PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

Rumors for the latest C/D issue are pointing toward that S2000 getting a displacement lift, but at the same time taking away from sports car heritage. I Quote.

"Will Honda soften the temperament of the purest sports car sold in America? Official S2000 detail won't be released until the Tokyo show this month, but our spies suggest yes: more displacement (2.2 versus 2.0 L), a little more torque, a little more elbowroom, a modest face life, lower revs , softened suspension ."

Argh this get a little on my nerves, every one is jumping ship and swimming over to the Z boat. Guess Horsepower is all that is important to the American public . I mean is it that much cooler that it's a Foreign Muscle car?

The Beav

uh Honda announced the bump in displacement of the S2000 a while ago, here's the brochure they released in May

P00Man

wow, thats kind of a bummer...

they should keep it hurtfully stiff, overly snug, and highly revved

ah well, gotta appeal to the masses at some point or another

now, what would be CHILL is a renesis powered, purely sport (almost...), miata...

WITH SOME HUGEASS BREAKS!
________
Ship Sale

PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

I didn't know, nor did C/D, anyway im dissopointed in honda im sure some of the S2ker's aren't happy either. I meen what else is it now expect another Z, G35, and Mustang Cobra?

vipeRX7

what am I missing with ride quality? It just doesn't seem to matter (to me) next to grip and preventing body roll ... why are so many sportscars being "sanitized" now (even RX-7 ==> RX-8). Don't get me wrong, the RX-8 is great, but I would really like to see another car like the FD come around with such incredible performance for the price. I hope they don't shy away from FD-style performance for the new millenium in the 4th gen ... but I guess that's just me Heck, stiffer suspension is even *safer* because if the car has better handling, it's easier to dodge an accident ...

The Beav

and it prevents them from rolling, does anybody remember when they recalled the audi TT to put stiff shocks and an anti-roll bar on it because they rolled too much

i also am very disappointed with recent trends in the automotive industry, people buy sports cars for their daily drivers and complain, because the ac isn't the best in the world, or ride's too stiff, and other bullshit that SHOULDN'T matter on a sports car, but people buy them because it's cool to have a sports car, not because they love motorsports (such as track days and auto-x's)

revhappy

I'd wait to see how this "softened suspension" turns out. I read on S2Ki that Honda actually slightly softened the suspension after the first year ot two. The S2000 is great handking car with high limits, but it will snap oversteer if you pass them. Frankly, if the suspension is a bit more forgiving at the limit, I think that just might be a good thing.

blizz81

I think if everyone was jumping over to the Z boat, they'd buy a Z and not an S2200 Not to mention 'softening up the suspension' isn't really the Z mantra.

Do you really think these changes are going to alter the DNA of the stook that much? They could help out sales for those people that are on the fence and can't afford $32k for a secondary 'weekend fun car', and moreso want the thrills but a little more daily-driver comfort.

It's still going to rev higher than almost all piston engines from the factory, still going to handle well, and still going to have the same spirit, I think.

4thGen

That all may be true, Blizz, but why should the car take a step backwards in its sporting nature?

ToRX-8orToZ

Nothing is set in stone, its probably a good idea to save the "less sporty" talk about the '04 s2k for its actual release. Honda hasnt officialy said very much about the "freshen" up the car will recieve.

blizz81

Because at $32k, not all buyers are 100% interested in its sporting nature I'd say. Some people act like it would take a step forward if they made it a 500lb go-kart.

FamilyGuy

Manufacturers are in business to make money. If the S2200 has more low end torque, a lower RPM range, and a softer suspension for day to day driving, a lot of purists that were considering it won't buy. Honda will lose some money from the enthusiast buyers. On the other hand, a lot of people that are looking for a reasonably priced sporty daily driver with better grunt off the line than the S2000 will like it. Honda will gain money there from the daily driver buyers.

What percentage of S2000 owners, 350Z owners, or even Corvette, Viper, or NSX owners ever take their car to the track? I'd bet it's amazingly small. It only makes sense to tailor the vehicles towards the average buyers and not the enthusiasts, since the former outnumber the latter.

Once you get into the exotic cars, where the buyers are either enthusiasts of the highest order or just idiots paying a fortune for the nameplate prestige, it is smart to make no compromises.

StretchSJE

Fear not, the Lotus Elise is coming to the US with a Toyota powerplant as (hopefully) the next great sports car.

4thGen

any idea how much that elise may cost???

nk_Rx8

I think the changes will be a good thing. First, one poster is correct in that the S2k did have it's suspension softened for 2001 (I think) and noone seems to mind. And anyway, all the hardcore autocross and track guys I know ditched the stock suspension for something else anyway. So it didn't matter what the stock suspension felt like to them. And if the car loses 1k rpm for the sake of more meat in the middle, then I say who cares. It's not like 8k rpms is very low. Some people cry about having a high rev range, but what if the rev range was 12k and the torque was rated a 120ft/lbs. Would that be good too? And hopefully the car will come with iVTEC in a newer K series engine. The RSX-S guys are getting really good N/A gains with their relatively cheap engine mods as opposed to the very little gains that can be gained with the current S2k F series engine with ven more expensive mods. The car is evolving, and of course like any new car, some current owners will talk smack about any new changes (just look in the S2k forums) and how their car was and will be better. But unless Honda does what Mitsu did to the Eclipse, I think it will be for the better.

The Beav

although lotus is still my favorite car company of all time, i'm extremely mad about how they're treating the american version of the elise, it's compromised on every front, the biggest offense is teh inclusion of a friggin TOYOTA engine, i want lotus engineering through and through, the additional weight of all the american needs like AC, and a cd player, and let's not forget that it has to have air bags and the lotus elise chassis would almost never meet american requirements, and i see it being the worst idea ever, they should've kept the way it was light and fast and pure lotus, not this americanized crap

oh yeah the american elise is gonna be 35k

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

the new engine IS a long-stroked version of the current F20C 2.0

it's NOT a K series.

Quick_lude

Re: the Elise, I'd rather have a Toyota or better yet an RSX-S or TypeR engine in there over the Lotus one any day. More power and reliability imo.

nk_Rx8

Has this been officially announced? I haven't seen anything about this yet.

ChurchAutoTest

Its official. Its an F-series with a longer stroke. Time will tell if Honda left the rating at 240 hp to avoid pissing off current owners, or if the new engine really does make the same power as the current 2.0 liter.

On the Elise - I want one, but I'd be the first to sell the motor back to Toyota and buy a K-series w/install kit from Prototype Racing. Mmm, 230 whp in a 1700 lbs package.

SC