RE: Will Honda replace the S2000?
Wednesday 7th June 2006
Honda S2000Honda has changed its mind about replacing the high-revving S2000, according to a story in Autocar today. It was intended that the current car would not get a successor but that could now not be the case.
Will Honda replace the S2000?
Mind-change by Japanese car giant
Honda S2000
It's started work on a replacement for the roadster, although there's a long way to go. While preliminary sketches are being made, the project has yet to get the green light from the bosses.
Were it to be rubber-stamped, an all-new S2000 would take some five years to come to fruition, pushing the showroom date out to 2011 at the earliest, although to produce a simpler update would be quicker.
What changed Honda's mind? We don't know, although the booming sports car sales currently being occupied by the Porsche Boxster and Nissan 350Z could well have something to do with it.
In the meantime, Honda said that the existing car "has been revised for 2006 with changes to aesthetics and performance. We're just entering the open-topped S2000's favourite time of the year, but it has already clocked up a sales figure of 366 units."
Discussion
I don't think so. With a bit of extra pep the S3500 can be a supercar killah.
Check the Astra bit here. Looking close I thought: what if Opel / Vauxhall did a roadversion of that little racer? Same with the V6 unit in the S2000 . . . It'll work I'm sure.
Check the Astra bit here. Looking close I thought: what if Opel / Vauxhall did a roadversion of that little racer? Same with the V6 unit in the S2000 . . . It'll work I'm sure.
the engine is compact enough. A detuned thingy like this one would be a screamer.
Mugen did a V8 thingy.
Nuff inspiration . . . There'd be no point for Honda to replace the S2000 with another screaming 4pot roadster. It has to be bigger specced and faster and a roadster I hope. IMO an S3500 (V6) or S4000 (V8) would be a giant step towards supercar territory.
Beefmeister said:
Doesn't that kind of ruin the whole point of the S2000?
Its all about the engine!
Its all about the engine!
The man is talking sense. I doubt they will release it with over the "agreed" 286 bhp limit anyway. I think it doesnt need much more power than that anyway. Whilst the engine is definately superb and rightly touted as its main party piece, many people dont realise how brilliant the chassis is and how sublime the handling is in dry conditions - The car can really hustle from A to B very quickly (just dont try too hard in the wet or it'll bite). If you mess around with the formula and stick in a heavy, lazy, high capacity engine it'll turn it into a straight line drag monster that will plough straight on in the corners.
...and who needs Torque anyway! If you want Torque - get a diesel!
Hope they put Proper engine in it.....what a outrageous thing to say, I bought one of the very first ones when it was released in 99 I waited 18 months for it, I owned it for 3 yrs driving all over Europe and taking it high up into the Alps for a ski holiday, despite what Honda said you can get snow chains on them. The whole ownership experience was fantastic, The engine was/is awesome, people who complain about them don't know how to use them, few people use the full rev range, instead driving it like a diesel, changing gear low down the rev range rather than letting the V-tec work it's magic. It's like driving a 4 pot high revving jap motorbike.
Because it is only a 4 pot means its light, why would you want to put a bloody great V8 in there for? Immediately you'll have problems with weight which will cause understeer, which in turn will require clever electronics to iron out, which will ruin the whole point, It's a proper sports car, like a Elise but more civilised (and cheaper)
If you haven't driven one, best you do, then learn how to use that awesome engine, now add a supercharger like the Exige? now that would be stupefying can you imagine the pressure at 9000 revs?
Because it is only a 4 pot means its light, why would you want to put a bloody great V8 in there for? Immediately you'll have problems with weight which will cause understeer, which in turn will require clever electronics to iron out, which will ruin the whole point, It's a proper sports car, like a Elise but more civilised (and cheaper)
If you haven't driven one, best you do, then learn how to use that awesome engine, now add a supercharger like the Exige? now that would be stupefying can you imagine the pressure at 9000 revs?
The_Red_Baron said:
Hope they put Proper engine in it.....what a outrageous thing to say, I bought one of the very first ones when it was released in 99 I waited 18 months for it, I owned it for 3 yrs driving all over Europe and taking it high up into the Alps for a ski holiday, despite what Honda said you can get snow chains on them. The whole ownership experience was fantastic, The engine was/is awesome, people who complain about them don't know how to use them, few people use the full rev range, instead driving it like a diesel, changing gear low down the rev range rather than letting the V-tec work it's magic. It's like driving a 4 pot high revving jap motorbike.
