSX
setup, it varies the level of assistance
‘in-wheel’ design by Honda...
according to road speed and also uses
a variable gearing ratio to provide allowing a lower bonnet and rear alignment. At this point you’ll discover
progressively quicker steering as the deck. that the bolts can’t be moved and that
wheel is turned further. It’s a reliable In standard form with everything Honda will supply only a complete arm
system and a dashboard warning light working properly, the result is superbly and not the bush separately. Many
will tell you if something’s wrong. balanced handling and a lovely taut keen owners and specialists will grease
The suspension is one of the feel, but sadly many cars are suffering the bolts with anti-seize to prevent this
car’s few Achilles’ Heels though. It’s from seized wishbone bolts where happening.
described as an ‘in-wheel’ design by they pass through the centre of the At the front end, the castor or
Honda on account of the componentry metalastic bushes connecting them to ‘compliance’ bushes can split which
being shaped so that most of the the bodyshell. This isn’t a problem until becomes an MoT failure. Again,
structure can be accommodated inside a wheel alignment is needed – and Honda doesn’t sell the bush by itself,
the standard 16-inch wheel, in turn these cars are sensitive to the correct but aftermarket parts are available.

BUYING
HONDA S2000
INTERIOR see an upgraded stereo, check that it If you find a puddle of water in the
Really? It’s a Honda you’re talking about works with the original remote controls. passenger footwell, don’t assume the roof
so if you find any loose or rattly trim then What seems to be a squeaking dashboard is leaking – it’s quite likely the condensation
it means someone has been in here fitting can often be the bonnet release catch or drain from the A/C unit which has been
aftermarket stereos or alarms. If you do the rear view mirror mounting. kicked off - simple to slip it back into place.
HONDA S2000 | 49
BUYING
HONDA S2000
“ For those less brave, the starting price is closer to the

£8500 mark, for which you should pick up a well cared-
for example from an enthusiast owner...
VALUES for example from an enthusiast owner. SPECS: HONDA S2000
Fancy taking a chance? At the time Expect to see anything from 80,000 to ENGINE 1997cc
of writing we found an S2000 for an 120,000 miles but buy on condition POWER (BHP/RPM) 240/8300
enticingly low £5989. Yes, it’s showing rather than mileage. TOP SPEED 150 mph
162,000 miles... but Honda proudly Move up to the £12,000 mark and 0-60 MPH 6.2 secs
boasts it’s never had a warranty failure you have a big selection of facelifted CONSUMPTION 29 mpg
on its VTEC system. cars around the 60-70,000-mile mark, GEARBOX 6sp man
For those less brave, the starting with the very last low-mileage examples LENGTH 4135 mm
price is closer to the £8500 mark, for advertised by traders at anywhere from WIDTH 1750 mm
which you should pick up a well cared- £15,000 to £18,000. ■ WEIGHT 1260 kg

BUYING
HONDA S2000
HONDA S2000 | 51
HONDA S2000 V
Early 2000s sports cars battle for top spot. WORDS: SAM SKELTON
he Audi TT changed the way the other is a better car can amount to could be made as quickly as possible,
T we viewed sports cars. Svelte,

affordable, and marketed to within
an inch of its life, it soon became the
heresy.
But which one makes the better
modern classic sports car today?
by effectively priming the gear above
and below the current choice ready to
be changed.
in-car among the in-crowd. But in 1.8 Initially seen as a concept car in
Turbo guise, many felt it to be a shade AHEAD THROUGH TECHNOLOGY 1994, public reaction to the TT concept
on the wet side, even with the 225bhp Launched in 2003, the Audi TT 3.2 was was so strong that Audi pledged to
option. And against rivals such as a useful boost to the range. Launched productionise the car – and it was
Honda’s S2000 or Porsche’s Boxster, the at the same time as the 150bhp front launched in 1.8T form in 1998. A
small Audi did seem to be a little more wheel drive entry level model, its place convertible would follow for 1999.
show than go. at the top of the TT tree meant that it The TT used the same underpinnings as
But when it fitted the 3.2 litre V6 from was intended as a true rival to cars like many of VW’s other mid sized offerings
its S3, all that changed. Now it had the Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4 3.0 and from the Golf to the Skoda Octavia,
almost 250bhp to play with, and its all Honda S2000. Gone was the Golf GTi’s its A4 platform first seen under the first
wheel drive Quattro chassis meant that 1.8 litre turbocharged four in favour Audi A3 of 1996. Married to this was
it could handle it in all conditions. But of a 3.2 V6 borrowed from the Audi the 1.8 litre Turbo engine seen in the
while it was an undoubted improvement S3, hooked up to a six speed version Octavia VRS, the A3 and the Golf GTi
on the original, many still argued that of Audi’s dual clutch DSG gearbox. among others, through a six speed
it was less of a sports car than Honda’s This allowed the car to be driven as an manual gearbox and Quattro all wheel
well-considered, revvy S2000. Both cars automatic, but for the driver to select his drive. Later models included the front
have a long list of fanatics today, and own ratios should they be required. The wheel drive entry level TT Roadster, and
to argue to the enthusiasts of one that dual clutch system ensured that changes the lightweight TT Quattro Sport. Early

AUDI TT 3.2
concerns of stability were addressed

by Audi in one of the most famous
automotive recalls of all time, with
changes made to the stability control
system and a spoiler fitted to the tail of
cars which had been corrected.
Audi replaced the TT in 2006 with
a new model, this time bodied with a
mixture of aluminium front panels and
steel rear panels to enhance its weight
distribution, and based on the VW
Groups’ new A5 platform. Four cylinder
and V6 models continued to be made
available. Over 275000 Mk1 TTs were
built, though no figures exist to state
how many of these came with the V6
engine.
BIRTHDAY PRESENT
Honda created the S2000 as a fiftieth
birthday present to itself. Honda had
begun producing motorcycles in 1949,
HONDA S2000 | 53
RIVALS
S2000 V AUDI TT
and to commemorate its half century engine of just two litres, albeit one driver, rather one which rewarded
it returned to its passenger car roots. which used Honda’s VTEC system on driving talent. An edgy and slightly
Its first passenger design had been a both inlet and exhaust camshafts in twitchy chassis on the early cars with
sportscar, the S360 – which would be order to maximise power to 237bhp. power delivery more like a bike than
productionised as the larger-engined Molybdenum disulphide coated pistons a car meant that it could, in the wrong
S500 of 1963. The SSM concept car and fibre-reinforced-metal liners ensured hands, be quite a handful. Anything
of 1995 hinted at what Honda wanted contact surfaces with minimal friction, deviating from a straight line could catch
to do next, and the S2000 was the while an aluminium block kept things you out if you put your foot down, but
result. It broke with mid sized sports light. the flip side was a car as manoeuvrable
car thinking by retaining a four cylinder It was a car that didn’t flatter its as an F16 jet if you treated it with the

RIVALS
S2000 V AUDI TT
respect it deserved. Later “AP2” second skin suspension settings were altered to continued into the AP2. Production
generation cars were tweaked to be tame what many found to be a very raw would cease in 2009, with the sale of
softer and more forgiving, but retained experience. There were bigger wheels, 100 GT Edition 100 models in Britain
the raw driver enjoyment that those with Bridgestone RE050 tyres, the marking the end of production. These
early cars had in spades. geometry was changed to reduce toe-in were finished in Grand Prix White, with
Updated as the AP2 for 2004, there under cornering load, and the subframe graphite grey wheels, a red leather
were cosmetic changes. New front and was stiffened. Two years earlier, the GT interior, and minor trim improvements.
rear bumpers were married with new pack was launched in the UK offering Each was numbered. Today, all S2000s
front and rear lights, there were oval a hard top and external temperature are collectible, but this final batch are
shaped exhaust pipes, and under the sensor for £550 over list, and this was especially desirable to collectors.
HONDA S2000 | 55
RIVALS
S2000 V AUDI TT
“ ...When you point the nose down your

favourite B road very few cars can come
close to offering the same amount of
driver enjoyment as the S2000
VERDICT compete with the raucous howl as
The Audi is the better car for everyday the S2000 heads past the point
use, if you don’t want to have to drive at which other engines would be
hard all the time. The coupe option begging for mercy. The Honda’s
adds practicality, while the torque on revvy nature, its sharp gearbox and
offer from that V6 makes it a more its tight cabin might not be the ideal
practical proposition for regular high package for popping to Tesco, but
speed motorway runs and cruising when you point the nose down your
about at low revs. favourite B road very few cars can
But if you’re cruising, or on a come close to offering the same
motorway, a sports car isn’t the right amount of driver enjoyment as the
car. And that’s the primary reason why S2000 car. We would understand if
the Audi won’t be winning here. It’s an you felt that the TT offered a better
excellent car, but it’s more of a grand compromise for everyday living. But
tourer than an out and out sports car. why should a sports car be about
Its V6 may be sonorous, but it cannot compromise? ■

