Honda S2000

Manufacturer	Honda
Production	1999-2009
Designer	Shigeru Uehara + Daisuke Sawai
Type	Roadster + sports car
Layout	Front-mid engine, real-wheel drive
Transmission	6-speed manual
Engine	2,0L F20C + 2,2L F22C
Rev limit	9.000rpm (F20C) + 8.200rpm (F22C)
Enginer power	177kW / 241PS
Curb weight	1260kg-1299kg
Wheelbase	2.400mm
Length	4.120mm
Width	1.750mm
Height	1.285mm

The Honda S2000 is a roadster and sports car that was developed and manufactured by Honda to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary.
Shigeru Uehara was the chief designer and project leader. He was also responsible for the design of the Honda NSX.
It was producded between 1999 and 2009 with some minor revisions/improvements on the car during that time period. Manufacturing first started in Tochigi and later moved over to Suzuka.
Up until this day the car which was first launched in 1999 still holds several records and keeps enthuasiasts smiling whenever they see or drive one.
The Honda S2000 is known for it's naturally aspirated high reving engine, timeless but sporty design and it's 6 speed manual transmission which was praised by many critics, journalists and test drivers as the best manual transmission in any car.

Concept and development

The design study and concept car for the Honda S2000 was the Honda SSM (Sporty Study Model) which was presented for the first time during the 31th Tokyo Motor show on thr 18th October 1995.
The SSM shared many similiarities with the Honda S800, Honda NSX and later with the Honda S2000 including:

• Self-carrying rigid high x-bone frame
• Aluminium body panels
• 50:50 weight distribution
• 2.0L front-mid engine
• Rear-wheel drive
• Roadster
• A cockpit that was built "around the driver"

The S2000 was named after its engine size of two liters and there for carries on the tradition of the S500, S600 and S800.
Since the S2000 was also meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Honda it had to undergo a very detailed and thouroughly contrusction effort.
The whole building process of each S2000 was done in one speicific production site (Takanezawa in Tochigi, later moved to Suzuka) which was used exclusively for the models NSX, S2000 and Insight.
Each engine was built by hand with countless parts being polished and adjusted by hand as well. A stamped number on every engine lets your backtrack which meachanic/person built this specific engine.

Several technologies and a lot of knowledge from the Honda Formula 1 engines such as piston speeds of 24,6m/s, molybdenum disulfide piston coating and fiber-reinforced metal cylinders made it's way into to the S2000 engine.
This ensured that the 9.000rpm high reving engine with its high power output was still reliable and robust while also being classifed as ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle).
While the S2000 should be driven with "Super Plus" (98 ROZ) a test of the car magazin "Auto Motor und Sport" revealed that even with "Super" (95 ROZ) or "Normal" (92 ROZ) the engines performance was nearly identical.

Thanks to the self-carrying rigid high x-bone frame the body of the S2000 is very stiff eventhough it is a roadster.
This made it a very popular car in long-distance racing where it mangaged to win a lot of titles and also placed 10th 24h Nürburgring overall standings.

AP1 (1999-2003)

The model which was built since it's introduction in 1999 until 2003 is called the AP1 and was manufactured in the Takanezawa Plant in Tochigi, Japan.
It features the F20C engine which generates 241 PS / 177kW at 208Nm / 153lb-ft with a rev limit at up to 9.000rpm. Japan featured a JDM F20C version with 250PS / 184 kW due to a higher compression ratio of 11,7:1.
The AP1 has 16" wheels which originally came with Bridgestone Potenza S-02 tyres. The tire dimensions are 205/55/R16 on the front and 225/50/R16 on the back.
It had an electrically powered vinyl soft top with internal lining and a plastic rear window. The aluminium hard top was available as an extra option (from 2001-20009).
The offered exterior colors were:

• New Formula Red
• Berlina Black
• Gran Prix White
• Sebring Silver
• Silverstone Metallic
• Spa Yellow (2001)
• Suzuka Blue (2002)

AP2 (2004-2009)

The model which was built between 2004 to 2009 is called the AP2 and was manufactured in the Suzuka Plant in Suzuka, Japan.
Compared to the AP1 the AP2 underwent several cosmetic and technical upgrades. Additonally to all these changes the US AP2 model also received a different engine (F22C1).

The AP2 has 17" wheels which originally came with Bridgestone RE-050 tyres. The tire dimensions are 215/45/R17 on the front and 245/40/R17 on the back.
The spring rates, shock absorber and suspension geometry was modified to improve stability by reducing toe-in changes and oversteer. The subframe received a revision in order to archieve higher ridigity. The brass synchronizers in the gear box were replaced with carbon fibre ones. The material of the differential has been changed to improve ridigity by 40% while also strengthening the case by 20%. The comesetic changes include:

• New front bumper
• New read bumper
• New xenon head-lights
• New LED tail-lights
• New oval exhaust tips
• Plastic rear-window in the vinyl soft top replaced by a glass rear-windows.
• New design of the instrument gauge cluster
• Some interior changes such as a different shift knob and a different layout of the central console.

The offered exterior colors were:

• New Formula Red
• Monza red
• Berlina Black
• Deep Burgundy Metallic
• Gran Prix White
• Sebring Silver
• Silverstone Metallic
• Rio/Indy Yellow
• Imola Orange
• Lime Green Metallic
• Suzuka Blue
• Monte Carlo Blue

Throughout the years different editions of the S2000 AP2 were released with each of them having minor cosmetic changes.
The different years and editions are most noctiebly seperated by their wheels which are referred to as the AP2/V1, AP2/V2, AP2/V3 wheels. In 2006 the drive by wire and electronic stability control system was introduced as well.

