AlivingLegend

Randy Pobst is a professional racing driver who has been doing hot laps around Laguna Secs for motor trend for years, his times are not comprable with "unknown" or some random s2ki members (likely on the track with traffic). To me, the evidence you have presented seems to suggest that the s2000 is the faster car around the track.

I do love the look of the ND RF though. Just waiting for the Mazda speed version.

Bullwings

I really really really like my s2k and am definitely attached to it, and that's what I don't like. I makes me hold back at the track, which is a good thing if it's within "reason" (varies widely among individuals), but makes it a slightly conflicting car characteristic for an affordable, mostly disposable, toy car that is split 70/30 track street.

If I had an on-track incident with my s2k, I'd probably replace it with an ND. I won't have to worry about parts availability for maintenance and so on. On the other hand, if my s2k blows it's motor or differential, I'll fix it. In fact, if the parts are still available, I'll keep fixing my s2k as long as it isn't frame and suspension mounting point damage.

As far the ND goes, it's a perfect replacement. I could pick up a used one very very easily and wouldn't have to shop for months on end - it took me screening and seeing 12 different s2ks (even buying one and returning it to a dealer for all my money back - long story) back in 2011 before I bought one.
Back to the ND, it's disposable and not something that you'd get attached to, which is perfect for a track car. I want a track car, not a collectible garage queen. The ideal situation is having all of the smiles for miles driver's car attributes that make a car desirable and collectible, but without being exclusive and difficult to attain, thus diminishing that status. I think that both the ND and the FT-86 fit this space quite nicely. I'd cross shop both of them with a current 65%/35% split preference for the ND.

Kram in a Cab

I know we are heavily biased towards s2ks here but I'll share my story.

I just bought my 06 s2000 in October, and I was debating this exact issue between it and a ND MX-5 RF. In fact I was so set on buying an mx-5 since March of 2016, I never even considered an s2000 until September.

My next car was going to be my first real sports car; my old car (07 auto Scion tc) was one that I have been driving since Sophomore year of high school more than 10 years ago. As soon as I saw the MX-5 I was 100% set on it for months.

The two big things that worried me about the ND was space and the infotainment system. I'm a 6'2 guy, and I've sat in the 2016 ND multiple times. It is super cozy when I get in, but damn, that A pillar sits so far back I feel like my jaw is going to smack against it if I don't pay attention. When I'm in the car, my head is so close to the windshield. I also only had about the width of a finger of headroom so my hair was lightly grazing the soft top, so it was REAL close, but I fit. If you don't think about the things I mentioned, its really comfortable.

In the Scion, I put a super nice (to me) stereo system with android auto (Pioneer 4100nex). I loved it, but at night the screen, even at its lowest brightness, bugs me to the point I just turn it off. I thought I wanted a nice big nav screen, until I got it. Once I did I really appreciated a nice dark dashboard at night when it was off. I still do miss that screen at times I'll admit. I knew I would have the same problem in the ND, and the lack of android auto meant that the infotainment system was already near useless to me anyway, and it will only get more dated as time goes on while I have to keep looking at it.

My pops suggested I look at his friend's 01 s2000 for sale with 10k miles. He wanted 20k-ish for it, which I could not do because this was going to be my DD and traction control was a big deal for me. I started thinking about s2ks and sat in one for the first time at a Honda dealership that had one. I could not believe how much headroom I had, probably a bit more than a fist-width. I'm not an audiophile, but even with its stock stereo which it had, it was better sounding than I expected (again, coming from a scion tc). Even after already driving the ND, I felt like I had everything I needed in the s2000, and none of what I did not want, along with more room all around. Wish the steering wheel was a tad higher though.

I still don't regret going for the s2000 over the ND. Would I get an ND if my s2k was done? Probably, depreciation would drop the RF to a good spot for me, and the MPG over the s2k is nuts. But right now while I could do it, I wanted something exciting with room for a bigger guy with none of the BS of modern day cars, and I realized the s2k was it.

I still lurk over at the miata forums from time to time, I still appreciate the ND for what it is. I think it looks great and drives wonderfully.

CenturionS2K

Nice write up! Glad you ended with the s2000.