RIVALS
S2000 V AUDI TT
HONDA S2000 AUDI TT 3.2

ENGINE 1997cc I4 3189cc V6
TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual Six-speed DSG
MAX POWER 237bhp 247bhp
MAX SPEED 150mph 155mph
0-60 6.2 seconds 6.3 seconds
LENGTH 4135mm 4040mm
WEIGHT 1260kg 1490kg
HONDA S2000 | 57
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HONDA S2000 V TVR TAMORA
Two left field sportscars. There can only be one winner. WORDS: SAM SKELTON
ar from being the typical small 2.0 a car that could challenge the S2000 and a lighter clutch than TVRs of old,
F sports car, the Honda S2000 took

the fight to the big boys. Its revvy,
powerful engine meant performance
at its own game. More power, more
exclusivity, but a smaller network of
dealers to support the car and a far
but still did without traction control or
ABS. Smaller 16” wheels were fitted
to improve the ride, and there was a
figures that could shame Porsches, and smaller development budget meant that healthy amount of pedal travel to the
the whole thing was wrapped up in the TVR was unquestionably a choice throttle to counteract snap oversteer.
one of the prettiest bodies of the early for enthusiasts, but many of the S2000’s Under the bonnet was a short stroke
2000s. Understandably, it became a target customers were tempted. version of the Speed Six straight six
modern classic the day it was launched, But which approach is better? engine used in TVR’s existing Tuscan,
and has become one of the clever-money Honda’s technically led, revvy banshee, on whose chassis the Tamora was
choices for those looking to avoid the or TVR’s torquey and brutal rocketship? also based. In the Tamora, this engine
BMW/Porsche/Audi band of obvious displaced just 3.6 litres – but developed
big sportscars. THE POWER AND THE GLORY 345bhp and 290lb.ft of torque. This
But there was already a company Unveiled at the 2000 Birmingham Motor made for an astoundingly quick car –
whose raison d’etre was to provide Show, the TVR Tamora was launched 0-60 in 4.5 seconds and 174mph flat
big, left field sports cars. And when in 2002. Intended as a Chimaera out decimated just about every single
TVR launched its Tamora in 2002 replacement, the Tamora was supposed one of the Tamora’s rivals when new,
as a replacement for the long-lived to be a softer, more urban-friendly TVR and is still fast for the market sector
Chimaera, it was clear that here was model. This meant it got power steering twenty years on.

Magazines loved the way it drove,
with Evo commenting that it was the most
sorted TVR that its staff had driven to
date. Autocar described it in retrospect
as one of the nicest TVRs to drive owing
to almost sensible suspension and power
that the chassis could actually handle.
Here was a TVR that could theoretically
bring new blood into the TVR fold – if it
could get the rest of the package right.
The Tamora, however, didn’t enjoy
the Honda’s shining reputation for
reliability. In truth, it was more like TVRs
of old than the company would be
comfortable admitting. Early examples
suffered valvetrain issues, with cam lobes
causing premature wear to the followers.
Clutches barely lasted 25000 miles,
while servicing intervals of 6000 miles
had to be rigidly observed if you didn’t
want to find swarf in the sump.
HONDA S2000 | 61
RIVALS
S2000 VS 350 TAMORA
“ By the end of production in 2006

The Tamora wasn’t tweaked much
during its life, though its architecture
underpinned the T350c coupe and
T350t targa models. Its awkward looks
just 350 Tamoras had been built, though
and strong price of just over £36000
made it difficult to justify when that
the architecture would prove more
would not only have bought you a successful in T350 and Sagaris forms.
BMW M Roadster, but also the wild
Griffith during the brief period when
the two models overlapped. As a result,
Tamora simple didn’t sell. By the end of
production in 2006 just 350 Tamoras
had been built, though the architecture
would prove more successful in T350
and Sagaris forms.
MILLENNIUM BUG
The biggest fly in the ointment for the
TVR was the Honda S2000 – at ten
grand less, it offered far better value,
and while the power output on paper
was lower than way that that engine
can rev right round to 9000rpm made
it feel every bit as insane as the TVR,
but in a different way.
When you first drive an S2000, it
doesn’t feel especially quick. But that’s
because changing gear when your ears
tell you to, at about 4500rpm, is only
half the story. It’ll rev all the way round
to 9000, and if you ignore your ears

RIVALS
S2000 VS 350 TAMORA
and obey the tachometer you’ll find that the concept had become a production That revision would also incorporate
it’s a different story to the one you first reality. Just two litres, but with a clever a facelift; new bumpers at the front
thought it would be. It’s fast. Not as engine employing VTEC technology on and the rear, new tail lamps, new
fast as the TVR, but it feels like it’s faster both the inlet and exhaust camshafts, headlamps, and oval shaped exhaust
still. and 237bhp if you made full use of pipes. Most sold in Britain were fitted
The S2000 was an anniversary them. It used an aluminium block to with the GT pack – which comprised an
gift from Honda to its clients – reduce weight, fibre reinforced liners external temperature sensor and a hard
commemorating fifty years of vehicle and coated pistons to reduce friction. top. The last 100 UK cars were sold as
production, Honda returned to its roots Early cars were reported to be the GT Edition 100 – all were white,
by developing a compact and revvy slightly twitchy, though chassis settings with grey wheels and a red leather
sports car in the manner of the S500 were updated for the later AP2 model. interior. Honda has retained one for
with which it established itself as a car Unveiled in 2004, it employed revised its heritage fleet. These are the most
builder. The SSM concept of 1995 suspension to reduce toe in while collectible examples but any S2000
established the concept, and by 1999 cornering, and a stiffer subframe. makes an excellent modern classic.
HONDA S2000 | 63
RIVALS
S2000 VS 350 TAMORA
VERDICT
This was always going to be a one horse
race, and it’s not the horse you might
expect if you’re simply looking at the
numbers. Because as brutally quick as
“ The Tamora isn’t as pretty as the
Honda, nor is it as well made, nor will it
the TVR is, is simply isn’t as polished a be as easy to find a specialist as it will
package as the Honda. An S2000 could
conceivably be used every day, whereas for the S2000.
if you used the TVR regularly it would
be a question of whether you or the car be as easy to find a specialist as it will money it’s reasonable to expect £10,000
suffered the breakdown first. It’s too for the S2000. If all you care about is more car, and we’re not convinced that
highly strung, too specialised, for regular power then it’s the car for you, but as a the TVR can enjoy that accolade. Rare it
use. package the Honda has it licked. That’s may well be, but that doesn’t mean it’s
And if that were the only problem it before we mention price. When new the any more deserving of driveway space.
would be difficult to justify, but there’s TVR was £10,000 more expensive than There can be no question for us. The
more. The Tamora isn’t as pretty as the the Honda, and today there’s a similar Honda is by far the more competent
Honda, nor is it as well made, nor will it premium. If you’re spending that much modern classic here. ■

