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More than two decades have gone by since the original release of the legendary Honda S2000, and it's still an immensely enticing sports car.
When it comes to legendary Japanese sports cars - JDM or not, the Honda S2000 is undoubtedly one of the most iconic of all, especially from the 21st century. It might not be as fast as a Nissan R34 Skyline GTR or as tunable as a Toyota MK4 Supra, but the 2000 Honda S2000 draws its appeal from elsewhere.
Sold solely as a roadster or convertible open-top two-seater, Honda’s S2000 sports car is still regarded as one of the most attractive sports cars to emerge from Japan, with features in video games and movies such as The Fast And The Furious only further cementing its reputation.
Even today, the Honda S2000 is still an immediate head-turner because of its stunning design, and getting one for yourself isn’t as expensive as you might expect. Here’s why it's still one of the best sports cars money can buy.
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The Honda S2000 was originally released in 1999 as a 2000 model, and it sold north of 110,000 units over two different generations until production officially ended in 2009. While the second-generation S2000 AP2 presented some minor exterior upgrades when compared to the first-gen AP1, the most significant upgrades were underneath the S2000’s skin.
The 2000 Honda S2000 AP1 was an instant success, due in large part to its magnificent and timeless styling. Up front, it sports a long sleek hood with subtle fender bulges that feed into slick receding headlights, finished off with a thin and wide-mouthed grill, giving the vehicle a similar front end to that of the iconic Porsche Carrera GT. down the side, the AP1 S2000 showcases simple doors and quarterpanels, allowing the roadster’s roofless design to do its own magic, with the only complements being slightly sculpted side skirts and mildly flared fenders. Lastly, from the rear, Honda’s S2000 features a miniature lipped-spoiler, as well as dual exhausts with a blacked out diffuser.
Honda included a few exterior styling upgrades with the release of the 2004 AP2 second-generation S2000, starting with larger 17-inch wheels. It also sports a revised front bumper with integrated canard-like flares, slightly redesigned head and taillights, as well as a more sculpted rear bumper. In 2009, the Japanese manufacturer also introduced a U.S.-only AP2 known as the S2000 CR, which stands for ‘Club Racer’. Aside from boasting plenty of internal performance upgrades, the S2000 CR included a giant rear wing, a unique optional yellow paint job, exclusive wheel designs, and a front lip.
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Underneath the S2000’s hood lies a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder F20C VTEC engine with a Dual-overhead-cam setup. It generates either 237 or 247 horsepower and 153 or 161 pound-feet of torque depending on the market destination, and the engine is exactly the same in both the AP1 and AP1 generations of the S2000. However, it’s worth mentioning that some U.S. and Japanese versions of the AP1 S2000 received a slightly larger 2.2-liter F20C, though its redline suffered a reduction from 9,000 rpm to 8,000 rpm - we’ll leave you to decide if it’s a worthy tradeoff.
The engine pairs with a 6-speed manual transmission that send power to the rear wheels, allowing the S2000 to accelerate from 0-60 mph in around 6 respectable seconds. Additionally, Honda graced the S2000 with plenty of internal performance upgrades that further enhanced the driving experience. The AP1 S2000 sported a Torsen limited-slip differential, independent double-wishbone suspension, and electric steering. For the second-gen AP2, Honda re-tuned the S2000’s suspension to solve oversteer issues and revised the vehicle’s subframe to maximize rigidity. The range-topping S2000 CR was the craziest of all, featuring stiffer suspension and a tighter steering ratio for increased handling, wider rear tires, and more overall downforce - mainly due to the added rear wing.
No matter the S2000s generation or specific variant, an engaging driving experience is pretty much guaranteed. Its peppy acceleration is good enough - and feels quicker than it actually is when the roof is down, and handling is surprisingly responsive courtesy of precise steering and little to no body-roll. Shifting through the short-ratio gears as the inline-4 roars to 9,000 rpm is immensely gratifying, regardless of how fast you’re actually going.
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True enthusiasts will know that the S2000 has its very own market for aftermarket exterior and performance upgrades. Whether in the form of body kits, add-ons, or engine tunes, the S2000 can easily reach new heights in many different ways, making for an extremely versatile and rewarding project car.
All in all, the Honda S2000 will forever go down as one of the most well-rounded Japanese sports cars of all time, and with examples on sale for anything between $17,000 and $30,000, it’s still a worthy buy.
Coming in from Uruguay, Santi has been an avid car enthusiast since childhood, an obsession which only grew stronger when he finally got his driver’s licence. As a student of English Literature and Creative Writing, automotive journalism allows him to combine both passions into one, making it the career path of his wildest dreams. Pretty much anything with four wheels is enough to capture his interest, but he has a special weak spot for tuned JDM cars.