AP2 in Europe, Japan, Australia

AP2 GT (UK 2002)

In 2002 a GT model was offered which featured a removable hard-top and an outside temperature gauge.

AP2 Type S (JP 2008)

During the last two production years the Japanese market received the Type S model.
It is similiar to the Club Racer (CR) in the US regarding the weight loss, higher downforce and the changes to wheels (although it retained the tyre size of 245/40/R17 for better handling) and interior.
The suspension setup was improved in order to make it stiffer but more compromising than the CR model to suit it better for the Japanese touge experience.
Additionally to the standard S2000 interior there was also the option for yellow and black ancantra.
Further changes made: It had 41kg lower body weight and a lower center of gravity by removing the spare tire, air conditioning and stereo. The following changes were made:

• Lower ratio steering rack
• Revised exhaust system
• Black lug nuts
• Darker colored wheels with 245/40/R17 at the rear (AP2V3)
• New front lip and a larger spoiler to reduce overall coefficient of lift by 70-80%
• New spherical aluminium shift knob with 6% reduction in shift stroke distance
• Carbon fiber overlays on the center console and radio door
• Peak power indicator on the instrument gauge cluster
• Removed spare tire

A total of 1.755 Type S models were produced and sold exclusively in Japan:

• 2007: 168 units
• 2008: 827 units
• 2009: 737 units
• 2010: 23 units (only sold but not produced)

AP2 in United States

Additonally to all the cosmetic and technical changes that the AP2 model underwent in EU/JP/Australia, the US AP2 also received a new engine, the F22C1.
The differences from the F20C to the F22C1 are:

• A higher displacement (2,2L instead of 2,0L)
• Rev limit decreased from 9.000rpm to 8.200rpm
• Peak torque increase to 220Nm / 162 lb-ft
• The power output remained but was achieved at a lower rpm
• Changes transmission gear ratio to shorten the first five gears and lengthening the sixth gear.

AP2 Club Racer (US 2008)

The CR model was introduced in the US in order to offer a more track-ortiented version of the S2000.
Shigeru Uehara stated that the CR was positioned between the Type S and a hypothetical and never released Type R. The only available interior colors were yellow and black alcantra. It had 41kg lower body weight and a lower center of gravity by removing the spare tire, air conditioning and stereo. The following changes were made:

• Lower ratio steering rack
• Revised exhaust system
• Black lug nuts
• Darker colored wheels with 255/40/R17 at the rear (AP2V3)
• New front lip and a larger spoiler to reduce overall coefficient of lift by 70-80%
• The electrically powered vinyl soft top was replaced by additonal chassic bracing topped off with a tonneau cover + hard top
• New spherical aluminium shift knob with 6% reduction in shift stroke distance
• Carbon fiber overlays on the center console and radio door
• Peak power indicator on the instrument gauge cluster
• Removed spare tire
• Air conditioning and stereo were both only optionally available

A total of 699 CR models were produced:

• 269 Berlina Black
• 200 Apex Blue Pearl
• 140 Rio Yellow Pearl
• 90 Grand Prix White

Technical details

Engine

The piston are forged aluminium while the engine block and head is built out of aluminium with fiber-reinforced metal sleeves. Several other parts such as the cylinders are also built out of fiber-reinforced metal.
This makes the engine very compact and lightweight and therefor made it possible to mount the front-mid engine longtiudinally and behind the front axle.
To get the most out of the compact sized engine design, Honda used two overhead cams with roller followers, a ladder-frame main brearing stiffener, a VTEC system for intake and exhaust camshaft and a timing chain.
The VTEC systems uses two seperate cam lobe profiles instead of a variable cam phasing. The intake was designed for minimal volume to incerase the engines response.

Specification comparison table

Engine type	Naturally aspirated inline 4 cylinder
Valvetrain	16 valve DOHC VTEC
Displacement	1.997 cm³	2.157 cm³
Power
Torque
Rev. limit / redline
Top speed	240 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h	5,9 seconds
Acceleration 0-200 km/h	24,5 seconds
Fuel consumption	10,l L Super Plus (98 ROZ)
Fuel tank size	50 L
Brore & stroke
Gear ratio
Transmission	6 speed manual
Differential	Torsen limited slip
Weight
Weight distribution	50:50
Height
Width	1.750mm
Length
Wheelbase	2.400mm
Wheels
Tires
Breaks
Suspension	In-wheel Double Wishbone

Reviews, awards and records

The Honda S2000 is known for its belanced handling, smooth gearbox, high reving engine and the high output of the naturally aspirated engine.
Up to this day the car which was built in 1999 still holds the following records:

• Highest engine power output of any naturally aspirated street legal production car in the world
• Highest power output per liter of any naturally aspirated engine
• Highest reving engine of any street legal production car
• Engine with the highest piston speed of any street legal production car
• The only engine that has ever managed to win the "Internation Engine of the Year Award" 5 times

Car and Driver's Top 10	2000 + 2001 + 2002 + 2004
#1 in BBC Top Gear survey	2003 + 2005 + 2006
International Engine of the Year Award	Best engine in 2000 + 2001 + 2002 + 2003 + 2004
Ward's Top 10 Best engines	2000 + 2001
J. D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study	Highest ranked premium sports car in 2004 + 2006 + 2008
U.S. News & World Report	Best affordable sports car in 2008 + 2009
Edmunds consumers most wanted vehicles	2004 + 2005 + 2007
Jalopnik	Best 10 cars of the decade
Roads & Tracks	One of the best all-round sports cars