RIVALS
S2000 VS 350 TAMORA
HONDA S2000 | 65
THE POWER
OF DREAMS
Honda has always been arguably the most charismatic of the Japanese
manufacturers. We’ve chosen the best from their back catalogue.
WORDS: SAM SKELTON
here many Far Eastern car
W manufacturers are the result of

conglomerates taking sound
business decisions, Soichiro Honda had
“ The Honda S500 was the first car
built by Honda, fourteen years after it
a singular vision for his company. The
first car it built was the rev-hapy, sporting
had built is first complete motorbike...
S500, and from then the company had
been careful to ensure that each and – and Honda is one of few marques to world’s largest motorbike manufacturer.
every one of its models has been imbued ahve created to many. We’ve chosen our Honda dealers had impressed upon the
with a character of its own. Entertaining favourites – Honda’s most magnificent company that the sports car it exhibited
to drive and a pleasure to own, all true seven. as a concept in 1962 would be the ideal
motoring enthusiasts acknowledge the machine to sell during the winter months,
impact that the company has had upon HONDA S500 when motorbike sales traditionally
the automotive world. The Honda S500 was the first car slumped. It wasn’t the company’s first
Whether you love or hate the brand, built by Honda, fourteen years after four wheeled vehicle; that was the T360
it can’t be denied that every single it had built is first complete motorbike pickup truck launched four months
model on this list is a true classic icon and just four years after becoming the earlier. But the S500 – a small sportscar

– was Honda’s first toe in the water for with twice the cubic capacity, mustered Just 1363 were made before Honda
private car design, and set the tone similar power and carried similar replaced the car with the S600 in 1964,
for a manufacturer focused on driver weight. A four speed manual gearbox and subsequently the more famous S800
enjoyment. It was a larger engined and fully independent suspension were of 1966. Each took what was brilliant in
variant of the S360 prototype of 1962, seen as advanced at the time; torsion the S500 and improved upon it, adding
using a 531cc twin overhead cam four bars at the front with trailing arms at the power to a light and compact roadster to
cylinder with four Keihin carburettors, rear. turn it into a world beater.
that was not only smaller than European The S500 was never exported
alternatives, but more advanced and during its production life, its low scale HONDA NSX
more powerful. Its 44bhp might sound production only becoming true mass Honda’s first attempt at a mid engined
small, but with a total length of just production by the time of its larger supercar was also Japan’s first supercar
under 10’10” and weighing just 725kg, engined, more powerful successor, the to reach production. It dates back
44bhp was enough to make the S500 S600 – which would be the first Honda in concept to 1984, and the Honda
enjoyable. The Austin Healey Sprite, to be produced with left hand drive. HP-X concept. Honda intended to
HONDA S2000 | 67
HISTORY
HONDA ROUNDUP
productionise it as a rival to the entry Honda’s new C-series V6 in 3.0 form the first in an automotive application.
level Ferrari 328 models – one which with VTEC variable valve timing. With With developments including a targa
could meet or exceed their performance styling inspired by the F16 fighter jet, the roof option for 1995, performance
while offering better reliability at a NSX (without a hyphen) was launched upgrades for 1997 and a facelift in
lower cost. The name evolved to NS-X in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show to 2002 which saw off the retractable
– as a contraction of New Sportscar universal acclaim. Here was a supercar headlamps, the NSX continued in
eXperimental. Designed by a team that could be driven by anybody and production until 2005. While it was
which included Masahito Nakano and maintained by a local dealership, with not immediately replaced, a second
Shigeru Uehara, both of whom would handling input by Ayrton Senna and a generation NSX was unveiled in 2016
go on to develop the S2000, it used lightweight semi aluminium monocoque, and remains in production today. The

HISTORY
HONDA ROUNDUP
“ The Honda Accord Type R was the ideal

Honda NSX stands as a modern classic
not only as a supercar, but also as the
car which made supercars attainable
by the masses. It was always more
car for the performance motorist for whom
affordable than the Italian competition,
and was a genuinely viable supercar for
the Integra was just a smidge too small
everyday use.
roll bars were fitted, along with uprated a deficit in cylinder comared to the
HONDA ACCORD TYPE R wheel bearings, 17” alloys, and brakes above V6-engined rivals. Produced for
The Honda Accord Type R was the borrowed from the NSX supercar. A four years from 1998 to 2002, it was
ideal car for the performance motorist strengthened rar bulkhead gave the car discontinued along with the rest of the
for whom the Integra was just a smidge extra stiffness, though it came at the cost Accord range in preparation for the
too small. With 2.2 litres of VTEC of folding rear seats. launch of a new Accord for that year.
equipped ower and a spacious four Under the bonnet was a 2.2 litre
door shell, it was the sports saloon that engine derived from that of the Prelude, HONDA S2000
made sense as a practical proposition. able to rev round past 7000rpm and Honda’s 50th birthday present to itself,
Like the Integra, it lost out on sound produce nearly 210bhp as a result. A the S2000 was a return in concept to
deadening as part of a crash diet to rid limited slip differential was fitted. Lighter the small sportscars upon which the
it of unnecessary weight. The chassis by some 100kg than rivals including company had initially built its name
was strengthened, with lower and the Mondeo ST200 and Vectra GSi, beyond the motorbike. And true to
stiffer suspension and stiffer bushing to the Honda was both faster in a straight form, the S2000 had to be entertaining,
ensure a more direct feel. Thicker anti line and sharper in the corners despite small, pretty and revvy. Not only that,
HONDA S2000 | 69
HISTORY
HONDA ROUNDUP
but it was powerful – its specific output gearbox and Torsen diff allow it to make bumpers and lights front and rear, and
of 124bhp/litre means that it still holds the most of what it has. oval tipped exhaust pipes. At the end
the record for most powerful naturally From 2002, Honda offered a GT of production, Honda released 100
aspirated car by cubic capacity. pack in the UK. This consisted of an GT Edition 100 models to the UK. All
Developed from the Honda SSM concept external temperature gauge and a were finished in Grand Prix White,
car of 1995, the S2000 design was removable aluminium hard top, for with removable hard top, graphite grey
finalised in 1996 and launched for a premium of £550 at launch. From wheels, an aluminium gearknob, black
1999. Double wishbone suspension, 2004, Honda facelifted the S2000, with badging, and a red leather interior with
electric power steering and a 50/50 larger 17” wheels, retuned suspension contrast stitching to the gear lever gaiter.
weight distribution all help the S2000 to minimise oversteer, and geometry Each car was numbered with a plaque
to be one of the most advanced small modified to reduce toe-in changes on the kick plate.
sports cars of its era, while a six speed during hard cornering. There were new S2000s have always remained

HISTORY
HONDA ROUNDUP
desirable, and so prices have never

really bottomed out in the UK. If you
want one of these modern classics,
you’ll be paying more than for many
“ The Insight enjoys the accolade of being
the first hybrid drive car to be exported
of its rivals. But because of the way
that Honda engineers its cars, you’l be
outside of Japan – beaten to market in its
getting a far more entertaining package
to boot.
homeland by the Toyota Prius by two years...
HONDA INSIGHT vehicle ever to be sold in the USA. gearbox. The DC2 Integra Tye R was the
The Insight enjoys the accolade of being It was good to drive, too – almost only Integra we got in Britain, and its
the first hybrid drive car to be exported evocative of the traditional British halo effect only served to highlight just
outside of Japan – beaten to market in sportscar in the sense of limited power how good the car was.
its homeland by the Toyota Prius by two but entertaining handling, all aided Originally launched in Japan in
years, Toyota’s unwillingness to export by a wind cheating shape and the 1993, it took until 1998 for the car to
until the concept had been proven meant knowledge that nothing on the road come to Britain. By then, it had received
that to most of the world the Insight is offered better value for fuel money. a facelift to rid it of the four headalmps
seen to have been the first example. The manual gearbox, rare in a hybrid, deemed controversial in its home land
It uses its hybrid system differently helps this feeling of futuristic sportiness – – though British buyers got the car in its
to the Toyota – with no pure electric unlike many electric vehicles you feel an original and more characterful format.
mode, but using the electric motor as integral part of the driving process, and Just 500 were initially imported, though
a performance aid and regenerative even the electric power steering is well many more came in as grey imports. Not
system to reduce overall fuel weighted. The first generation Insight that they were grey – just black, red, or
consumption. Honda wrapped the whole was that rare thing – a car that was a white were made available for the Type
thing up in a slippery shell evocative classic the day it was launched. R model – and all the first batch sent to
of the old CR-X, and used a lightweight the UK were white. Just 25 per day were
aluminium structure to further boost its HONDA INTEGRA TYPE R made, courtesy of touches like the hand-
green credentials. A drag coefficient of On sale in Britain for just three years, the polished inlet ports and bespoke valves.
0.25 puts it on par with today’s electric Honda integra Type R nonetheless made Its bodykit wasn’t just for show, either.
cars in terms of slipperiness, and could a strong impression on the motoring The rear wing reduced lift by 30%, while
only be beaten in period by concept public. With a 1.8 litre four pot redlined the front air dam also contributed to
cars such as the GM EV1 and VW at nearly 9000rpm, the small two door the car’s stability. The chassis received
XL1. Almost twenty years on from its coupe gave driving enthusiasts one additional spot welds, and there were
introduction, the first generation Insight of the best front wheel drive chassis aluminium strut braces to strengthen it
still ranked as the most fuel efficient of its era, and a pin sharp five speed further. Lightweight touches included a
HONDA S2000 | 71
HISTORY
HONDA ROUNDUP
“ Without Honda, the roads would be just

