Pictured at the Killarney International Raceway in South Africa, the Honda S2000 and Toyota GR86 in the video below are much obliged to answer a question. Can old school kick new school butt? Considering that the S2000 won two drag races out of three, old school prevailed.
Honda produced two distinct versions of the S2000, referred to after their chassis designations. The AP1 is the original, which ran between 1999 and 2003 with a 2.0-liter engine that spins to a stratospheric 9,000 rpm.
Exclusively paired to a manual transmission and Torsen limited-slip differential out back, said naturally-aspirated powerplant makes between 237 and 247 ponies, depending on the market. 153 to 161 pound-feet (208 to 218 Nm) of peak torque has to make do, and that’s plenty enough considering the car’s weight and the tire width.
AP2 is what the mid-cycle refresh is called, a refresh that introduced a 2.2-liter engine that’s not as willing to rev its heart out. Essentially the previous 2.0 modified with a longer stroke, this lump makes a little more torque. Honda further modified the gear ratios with shorter first through fifth gears and a slightly longer sixth gear. The S2000 was discontinued in 2009 due to the contacting sports car market caused by the 2007 – 2008 financial crisis that saw GM and Chrysler file for reorganization.
Honda couldn’t make a case for a second-generation S2000 since then, which is understandable given that sports car sales keep going down with each passing year. Crossovers and trucks reign supreme and electric vehicles are in fashion as well. There’s even talk of a revival of sorts of the S2000 for 2024 when the S2k celebrates its 25th anniversary, but alas, no prototypes have been spied thus far, which puts the hearsay to rest.
Previously dubbed GR 86, the GR86 is a second-generation sports car that wouldn’t have been possible without Toyota collaborating with Subaru. The first Eighty Sixer rolled off the production line in 2012, but the 86 nameplate goes a long way back (to the AE86).
Often compared against its only direct rival from Hiroshima-based Mazda, the GT86 is a Subaru BRZ in all but name. It also boasts a similar curb weight to the S2000, which makes the three drag races all the more interesting. With both rear-driven cars producing similar crank numbers and both relying on six-speed manuals, it would have been anyone’s guess who is top dog in the quarter mile had I not spoiled the outcome just earlier.
The third race is arguably the closest of the bunch, but do bear in mind that the S2000 isn’t the real winner here. In my humble opinion, the GR86 and its Subaru twin are, for being honest-to-God, relatively affordable sports cars in a day and age where sports cars are – dare I say it - oddities of the automotive industry instead of the ultimate expression of four-wheeled personal freedom.
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
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News