Because it is only a 4 pot means its light, why would you want to put a bloody great V8 in there for? Immediately you'll have problems with weight which will cause understeer, which in turn will require clever electronics to iron out, which will ruin the whole point, It's a proper sports car, like a Elise but more civilised (and cheaper)
If you haven't driven one, best you do, then learn how to use that awesome engine, now add a supercharger like the Exige? now that would be stupefying can you imagine the pressure at 9000 revs?
Because it is only a 4 pot means its light, why would you want to put a bloody great V8 in there for? Immediately you'll have problems with weight which will cause understeer, which in turn will require clever electronics to iron out, which will ruin the whole point, It's a proper sports car, like a Elise but more civilised (and cheaper)
If you haven't driven one, best you do, then learn how to use that awesome engine, now add a supercharger like the Exige? now that would be stupefying can you imagine the pressure at 9000 revs?
The amount of RPM is really unimportant for supercharger pressure its more to do with the pulley ratios, awesome idea though supercharging!
Edited by r5gttgaz on Wednesday 7th June 16:52
geoff82 said:
Hmmmm why stick to the same format?
What about a mid-engined roadster with the NSX type R engine?
Now THAT would be a car!
What about a mid-engined roadster with the NSX type R engine?
Now THAT would be a car!
If they changed the format, it wouldnt be a Honda S2000 replacement. The above would be a new NSX Roadster....
Personally I hope that the bring out both!
ZooOOM said:
I wonder if they will put a proper engine in it this time?
LOL
As for adding a big dumb americanised V6 in there, first and foremost - it ain't gonna fit! The engine was custom designed to be as small as possible so it could sit on the front axle. Try lobbing in a 3 litre lump sideways and it's going to be poking out half way through the bumper and handle like a bus.
The S2000 still has the most powerful 2 litre engine in the world, and it's still a gem. Unfortunately, the competition has moved on and Honda have stayed still, a small increase in capacity (at the expense of rpm) to keep the yanks happy aside.
Best thing they could do is strip it out, change the final drive, and sell it only in white (under the Type R guise) to regain its reputation. All those gay colours (there were only 4 or 5 at launch) have really damaged its hard edged, no compromise reputation it had on launch.
Edited by Bada Bing! on Wednesday 7th June 18:23
Personally although it's a nice looking thing the high revving engine is a big turn off, nothing worse than listening to a screamer on a long journey, it's like that RX-8, cool car but you just couldn't live with that engine, life's too short to wait until you're at 8000 RPM's and finally have some power.
MPG's always terrible too.
Matthew
MPG's always terrible too.
Matthew
harristc said:
Just out of interest, why is everyone obsessed with a huge engine?! I mean 0-60 in 6.2 secs is quick enough for everyday road use isn't it!? Shouldn't we be more interested in how the new model may look etc...?
A 3.5 V6 isn't a huge engine . . . 300 over 250 hp isn't that big increase in power . . . . torque will be available below 6k revs
I own a 2002 S2k, drive it both on road and track. I never had to complain about the power or the pace, except for the under-specced brakes. My two cents on this:
- They shouldn't touch the engine, perhaps only add 200/400 cc, keep it a high-revving 9k four-pot. They have to keep the engine narrow and high, so it will fit in the (same) bay front midship. Maybe you can reach 280 hp, not sure...not that you need it
- I'd like them to come back to 16" alloys at front, but keep 17" at back.
- Better brakes. I take mine 1-2 times a year to the track and I have had to upgrade the brakes for safety.
- An integrated tonneau cover, not that joke of today
- Add mp3-capability and -connectivity to radio (no big deal)
- Somewhat better windproofing but without resorting to a huge windscreen no thanks....maybe a "neck-scarf" à la SLK?
- Dump the space-saver tyre...but please no BMW-stupid runflats...a repair can will do!
- Rear LED lights
cheers
.dave.
www.s2000.com/%7Edave/
- They shouldn't touch the engine, perhaps only add 200/400 cc, keep it a high-revving 9k four-pot. They have to keep the engine narrow and high, so it will fit in the (same) bay front midship. Maybe you can reach 280 hp, not sure...not that you need it
- I'd like them to come back to 16" alloys at front, but keep 17" at back.
- Better brakes. I take mine 1-2 times a year to the track and I have had to upgrade the brakes for safety.
- An integrated tonneau cover, not that joke of today
- Add mp3-capability and -connectivity to radio (no big deal)
- Somewhat better windproofing but without resorting to a huge windscreen no thanks....maybe a "neck-scarf" à la SLK?
- Dump the space-saver tyre...but please no BMW-stupid runflats...a repair can will do!
- Rear LED lights
cheers
.dave.
www.s2000.com/%7Edave/
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