windscreen 10% thinner than standard,
lighter wheels, less sound deadening
and very few electrical gizmos. 40kg
were removed from the already light
a little bit less interesting – and for that
Integra GSR. alone each and every one of these choices
With a fanatical following, you’d do
well to find an Integra Type R for sale is a bona fide classic today.
today. But if you can afford it, it’s one of
the most entertaining models of its era under eight seconds, and on to a top predictable safety of front wheel drive
and a true Honda through and through. speed of 121mph. VTEC models offered with the entertaining chassis dynamics
up to 150bhp – just in case the times that in the previous decade would have
HONDA CRX above were too pedestrian. been the preserve of cars like the MG
Derived from the Honda Ballade, the first The CRX gained traction in the Midget.
CRX brought aerodynamic sportiness to market by behaving like a thoroughbred
the lower end of the Honda range. But hot hatchback, but marrying these CONCLUSION
in Britain, the second generation coupe impeccable manners to a small coupe Whichever of these models you might
was the most popular and well-respected. shell which owed nothing to the Civic prefer, it’s undeniable that Honda’s
Available with a choice of Honda D that Honda would sell to small families. influence over the motoring world has
series 1.6 or B series with VTEC, it This exclusivity made it a more desirable been wide reaching and has offered the
gained double wishbone suspension over car among younger motorists than rivals consumer some of the most entertaining
its predecessor, andits twin cam engine such as the Peugeot 205GTi, the Rover classics ever to come out of Japan.
developed 130bhp. This unit, shared 216GTi and the Ford Escort XR3i, which Without Honda, the roads would be
with the Rover 216GTi and the Honda married their performance with more just a little bit less interesting – and for
Concerto 1.6i-16 in Britain, was enough sedate trimmings. Today the CRX is a that alone each and every one of these
to propel the sub-1000kg car to 60 in desirable modern classic, offering the choices is a bona fide classic today. ■

HISTORY
HONDA ROUNDUP
HONDA S2000 | 73
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CLASS
WARS
How does the 987 Boxster S stack up

against its class rivals, the Honda S2000
AP2 and the BMW E85 Z4?
WORDS DAN FURR PHOTOGRAPHY DAN SHERWOOD
aking life difficult for ourselves is, in many respects, the perfect setting Penned by Porsche factory stylist, Pinky
M isn’t something any of us like to

make a habit of, yet our editorial
team is running with the genius idea
for demonstrating how easy (or not) the
roadsters we’ve selected are to live with
in all driving conditions.
Lai, the 987 waved goodbye to the
outgoing Boxster’s 996-aping front end,
welcoming Carrera GT-esque headlights,
of photographing a trio of convertibles Chief among the inductees into our accommodation for bigger wheels and
for a GT porsche magazine feature the world of wet is the 987 Boxster. Making more pronounced air intakes. Sure,
middle of winter, when the sky is dark its debut alongside the 997-generation Porsche’s desire to continue promoting
grey, rain is falling and the ground is 911 at the 2004 Paris Motor Show (a a ‘family’ of products meant a cursory
covered in wet mud. Oh, and one of the slightly more glamorous backdrop than glance was all that was required to
cars is white, requiring constant attention the working farm in Cambridgeshire determine the new Boxster and 911
with quick detailer and a microfibre we’ve picked for our photo shoot were from the same stable, but despite
cloth to tackle dirt determined to stick location), the gloriously styled, mid- obvious shared design cues, the 987
to bodywork. “A black car is just as engined, water-cooled two-seater looked managed to carry an identity of its own.
bad at highlighting muck,” we hear light years ahead of its predecessor, the To the delight of Porsche purists, and just
you cry. Yep, we’ve arranged for one 986 Boxster. In fact, Porsche was keen like the aesthetic of the fresh Boxster’s
of those to turn up, too. But wait! While to stress how much distance there was rear-engined big brother, it was a look
we concede playing with roof-down between 986 and 987, announcing the more closely aligned to the appearance
sports cars in the middle of a particularly newer model making use of only twenty of our favourite manufacturer’s air-cooled
sodden cold snap might sound daft, this percent of the older car’s components. models.

TIME MACHINE
A step inside the 987’s cockpit also
impressed. Where 986 and 996
interiors are regarded as suffering from
Porsche’s necessary penny pinching in
period, the newer Boxster’s twin-seated
living space was a different ball game.
Simple in its design and employing a
‘circular’ theme throughout, it felt modern
then and it feels modern now, even if the
quality of the centre console switchgear
could be better. In fact, where the 986
looks very much of its time, remove the
age-identifying registration plates of a
987 and those less familiar with Porsche
products would be hard pressed to tell
they were staring at a design rapidly
approaching its twentieth anniversary.
Initially offered with a 2.7-litre
naturally aspirated flat-six chucking
out close to 240bhp, the 987 line-
up was expanded with the addition
of a 3.2-litre powerplant developing
almost forty more ponies and
236lb-ft torque for the Boxster S. A
choice of six-speed manual or five-
speed Tiptronic transmissions were
available, the former allowing the S
to complete the quarter-mile sprint in
13.4 seconds, top out at 167mph and
sprint to 62mph from rest in a swift
5.5 seconds. Eighteen-inch ‘lobster
claw’ five-spokes were a standard S
fit — though the car’s enlarged wheel
arches allowed buyers feeling flush to
option nineteens — along with Porsche
Stability Management (PSM) and the
choice of Porsche Active Suspension
Management (PASM), Porsche Ceramic
Composite Brakes (PCCB) and the
popular Sport Chrono package, firming
up suspension, altering throttle response
and limiting the sensitivity of anti-lock
HONDA S2000 | 77
RIVALS
S2000 VS Z4 VS BOXSTER
brakes at the touch of a button. rock solid foundation, presenting near

The 987 Boxster might be regarded 50:50 weight distribution, supreme SPECS 987 BOXSTER S
as far more desirable than its immediate agility and, with its brilliantly focused ENGINE 3.2-litre mid-mounted
ancestor, but one shouldn’t lose sight of steering, allowing average drivers the flat-six
how important the 986 was in reversing opportunity to tap into the model’s TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual \
Porsche’s fortunes and ensuring the excellent roadholding abilities without or five-speed Tiptronic S
survival of the brand. The mid-engined fear of losing the back end. It was POWER 276bhp
layout, though not new to the Stuttgart significantly cheaper than a 911, too. TORQUE 236lb-ft
marque’s output, proved astonishingly TOP SPEED 167mph (manual)
popular, not least thanks to sublime BARGAIN BUY 0-62MPH 5.5 seconds (manual)
chassis balance, a characteristic As regular readers will remember from ASSEMBLY Germany
allowing novice sports car drivers to the February issue of GT Porsche (order a
engage in aggressive attacks of the copy at bit.ly/issuesgtp), we included the Boxster buyer is a brand loyalist. Perhaps
asphalt with a level of confidence they’d 987 as one of the Porsches we consider — shock, horror — there are other cars,
have to earn if trying the same in a rear- to be a star buy in 2020, but let’s say, cheaper cars, in the same class offering
weight biased 911. The 987 Boxster as difficult as this might be for some of excellent value for money. What would
(and the later 987 Cayman) built on this you to believe, that not every prospective they be and how would they stack up

