A serious turn of speed, open-top fun, and the masculine, almost phallic body made the Honda S2000 into an almost instant hit.
But just like the Mazda RX-8, it was a one-hit wonder that never got a successor. The VTEC sportscar was discontinued in 2009 after a decade-long production run. It's not the sort of car you'd see in a museum, yet finding one in immaculate condition is impossible.
That's why we got excited when Honda UK decided to take its S2000 Edition 100 out of mothballs for a quick drive. Honda UK has a beautiful heritage collection, but if we could take just one car, the S2K would be it for sure.
The original S2000 came out with one of the all-time greatest four-cylinder engines, a 2-liter that revved to 9,000rpm. But the car in the video is known as the second generation or the AP2.
For the North American market, Honda introduced a longer stroke 2,157cc unit which redlined sooner but produced slightly more torque. But even the European AP2 models brought many changes in 2004. Springs and anti-roll bars were softened, and in 2006 traction control became optional, before becoming standard in 2008.
If you want to know what makes the Edition 100 special, not only is it the last batch of S2000s, but it also has some classy white paint and a red leather interior. But the ultimate S2000 was only available in North America, the CR or Club Racing.
The project was backed by Honda Chief Engineer Shigeru Uehara, the same man who developed the NSX and Integra Type R. The S2000 CR had no roof, no air-conditioning, and no spare tire, but added an aero body kit thus reducing lift by 70%.
The Honda sportscar has already obtained classic status, with second-hand prices already on the rise. But before taking the plunge, be warned: owners say the S2000 has ruined modern cars for them.
That's why we got excited when Honda UK decided to take its S2000 Edition 100 out of mothballs for a quick drive. Honda UK has a beautiful heritage collection, but if we could take just one car, the S2K would be it for sure.
The original S2000 came out with one of the all-time greatest four-cylinder engines, a 2-liter that revved to 9,000rpm. But the car in the video is known as the second generation or the AP2.
For the North American market, Honda introduced a longer stroke 2,157cc unit which redlined sooner but produced slightly more torque. But even the European AP2 models brought many changes in 2004. Springs and anti-roll bars were softened, and in 2006 traction control became optional, before becoming standard in 2008.
If you want to know what makes the Edition 100 special, not only is it the last batch of S2000s, but it also has some classy white paint and a red leather interior. But the ultimate S2000 was only available in North America, the CR or Club Racing.
The project was backed by Honda Chief Engineer Shigeru Uehara, the same man who developed the NSX and Integra Type R. The S2000 CR had no roof, no air-conditioning, and no spare tire, but added an aero body kit thus reducing lift by 70%.
The Honda sportscar has already obtained classic status, with second-hand prices already on the rise. But before taking the plunge, be warned: owners say the S2000 has ruined modern cars for them.