Photo: Honda
A recent report from British media suggests Honda's legendary S2000 sportscar is coming back with a vengeance. A few years ago, before production stopped, it was one of the most coveted cheap performance vehicles and it seems Honda wants to rekindle that fire, giving the rest of its lineup an image boost. The name will be the same, but the technology will be different. By placing the engine in the middle of the car, Honda will ensure most of the old rivals, outside Porsche of course, will not be able to compete. If the project does get approval for Japanese officials, it will be something special!
Power for the new S2000 would come from a 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with VTEC technology. No such mill exists at the moment, but Honda has been developing it together with the new Civic Typer R. That hot hatch is rumored to have 300 horsepower and will not go on sale until it's the fastest FWD car in the world. The S2000 will have even more power, about 350 hp, and could even be helped by electric motors.
By comparison, the old S2000 was a lot simpler. It came with a screaming 2-liter naturally aspirated engine that made 250 hp at 8,300 rpm. The red line didn't come in until 9,000 rpm. Switching to turbocharging and hybrid tech will give the new car a more relaxed attitude, but straight-line performance is sure to be impressive, as will the low emissions.
For now, the S2000 is but a rumor. Autoexpress magazine says it's heard from a Honda insider about a secret in-house meeting at Honda's Tochigi R&D center to discuss the project. Even if approved today, the car would still not be ready until 2017.
This could just be one of those reports that cause a bit of stir in fan communities, only to vanish completely after a few years. The fact that it's such a wild idea and it's conveniently accompanied by a sharp-looking renderings suggests our British source could just be fishing for a story. But Honda would definitely not be in the wrong if it decided to bring the S2000 back.
Killed off in 2009 after a 10-year career, the S2000 is a victim of emissions laws and high fuel prices. Mid-way in its life cycle, the automaker was forced to switch from a 2-liter to a 2.2-liter that didn't rev as highly and eventually had to admit thirsty sportscar weren't sellable.
By comparison, the old S2000 was a lot simpler. It came with a screaming 2-liter naturally aspirated engine that made 250 hp at 8,300 rpm. The red line didn't come in until 9,000 rpm. Switching to turbocharging and hybrid tech will give the new car a more relaxed attitude, but straight-line performance is sure to be impressive, as will the low emissions.
For now, the S2000 is but a rumor. Autoexpress magazine says it's heard from a Honda insider about a secret in-house meeting at Honda's Tochigi R&D center to discuss the project. Even if approved today, the car would still not be ready until 2017.
This could just be one of those reports that cause a bit of stir in fan communities, only to vanish completely after a few years. The fact that it's such a wild idea and it's conveniently accompanied by a sharp-looking renderings suggests our British source could just be fishing for a story. But Honda would definitely not be in the wrong if it decided to bring the S2000 back.
Killed off in 2009 after a 10-year career, the S2000 is a victim of emissions laws and high fuel prices. Mid-way in its life cycle, the automaker was forced to switch from a 2-liter to a 2.2-liter that didn't rev as highly and eventually had to admit thirsty sportscar weren't sellable.
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