RIVALS
S2000 VS Z4 VS BOXTER
to the road. With a redline set at
“ Built on this rock solid foundation,

presenting near 50:50 weight
9,000rpm, the twin-cam VTEC-equipped
engine won four international Engine of
the Year awards almost as soon as the
first units rolled off the production line.
distribution and supreme agility Unsurprisingly, wind tunnel testing
had a huge influence in striking the right
against what we’ve previously described 240bhp and 153lb-ft torque, the revised balance between the S2000’s looks and
as a far better buy than the 911 you roadster came hot on the heels of the aerodynamics. The rising front-torear
might be able to acquire for the same original S2000, launched in 1999 bodyline encourages a classic, wedge-
asking price? to mark Honda’s fiftieth anniversary. shaped appearance, but also reduces
Enter the second-generation Honda Intended to reflect the firm’s racing lift and optimises balance between the
S2000. Launched for the 2004 model heritage whilst showcasing its passion front and rear ends. New technologies
year and offered with a front-midmounted for innovation, the car was designed included in-wheel double wishbone
two-litre inline-four (increased to 2.2-litres with input from Formula One engineers, suspension and Honda’s now famous
for the North American domestic market resulting in a totally unique powerplant High X-Bone chassis frame, enabling
and, later, Japan) producing close to bringing true race track performance the creation of a lightweight open-body
HONDA S2000 | 79
RIVALS
S2000 VS Z4 VS BOXSTER
SPECS BMW E85 Z4

ENGINE 2.5-litre front-mounted
inline-six
TRANSMISSION Six or five-speed
manual or automatic
POWER 189bhp
TORQUE 181lb-ft
TOP SPEED 155mph
0-62MPH 7.0 seconds
ASSEMBLY United States
structure with the rigidity and collision you, featured retuned suspension to limit NEIL FURBER
protection qualities of a closed-body. In oversteer, altered spring rates, uprated I bought my second-gen S2000 in
the S2000’s 1995 prototype, the Sport dampers, revised geometry and an 2010 after enjoyable time spent in
Study Model, the High X-Bone setup update to the subframe, all designed to an MX-5. The Honda had always
helped to achieve a Boxster-baiting further improve stability during cornering excited me and ownership has been
50:50 weight distribution. Honda went at speed. A limited-slip differential everything I’d hoped for and much
on to add double walled, steel pipe remained standard equipment. more. I also own a 981 Boxster Spyder
reinforced front pillars, highly rigid roll With top speed of 150mph and a with a howling Sports Exhaust, but no
bars and twin door beams to deliver an 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds, you’d be matter the Porsches that might come
ultra-strong protective cell — not only did forgiven for thinking the S2000 can’t and go from my driveway over the
the S2000 promise to be fast, it coupled hold a candle to the 987 Boxster S when coming years, the S2000 will remain
amazing performance with superior it comes to performance, but numbers my forever car. I honestly believe it
safety. alone tell only half the story. The second- offers all the performance you’d ever
Named in recognition of its two- generation S2000 is an astonishing need from a roadgoing sports car, but
litre swept capacity, the S2000 went car, though needs to be driven in the you need to learn how to extract the
through many changes during its tenyear manner Honda intended. VTEC variable best from the VTEC-equipped engine,
production cycle, though most of the valve timing kicks in high up the rev which involves driving in the upper rev
alterations were focused on mechanical range, with all 240 horses released at range and not being afraid to go close
equipment. The second- generation 8,300rpm. Maximum torque is achieved to the redline. That’s what the S2000’s
model, like the Grand Prix White at 7,500rpm, meaning to get the very inline-four is designed to do, but the
example pictured alongside the Basalt best out of the S2000 you need to drive model also impresses with its superb
Black Boxster S on the pages before it hard. Really hard. gear shifting and is happy to be used in

RIVALS
calmer driving conditions. The Honda opposite of the super-slick paddle shift sensation of a riding a superbike from
is certainly less forgiving than an MX-5, transmissions in today’s class-leading within the confines of a car,” smiles Neil
but it’s far more rewarding. There’s been sports cars. It’s a short, direct, metal- Furber, GT Porsche’s resident driving
no other Japanese car quite like it in on-metal, almost agricultural feeling coach and the owner of an S2000
recent years. shifter, and one drivers unfamiliar for more than ten years. “The S2000
Our test car is an Edition 100, a with Honda performance cars will be is what the MX-5 wants to be, if only
UK-only super-special commemorative tempted to operate sooner than they Mazda could get away with charging
model to mark the end of S2000 should. Indeed, they may find the more!” he grins. “You need to spend
production in 2009. Supplied new S2000 underwhelming if accelerating time with a VTEC-kitted Honda, be it an
with a removable hard top, wheels and shifting in the same way as they S2000 or an older Civic Type R, getting
painted graphite grey, black badges, might in the Porsche or a modern comfortable pushing the engine at high
uniquely numbered sill covers (our car turbocharged sports machine, but keep revs, which is at odds with the behaviour
is number thirty-six in a series of 100 that accelerator pedal planted to the of most drivers, including many S2000
and is cherished as part of Honda floor, let the revs rise to the point where owners. I’ve encountered many who
UK’s superb heritage fleet) and a twin- you’d think any other car’s engine might simply don’t realise how capable their
tone red and black leather interior, blow up, and as soon as VTEC kicks in cars are,” he adds, referencing the
the car also is also equipped with a around 6,000rpm, you’ll understand Honda’s maximum torque coming in a
model-specific aluminium shift knob. why so many petrolheads are utterly whopping 3,000rpm higher than that
Ah, yes — the S2000’s famous cog captivated by what the S2000 has to of the 987 Boxster S, not to mention
swapper. Described by Clarkson and offer. Boom! You’re flying fast towards the S2000’s ‘flick of the wrist’ steering
his chums as producing “the world’s that 9,000rpm redline. response and superb gear changing
greatest gear change”, it’s the polar “Honda’s genius was to create the qualities from the close ratio ‘box.
HONDA S2000 | 81
RIVALS
SPECS HONDA S2000 AP2

ENGINE 2.0-litre front-mid-
mounted inline-four
TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual
POWER 240bhp
TORQUE 153lb-ft
TOP SPEED 150mph
0-62MPH 6.2 seconds
ASSEMBLY Japan
NANCY DAVIES for daily commuting to the office and positioned behind the front axle. These
I came to my Z4 from a Fiat Barchetta, back. I bought the car from its first owner concerns were largely eliminated with
though I tested an Alfa Romeo Spider in 2006 and, touch wood, it has served the second-gen model, but what wasn’t
before buying the BMW. The Alfa was me incredibly well. I’m aware of the heavily revised was the car’s interior. If
great, but I’m not the kind of driver who quality of Porsche sports cars, not least first impressions are your thing, you’re
wants to keep her car in a garage all because my husband drives a 996, but likely to be underwhelmed by what
year round. To me, the Z4 is the perfect other than tyres and regular servicing, even the newest S2000 has to offer
blend of performance, style and comfort, my Z4 hasn’t wanted for anything in inside. The seats, for example, aren’t
but wrapped in a totally accessible fourteen years of ownership. Roof down, the most comfortable you’re ever likely
package I can make use of every day, no open road and the purr of that inline-six. to sit in and offer limited adjustment.
matter the weather. The seating position It’s an exciting car to drive! The dash is plasticky and, though
is low, which suits me, and there’s a Early S2000s earned a reputation perfectly functional, typical of late 1990s
decent amount of luggage space in the for being twitchy at the back, despite Japanese automotive production. The
boot for weekend getaways, as well as excellent balance brought by an engine digital speedo and rev counter is the

