The Boxster Beater (Honda S 2000)

Name: Ross

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	Honda S 2000
Date:	04.07.00 (1663 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Red line madness, driving, style

Disadvantages: needs to be driven hard to be appreciated

For anyone looking for a real driving experience, along with the thrill of driving a two-seater convertible, the Honda S2000 is very hard to beat.
Specifically designed as a roadster, not a hard top with the roof cut off, the Honda is a driving enthusiasts dream. With drop dead looks, an interior based on a formula 1 car with everything at your fingertips, including the big red start button, and an engine, well, let’s go to the engine in a moment.
The car that everyone talks about in this class is the Boxster, and not without reason, the Boxster is a sexy, stylish, car that performs well and handles brilliantly but there are a number of them on the road. The Honda is a bargain at £28,545, saving yourself £3000 on the list price of the Boxster before Porsche add on the ‘extras’, the S2000 comes with air-conditioning as standard, not the expensive extra on the Boxster, it also has a smooth 6-speed gearbox, available on the expensive Boxter S, and the S2000 has the engine to beat all engines.
The S2000 is the world’s most powerful normally aspirated, i.e. non-turbo, engine. This is a 2litre, 16valve rip-roaring powerhouse of a VTEC engine, this little beauty adjusts itself to behave around town and go mad on the open road. With 240BHP and a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds this car does not hang around, combine that with only 4cm travel on the gearstick, front to back, and a six speed box, and you are ready for the drive of your life, yet fuel economy is as good as the Boxster at 28.5mpg.
The handling is superb, using electronic power steering gives the Honda loads of feedback yet remains both light, as a component (adding to the performance) and around town.
As is always the case for a roadster, storage is not high on the priority list, and whilst not matching the Boxster in this respect, only due to its front storage area, its boot is more than big enough for the weekly shop or the long weekend, including the golf clubs.
In
a rec
ent Top Gear review the S2000 narrowly lost out to the Boxster, partly on storage, partly on the smaller fuel tank (only enough for 300 miles!) and partly on torque. This, I have to admit is where the Boxster wins, but if you like changing down a gear, or even two, and then putting your foot down then who cares. And revving this car is what it is all about, the VTEC engine red lines at a stonking 9000 rpm, and, no that’s not a typo, I mean nine thousand revs; in third at 30mph you floor it and keep going beyond 90mph,(theoretically obviously) and still haven’t hit the red line, amazing, not only that, but to go with the formula one style interior those clever guys at Honda have tuned the car to sound like a formula one car. From about 6000rpm where the engine takes off, the noise changes and all of a sudden you are David Coulthard, and Michael Schumacher is not going to stop you.
Having driven a number of cars, including the Boxter, before settling on the S2000, I have never looked back, available in limited numbers you aren’t going to end up like the Z3, or MGF with them on every corner, it’s a car for drivers, people ask what you drive and most look blank, but the odd one or two, they just look at you and nod knowingly, and what a feeling, turning down the Porsche because it’s not good enough!

Summary: