Produced between 1999 and 2009, the S2000 open-top sports car has never been revisited by Honda since then. The Japanese automaker may never bring it back if the market keeps favoring crossovers and all-electric vehicles, which is why the S2k is widely considered a low-key collectible.
Sold new by High Country Honda in Boone, North Carolina, back in 2007, chassis number JHMAP21447S000013 can definitely be considered a low-key collectible. With less than nine hours of bidding left on Bring a Trailer, this red-painted example currently stands at $55,000 even though it left the showroom floor with a total vehicle price of $34,845 on the window sticker.
Finished in New Formula Red over black leather and plastic for the interior, the S2k features no paint imperfections or rust because it’s been garaged for most of its existence. Just around 30 miles (48 kilometers) of the 1,900 miles (3,058 kilometers) shown on the clock were added by the selling dealer.
Offered with a clean title, clean history report, and the owner’s manual, the soft-topped sports car is equipped with xenon headlights, polished exhaust outlets, and 10-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in 215/45 and 245/40 Bridgestone Potenza RE050 rubber shoes. Double-wishbone suspension and progressive-valve shock absorbers also need to be mentioned, along with a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip rear differential.
The AP2, as Honda calls the second incarnation of the S2000, takes its mojo from a 2.2-liter engine. It’s not as willing to rev as the 2.0-liter of the AP1, but it’s a blast nevertheless at 8,000 revolutions per minute. The reason the larger mill isn’t willing to rev higher boils down to the longer travel of the pistons. Factory rated at 237 horsepower at a screaming 7,800 rpm, the motor delivers peak torque at 6,800 rpm to the tune of 162 pound-feet (220 Nm).
While it’s a shame this incredible driver’s car has been a garage queen for most of its life, the next owner may use it as its designer, Shigeru Uehara, intended it to be used: out on the open road, preferably in the twisties.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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