main event here, but providing you BAVARIAN BRUISER manufactured exclusively in the United
keep in mind you’re sitting in a cabin Where does all this leave the Z4, the States. Both 2.5-litre and three-litre
designed in the last century for a Honda final drop-top in our line-up? Well, as engines were offered at launch, with
built purely for playful fast driving (with you can probably guess, if the S2000 transmission options of five or six speed
little regard for luxury), you won’t be sits at the sportier end of the 987 Boxster manual or automatic gearboxes. Hot on
disappointed. As far as the sports car S’s character, the BMW heads the other the heels of the near 300,000-selling
brief is concerned, the S2000 delivers way, our test car oozing comfort and Z3, a model noted for being the first
in spades and offers the excitement of a the super-smooth operation of a front- BMW solely manufactured outside of
truly involving speed machine begging mounted 2.5-litre inline-six perfectly Germany, as well as for its shark-like
you to adapt your driving behaviour suited to cruising at steady speed. design and appearance in the James
to unleash the full potential of what’s Introduced at the Paris Motor Show two Bond movie, GoldenEye, the Z4 was
waiting to be discovered up front. Being years before the 987 and given the blessed with a larger and stiffer chassis
in charge of this car is a journey in more factory designation E85, the Z4 roadster than its forebear. The newer Bimmer
ways than one! was in production for six years and was also made use of a multi-link suspension
HONDA S2000 | 83
RIVALS
design in place of the Z3’s semi-trailing INNER SPACE from a standing start in dead-on seven
setup, though contemporary reviewers Settling into the cabin of the car, it’s seconds. The look of the car was a
criticised the resulting ride quality. clear to see the standard Z4 was built welcome move away from the Z3’s
In terms of overall size, the Z4 is a with comfort and luxury high on the design, which though much celebrated
bigger car than the Z3. The appointment agenda. There’s a huge amount of on launch and responsible for shifting
of extra suspension equipment also legroom, the seats are less firm than that a massive amount of product, soon
risked adding unwanted weight, which of the S2000 and offer a wide range of seemed dated, particularly at the rear,
is one of the reasons BMW introduced adjustability. The dash layout is classy where the Z4 replaces the older BMW’s
lightweight aluminium body panels and clean, with the opulence of brushed clunky light clusters with Ferrari-esque
and a magnesium roof frame to the Z4 metal visible in every direction. The shapes. Fashion can be fickle, however,
assembly line. The men in Munich also switchgear is simple and elegant, though as demonstrated by many of those who
demanded an electronic power assisted the positioning of the fuel-draining Sport complained about the Z3’s tired looks
steering system (EPAS) in place of the button atop the transmission tunnel now seen rushing out to buy caredfor
Z3’s hydraulic steering. The appointed seems like something of an afterthought; examples of the model, which is once
EPAS setup is speed sensitive, making the Z4’s optional Sport Package added again in vogue, albeit under the banner
turning in tight spaces much easier for firmer suspension, a lowered ride height, of ‘appreciating modern classic’.
drivers travelling at low speed, though eighteen-inch multi-spokes and access to From what we’ve seen here, if you’re
it’s telling that for the all-conquering altered throttle and steering response. after a pure sporting machine that isn’t
M-badged Z4 (a phenomenal car brilliant to live with as a daily driver,
powered by the E46 M3’s 3.2-litre S54 THEN AND NOW but is perfect for booting down twisty
inline-six, an engine widely regarded In stock trim, the 2.5-litre Z4 develops B-roads at the weekend, the S2000 is
as the greatest naturally aspirated 190bhp at 6,250rpm, with 181lb-ft a tempting proposition, whereas the
powerplant of all time) BMW returned to achieved at 3,500rpm. The slowest standard Z4 offers the exact opposite:
a hydraulic setup. of the bunch before us, it hits 62mph the BMW is ideal as an everyday sports

of driving each enthusiast engaged in
that determined which car they ended up
with. Neil, for example, is a professional
driving coach, making the S2000 the
perfect tool for him to use as a means
to hone his craft and exercise expert
driving behaviour. After all, save for
minor electronic stability assistance and
that digidash, the hot Honda is a raw,
analogue sports machine desperate to
be punished. The BMW, on the other
hand, is heavy on high-tech driver
assistance, invites you to be enveloped
in plush comfort and impresses with
smooth delivery of power from that
sublime inline-six, making everything
from commuting to continent cruising an
absolute pleasure. You wouldn’t really
want to take it to a track, though.
And so, we’re back where we
started, on muddy farmland with the
987 Boxster. Admittedly, an S in good
order might cost more than either of the
models we’ve pitched it against, but
based on the evidence before us, there’s
an argument you’re getting two cars for
the price of one: the Z4 can’t do what
the S2000 does so well and vice versa,
yet the Porsche overlaps somewhere in
the middle, managing to achieve ninety
percent of what both the Honda and
BMW promise, with the added bonus
of wearing the famous Stuttgart crest.
It really is an amazing package and
is currently available at a surprisingly
reasonable price point. Buy one before
it’s too late.
CHRIS PAGE
car, but isn’t particularly well suited to engine designed to be used near or at I fancied a change of drop-top after
being thrown into corners at breakneck the redline for extended periods without MX-5 ownership. A mate of mine owns
speed. It looks great (especially with the threat of self-destruction is something a Porsche and suggested I consider a
our test car’s combination of gunmetal to be celebrated, which is why the VTEC Boxster. A local car dealer had this 2005
paintwork and bright red leather) and unit is consistently voted one of the top Basalt Black 987 S on display in his
will deliver an exhilarating rush when ten best engines ever produced and showroom and I was blown away by just
travelling at full chat on a straight stretch why the S2000 was ranked among the how much car I could get for my money.
of open motorway, but its handling isn’t top three premium sports cars following As someone who regularly spends
as precise as either the Honda or the dependability tests during every year weekends away, luggage space was a
Porsche and you’re left with the sense of model production. Top honours were key concern, but the Boxster’s mid-engine
that BMW has compromised sporty traits awarded in 2004, 2006 and 2008, layout affords me decent boot space at
to satisfy owners keen to experience with the coveted International Engine the rear as well as at the front. I don’t use
comfort. Where the Z4 triumphs, of the Year awarded handed to Honda the car daily, but I have covered more
however, is reliability. Let’s not forget, the every year between 2000 and 2004 than 18,000 miles in seven years. The
987 is surrounded by panicked voices in recognition of the two-litre unit’s manual gearbox and sharp handling
crying about intermediate bearing shaft engineering excellence. have made every one of those miles a
failure, bore scoring, rear main seal Interestingly, every one of the owners joy. It’s not a car you need to drive fast
leaks and cracked cylinders, whereas we spoke to told us they’d migrated to to experience its quality, either. B-roads
owners of Z4s have very little to worry either a 987 Boxster, S2000 or Z4 from and tight turns are all that’s required to
about over and above the expiration of an MX-5 (or Miata, if you’re one of our demonstrate the car’s excellent handling
consumables. There’s a lot to be said for North American readers). On the face abilities. Additionally, I’m pleased to
‘get up and go’ driving without fear of of it, the Porsche, Honda and BMW report that other than a water pump,
mechanical failure, which also happens are all logical next steps from Mazda brake pads, a set of discs and servicing,
to be a plus point for the S2000 — an roadster ownership, but it was the style the car has wanted for nothing. ■
HONDA S2000 | 85
CLASSIC RIVALS
HONDA S2000 V LOTUS ELISE
Unique when first launched, the Lotus Elise remains a significant

engineering marvel, but it’s when behind the wheel that you
appreciate its incomparable dynamic abilities WORDS NIGEL FRYATT AND IAN SEABROOK
he Lotus Elise was never designed The original Elise S1 was revealed still with the Elise S1 today. This is not a
T to be a sales success – the original

production target was about 2700
vehicles to be sold over three years.
in Frankfurt in 1995 and it typified the
Colin Chapman ‘less-is-more’ lightweight
Lotus concept, with its glued and riveted
mass produced, metal monocoque, front
engine, rear drive sports car like the
Honda S2000. If you want convincing,
Yet its arrival was nothing short of a aluminium tub chassis, mid-engine and just go drive one.
motoring revolution and not just in its rear drive, all topped with a small, light The S1 is a delight as a driver’s car,
forward-thinking engineering, dynamic and fabulously good-looking body. nimble to the point of being surgically
behaviour and stunningly original Its objective was to highlight the work precise. The often underrated 1796cc
design. It also sold 25,000 models in its of Lotus Engineering, the company’s Rover K-Series engine is a perfect match
first 10 years making it comfortably the specialist consultancy department to the chassis, with the unit’s seemingly
fastest selling and best-selling Lotus ever. that was much in demand from other modest 118bhp more than capable of
It was launched when Lotus was manufacturers. In an interview published ensuring rapid progress. Whereas with
going through one of its seemingly in Complete Car magazine in 1996, the Honda S2000 you’ll need to get the
regular financially turbulent periods, executive engineer Tony Shute revealed: engine spinning to over 6000rpm–and
when then owner Bugatti International’s “I’d nicked all the engineering research more importantly hold it there – in the
parent company went into receivership budget to finance the project and Lotus Elise you have a far better balance,
(the lasting impact of this period was Engineering wanted something in return with the chassis dynamics far, far more
Bugatti International’s boss Romano – to demonstrate Lotus technology to significant than a screaming high revving
Artioli naming the new Lotus after clients worldwide.” power unit.
his granddaughter, Elise). Its success It did that and more and, to be At speed, it’s nowhere near as twitchy
effectively saved the company. honest, that magic ‘must have’ quality is as the Honda, although admittedly it can

