We get hyped up about new cars every day, but the reality is most of them are built to a price and have some form of planned obsolescence. Not the Honda S2000, a Japanese roadster that's 20 years old yet has never fallen out of favor with enthusiasts.
Before this story progresses, we want to make it clear that at its core, this one is about a paint job. And yes, we did get excited about watching paint dry. Who wouldn't when you've got an aggressive body kit on a timeless JDM special.
Videos like the ones from YouTube Channel "Paint Society" explain why serious shops charge what they do. In this case, the S2000 is at an Acura specialist and gets dozens upon dozens of hours in prep before a single drop of paint is applies.
At first glance, the S2000 looks pretty straight. Sure, the red color at the front is different from the rest of the car, but that looks like a quick job. Yet upon closer inspection, inspection, it's got lots of imperfections that need special attention.
For example, cracks in the bumper get drilled out before they can be glued and covered up. And the complex shapes of the hood are a nightmare when sanding and preparing for new paint. The S2000 also rocks a fiberglass hardtop conversion, which has developed all kinds of little problems.
The bulk of the widebody transformation seems to come via legendary aftermarket specialists Spoon. That alone costs about $12,000, and today we learned fitment and installation is a costly pain in the rear. According to various online reviews, it was actually developed for motorsport and provides real downforce. Our favorite element has to be the flared out front fenders, as you almost never see road cars designed to channel air like that.
Of course, it also rocks modified suspension, new wheels (also from Spoon), and a potent exhaust to let the legendary engine breathe. Honda S2000s get their name from the 2-liter engine. The F20C screamed to 9,000rpm, had forged aluminum pistons and magical VTEC.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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