Is the S2000 Club Racer a Buy at $200K, or Has the Market Peaked?

Climbing the Mountain

Over the past few years, we've watched the collector car market, in general, reach new heights in terms of pricing, and the S2000 has helped lead the way in that regard. Nicely-kept, low-mile examples of Honda's famous open-air sports car are selling for huge money these days, and that's especially true of the Club Racer variant. Recently, this incredible example garnered an even $200k at auction on Bring a Trailer, which begs the question - have we reached the peak of this market?

Photos: Bring a Trailer

Making the Case

There are a lot of reasons why the Club Racer has taken off in the collector car market recently, and much of that can be attributed to the popularity of the S2000 in general. Collectors are rightfully seeking out what is arguably the best version of that model, and the Club Racer is precisely that - an enhanced, track-focused variant of which just 700 were built in total.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

Unicorn Find

That alone makes the CR a sought-after vehicle, no matter what kind of shape it's in or how many miles it has on the clock. However, this Rio Yellow Pearl example has just 123 original miles on the odometer, which may very well make it the lowest-mile Club Racer on earth. It presents like a brand new car as well, inside, out, and underneath.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

Wise Investment?

Thus comes the rub - this particular car is perhaps the best Club Racer on the market, making it a bit of a unicorn find. Whether or not that justifies its $200k price tag or not, well, that remains to be seen. It's a bit of a risky investment by the new owner, who may not find such an enthusiastic market in the event they decide to sell in the near or more distant future.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

Garage Queen

Obviously, the buyer likely isn't planning on actually driving this car, because doing so would do nothing but destroy its value at this point. That's a shame to enthusiasts like us, especially those of us that would love to have a pristine Club Racer in our garage, but that's simply the reality of the market.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

Capped Out?

Thus, the buyer must sit back and wait, perhaps using their latest acquisition as little more than a display piece, or something they can brag about at gatherings. And while the market can sometimes be impossible to predict, we simply have a hard time believing this car will ever be worth more than it is now. Regardless, some commenters believe that the buyer of this car has a large S2000 collection already, so perhaps they don't care about such silly things.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

>>Join the conversation about the S2000 CR right here at S2Ki.com.

Big Hedge

Some commenters have also noted that the buyer is believed to have amassed a rather massive collection of cars through Bring a Trailer alone, having reportedly spent $7.5 million on them over the course of 16 months. Perhaps they just see collector cars as a hedge against inflation, which is likely smart, or maybe they're just a car fanatic with means. Either way, we'll certainly be keeping our eye on the market to see if the beloved Club Racer can climb any higher.

Photos: Bring a Trailer