“ The S1 is a delight as a driver’s car,
nimble to the point of being surgically
precise. The often underrated 1796cc
Rover K-Series engine is a perfect
match to the chassis
catch out the inexperienced in certain stalks. In fact, when sitting in the Elise,
wet conditions with a tendency to snap only the race car-like Stack instrument
oversteer, but you are going some before pod and tiny steering wheel offers any
that becomes an issue. The Elise is better indication that this is a special place to
in so many areas and that’s before you be.
compare the looks of the two sports Describing the Elise cockpit as
cars. While the unusual chassis design Spartan is almost too comforting. The
and engineering concept, coupled to original seats offer little padding and
the car’s overall looks, might give the fitting a radio was a cost option extra
impression of this being an exotic sports (and pointless in my view). Suspension
car, nothing could be further from the is the classic race car double wishbones
truth. front and rear, the original models fitted
The use of the Rover engine points with Spax shock absorbers, which will
the way to a model that was built at the probably have been replaced by better
time to a specific price – there’s nothing options on many S1 models today. All
very exotic in Rover Metro door mirrors, this is packaged under a body made
Peugeot switchgear and Vauxhall column up of a central structure to which a front
HONDA S2000 | 87
RIVALS
S2000 V LOTUS ELISE
and rear ‘clam’ bodyshell is bolted.

These are not easy to remove and are
certainly not a one-man job.
Keeping your Elise S1 looked after
“ If the Elise has an Achilles’ Heel it
can be the effects of corrosion. While
by a specialist makes more sense.
Lakeside Engineering in Surrey, (www.
the aluminium tub obviously doesn’t
lakesideengineering.com), has a well-
earned reputation when it comes to
suffer, there can be problems between
the Elise. The Rover K-Series needs it and the bolted-on steel sections.
a cambelt change every four years
regardless of mileage. Lakeside will do
an alternator and cambelt change for sports car and motor racing history – that shouldn’t be a problem and will
£268.48 (plus VAT). something that makes this vehicle so mean there are models that look a little
If the Elise has an Achilles’ Heel it special. For instance, part of the original rough around the edges for £6000-
can be the effects of corrosion. While suspension development team for the £8000. A top quality S1 is probably
the aluminium tub obviously doesn’t Elise was former Lotus Formula One going to be in the £12,000/£14,000
suffer, there can be problems between it Grand Prix driver John Miles. bracket. Some low mileage models are
and the bolted-on steel sections. Caught Values of the Elise S1 have held for being offered over the £20,000 mark,
early, there are repair options. Buying a number of years and are beginning to which seems excessive, and since this
a Lotus Elise also allows you to join rise. The fact that the Lotus is a perfect isacar that deserves to be driven, finding
Club Lotus, which will introduce those track day car can mean a few will have a low mileage one seems something of
less aware to the company’s fabulous had a hard life. Looked after properly an oxymoron.

RIVALS
S2000 V LOTUS ELISE
HONDA S2000 S800 of the 1960s, as the company had tractable nature lower down the rev
The Honda S2000 is refined and since made its fortune from family cars. range. It means a car with peaky power
comfortable compared to the Lotus, but It didn’t so much try to rival the MX-5 as that remains easy to live with around
don’t let that fool you. Underneath lurks obliterate it in a VTEC-laden fury. town. In fact, keep the revs down, and
a menacing performance car with truly As befits Honda, the engine is a you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about.
exciting potential super-revvy masterpiece, producing a Ease off and it’s far more refined, almost
The Honda S2000 was launched maximum of 236bhp at an ear-melting boringly so. The problem is, the engine
in 1999 and was the company’s first 8300rpm. Maximum torque is 155lb/ is so punchy that unsettling the rear
move into the lucrative roadster market ft at 7500rpm. Such figures are down is quite easy to do. This is a car that
so well rejuvenated by Mazda’s MX-5. to Honda’s clever VTEC variable valve definitely needs respect.
Really, this was Honda’s first affordable timing, which boosts engine efficiency Honda altered the suspension
and bespoke sports car since the little at higher speeds, while allowing a settings throughout the S2000’s run,
HONDA S2000 | 89
RIVALS
S2000 V LOTUS ELISE
trying to tame the oversteer with softer

rear springs and anti-roll bar settings
from 2004. At the same time, and
never confirmed in official figures, the
engine was tweaked to boost torque
further down the rev range. There are
some Japanese imports over here now
and these boasted even more power
– 250bhp at an even more ridiculous
8600rpm. Oddly, power dropped to
239bhp with the later 2.2-litre engine
from 2006, though there are a whole
host of aftermarket tune-up options if
somehow these power figures seem a bit
tame. UK S2000s always used the 2-litre
engine.
Against the Lotus, the S2000 feels
amazingly plush. It’s a comfortable car
in which to spend time, with the roof
raised at the flick of a switch. The driving
compartment is snug and welcoming
and the stubby gear lever for the six-
speed gearbox falls nicely to hand. You
need to stir that a fair bit to keep the
revvy engine on the boil. The downside
is electric power steering, which does
rob you of feel. On the plus side, the
S2000 is far more forgiving in regular
use. It can be exciting when you want it
to be, but it can also be comfortable in
a way the Lotus cannot. It may perhaps
lack the same sparkle as the Lotus, but
it remains stupendously quick as well as
surprisingly practical as an everyday
proposition.

RIVALS
S2000 V LOTUS ELISE
The S2000 can be very Jekyll and

“
prospect. The looks are fairly subtle,
so this isn’t a car that shouts about its
Hyde, though, becoming a serious remarkable potential. In fact, the vast
majority have no idea just how good
performance machine if you allow it – they are. It’s a car that skips under the
radar of many. We’re prepared to let
60mph comes up in under six seconds. you into that secret, which has been
well tested by our own MD, who has
Ownership today isn’t too onerous, Watch for water leaks, especially owned his S2000 for several years
with a particularly good UK S2000 around the screen pillars. Damp carpets now. A super-stripped race car for the
Owners’ Club (www. s2kuk.com) aren’t unusual, but can help the floors road is all well and good – if that’s your
offering discounts on track days and rot. Most classic car owners will be in fancy, the Lotus more than delivers.
parts and meetings throughout the year. the habit of regularly checking engine But, if you want a car that’s fun when
Genuine parts can be pricey–a set of oil levels and that experience works you demand it, yet slips calmly into
genuine OEM brake pads from Tegiwa well here. Hondas have often had a comfort mode when all you want to do
Imports will set you back £120 – but reputation for burning a fair bit and is get somewhere, then it’s the Honda
there are aftermarket items that could the S2000 is no exception. Certainly S2000 that ticks all of the boxes. There’s
save you a fair bit. Speaking to club check it after every long trip, but don’t only one word of warning, really,
members will help you decide which is be surprised if an S2000 consumes as and it’s that you might find that VTEC
best. Hoods can be expensive to replace much as a litre of synthetic oil every effect is more addictive than you ever
– £500-£600–but you can specify a 1000 miles. imagined. As a pure example of Honda
glass rear window on earlier S2000s, Overall though, with prices tumbling engineering at its best, the S2000 is
which had plastic from the factory. the S2000 makes a very appealing nothing short of remarkable.■
HONDA S2000 | 91
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HONDA S2000
V BMW Z3 2.8
BMWs are famed for
their engines. But can
the S2000’s four beat
the Z3 2.8’s six?
WORDS : SAM SKELTON
hile some sports cars are well- honey. Revving like a motorcycle, it the Z3 it made for an entertaining sporting
W regarded for their chassis,

some for their weight, some for
their uncompromising approach, there
produces power far in excess of that its
size might suggest.
However, it’s not the only early
experience in the right hands. With
performance similar to the S2000, and a
broadly similar price, it was unsurprising
are few that are held in high regard for 2000s sports car to enjoy an impressive that many peoples’ prospective shopping
their engines. The Honda S2000 is one engine. The BMW M52 straight six in lists might include both models.
of those cars – not only does it have an the German marque’s Z3 was widely With both appealing to collectors today,
impressive chassis and appealing shape, acknowledged as one of the silkiest sixes they are once again on the same shopping
but that VTEC equipped engine is a little of its era, and in the small chassis of lists. But which makes the better choice?

THE ULTIMATE DRIVING Z3 was based on the same chassis a skunkworks project and would be
MACHINE? as the 3-series Compact. Most of the unveiled two years after the Roadster.
The BMW Z3 enjoys the distinction of underpinnings were shared with the E36 Launched in 1995 with the 1.9
being the first BMW to be manufactured 3-series, but the rear suspension was litre four from the 318iS, the range
entirely outside of Germany. Assembled derived from that of its E30 predecessor expanded with the introduction of six
in Greer, South Carolina, it was – more compact and cheaper to produce cylinder models from the following
built in America to take advantage than the E36’s Z-axle multi link setup. year. When the 2.8 litre engine was
of what BMW believed would be its The design was frozen in mid 1992, fitted it became a proper sports car, and
primary market. Under the skin, the while the subsequent Coupe model was the launch of the 3.2 litre M Roadster
HONDA S2000 | 95
RIVALS
S2000 V BMW Z3
and M Coupe variants in 1997 only that enables easy control at all speeds. a little longer than it ought to be when
supported that. BMW offered extensive There’s good steering too, well weighted compared with the short throw action of
personalisation, adding the Z3 to its and sharp, though perhaps a little the S2000.
Individual programme. A power hood sharper than it should be on corners that A facelift for 1999 saw the 2.0
became an option for 1998, while require precision. The car feels bigger replaced by the 2.2 and the 2.8
rollover hoops were introduced. and heavier than the Honda – but is still replaced by the 3.0 – both engines
A tight gearbox and silken engine beautifully direct. from the revised M54 range. The
mean that the Z3 is a pleasure to drive, It’s a thrilling experience, though headlamps were redesigned, the rear
with plenty of power and a chassis the throw of the gear lever is perhaps track widened, and an integrated high

RIVALS
S2000 V BMW Z3
level rear brake light was fitted. Interior

changes included a new clock, while the
traction control system was revised. Side
airbags were fitted for 2000.
“ A tight gearbox and silken engine
mean that the Z3 is a pleasure to drive,
The Z3 would be replaced by the
Z4 in 2002. Again, BMW opted for
with plenty of power and a chassis that
a controversially styled car featuring
a long bonnet and short tail, this time
enables easy control at all speeds.
designed with the flame surfacing
favoured by the Chris Bangle school of concept of 1995 showed the world the face, and by the time of the second
thought. Unlike its predecessor, multilink way Honda was thinking, and when the generation AP2 cars, the worst of
rear suspension would be used. Once finished article broke cover in 1999 it the chassis had been tamed. New
again, there were entry level models but attracted an instant and loyal following. suspension minimised oversteer, while
the main focus was on the 3.0 straight Its four cylinder engine used VTEC to revised geometry softened the tendency
six and the M models. 297088 Z3s boost its power output to 237bhp, and to toe-in.
were produced; almost 280000 of used aluminium for light weight. A GT There were cosmetic changes too.
which were roadster models. pack was available, offering hard top From the launch of the AP2 in 2004,
and external temperature sensors for an there were new headlamps, new
CELEBRATION additional £550. taillamps, and new bumpers front and
The Honda S2000 wasn’t the company’s A car which rewarded the talented rear. The 16” wheels went, in favour
first pen sports car. Its first car had driver, it was praised and criticised of new 17” items with Bridgestone
been a sports car, back in 1963 – the in equal measure for a chassis which RE050 tyres and a stiffer subframe. The
Honda S500. Developed from the S360 wasn’t always the most predictable final 100 examples were sold as the
concept of the previous year, it proved when new. Unless you were very GT Edition 100, all finished in Grand
popular with customers and dealers as careful, acceleration in corners could Prix White with red leather, graphite
an alternative to motorcycles for winter. result in a loss of traction, but a good grey wheels, and minor changes to the
When Honda wanted to celebrate half driver could catch it with ease. But trim. While all S2000s are desirable
a century of producing its own vehicles, between that chassis and its 9000rpm to collectors, these are the ones which
a car which met the same basic market redline, the S2000 could raise a will always attract the highest level of
as its first seemed obvious. The SSM Cheshire cat grin on almost any driver’s interest.
HONDA S2000 | 97
RIVALS
S2000 V BMW Z3
HONDA S2000 BMW Z3 2.8

ENGINE 1997cc I4 2793cc I6
TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual Six-speed manual
MAX POWER 237bhp 193bhp
MAX SPEED 150mph 140mph
0-60 6.2 seconds 6.7 seconds
LENGTH 4135mm 4025mm
WEIGHT 1260kg 1360kg
VERDICT
The BMW is a far smoother sounding
car, and more closely fits the traditional
sports car mould set in stone by the
“ What the BMW has in traditionalism,
the Honda can counter with sheer
Austin Healey 3000, Triumph TR6
and MGC. But it’s hampered by a
modernity and an alternative outlook
somewhat awkward shape, a tiny
boot and its association with the less And it is this unique outlook that makes make the model a better drive, while
powerful 1.8 models. The Z3 also the Honda our victor. While the Z3 there is little question that the Honda
enjoys film credibility owing to the early remains true to tradition, that tradition offers a more handsome driveway
car’s appearance in Goldeneye. But doesn’t make the hairs on the back of proposition to boot.
what the BMW has in traditionalism, your neck stand in quite the same way While the BMW is undeniably a great
the Honda can counter with sheer as they do with the S2000. That high sports car, it cannot compete with the
modernity and an alternative outlook. revving engine and that sharp chassis Honda S2000 as a modern classic. ■

Give your wrist the
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Before it’s assembled in Switzerland, every dial is
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a patina, giving it a unique ‘brushed’ look – much like
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strolling around town, you’ll do so wearing a
watch that’s truly one of a kind.
C60 Bronze Ombré Green COSC Limited Edition

christopherward.com
CLASSICS WORLD
JAPANESE
HONDA S2000
ISSUE 4 £8.99

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CLASSICS WORLD

WITH OVER 350,000 PARTS & ACCESSORIES CLICK & COLLECT

8 HONDA S-CAR HISTORY

17 LIVING WITH THE S2000

24 HONDA S2000 TEST

4 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

86 LOTUS ELISE V S2000 94 BMW Z3 2.8 V S2000

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T S-series sports car. So was its first

8 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

“ This was to become a national sports

10 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

gearbox, and a chain drive to each

12 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

switched to a cheaper live axle rear

14 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

16 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

I automotive history that the 1990s

18 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

20 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

“ The S2000 has lived up to Honda’s

As for servicing, it’s no secret that a car

22 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

A home to an incongruous pairing

24 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

seats or the upper glovebox-sized bin

26 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

Press it though and you may well

Like most Japanese cars of the period,

28 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

30 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

O two very similar propositions:

32 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

34 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

36 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

38 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

Of course, driving the car as if

40 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

W decides to build something

42 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

44 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

“ Considering its impressive specification, the Honda

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

46 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

features lightweight gears working BRAKES TYRES

48 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

“ For those less brave, the starting price is closer to the

50 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

T we viewed sports cars. Svelte,

52 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

concerns of stability were addressed

54 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

“ ...When you point the nose down your

56 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE

HONDA S2000 AUDI TT 3.2

Inside Each Issue:

F sports car, the Honda S2000 took

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