NC Miata vs. S2000 CR
08-10-2009, 07:15 PM
#1
Thread Starter
NC Miata vs. S2000 CR
I recently met a long-time Miata owner/track junkie who just bought an S2000 CR @ a local S2000 HH. He hadn't quite warmed up the the CR, which is for sale. He wanted to check out my NC as a potential replacement. I, on the other hand, was thinking I might offer a trade since I'd looked for a good CR deal before I bought my NC, which now has Tein Flex coilovers, Goodwin full exhaust, MS CAI, and Direzza Star Specs on 17x9 Enkei RP-F1's.
We got together to trade rides Friday afternoon, and headed off for the twisties in each others' cars. My first impression getting in was that I really like all the CR's interior changes, esp. the seats - they're awesome. As much as I like my shifter, the CR's was no doubt better, even moreso than my prior S2000's. My legs felt locked in place, w/ very little room to move, and the window sill was too high to rest my arm comfortably. How is the NC so much smaller & lighter while feeling roomier and more comfortable inside?
I haven't driven an S2000 in a good while, so getting under way caught me by surprise. Who would ever expect a naturally aspirated Miata to feel punchy and lively compared to an S2000? Yes, the CR was a dog until I had the chance to cane it, vs. the Miata feeling relatively strong throughout the powerband (although the CR feels quite a bit stronger above 4K). A couple of things that come into play here are the NC's much lighter weight and shorter gearing. The CR also had a really loud diff., though I suspect the top may have amplified the sound.
The CR was great in the twisties - it had prob. the best ride/handling balance of any S2000 I'd driven, w/ plenty of stick biased though biased to understeer. Overall, it felt somewhat "dead" vs. the more lively Miata, which has a good bit more grip and more balanced cornering. The Miata simply has more grip than I'm willing to fully utilize on public streets! The extra power once on an open road was nice as well. The brakes def. felt softer, and the owner has experienced fade on track (both cars have ~4K miles).
Overall, I felt it would be a great track weapon, and the nice thing is it needs very little as delivered - perhaps just a bit of brake fortification. The NC IMO is a much more fun street car, and probably equally potent on a tight track.
I've always wondered about the possibility of getting another S2000 down the line, esp. given the great experiences I had w/ my '01 and '03. No more, the NC is now clearly the right small roadster for me. It's a shame you can't go down to your local dealer and test drive a similarly modded one, b/c in stock form they're way too soft and constricted by the exhaust. They're a great blank canvas to mod, however.
We got together to trade rides Friday afternoon, and headed off for the twisties in each others' cars. My first impression getting in was that I really like all the CR's interior changes, esp. the seats - they're awesome. As much as I like my shifter, the CR's was no doubt better, even moreso than my prior S2000's. My legs felt locked in place, w/ very little room to move, and the window sill was too high to rest my arm comfortably. How is the NC so much smaller & lighter while feeling roomier and more comfortable inside?
I haven't driven an S2000 in a good while, so getting under way caught me by surprise. Who would ever expect a naturally aspirated Miata to feel punchy and lively compared to an S2000? Yes, the CR was a dog until I had the chance to cane it, vs. the Miata feeling relatively strong throughout the powerband (although the CR feels quite a bit stronger above 4K). A couple of things that come into play here are the NC's much lighter weight and shorter gearing. The CR also had a really loud diff., though I suspect the top may have amplified the sound.
The CR was great in the twisties - it had prob. the best ride/handling balance of any S2000 I'd driven, w/ plenty of stick biased though biased to understeer. Overall, it felt somewhat "dead" vs. the more lively Miata, which has a good bit more grip and more balanced cornering. The Miata simply has more grip than I'm willing to fully utilize on public streets! The extra power once on an open road was nice as well. The brakes def. felt softer, and the owner has experienced fade on track (both cars have ~4K miles).
Overall, I felt it would be a great track weapon, and the nice thing is it needs very little as delivered - perhaps just a bit of brake fortification. The NC IMO is a much more fun street car, and probably equally potent on a tight track.
I've always wondered about the possibility of getting another S2000 down the line, esp. given the great experiences I had w/ my '01 and '03. No more, the NC is now clearly the right small roadster for me. It's a shame you can't go down to your local dealer and test drive a similarly modded one, b/c in stock form they're way too soft and constricted by the exhaust. They're a great blank canvas to mod, however.
08-10-2009, 08:01 PM
#2
Registered User
so wait ur comparing an modded miata with coilovers, exhaust, intake to a stock s2k 
put those coilovers on the s2k and see what happens.
u should know u cant compare aftermarket with stock. so do that first and then come back..
put those coilovers on the s2k and see what happens.
u should know u cant compare aftermarket with stock. so do that first and then come back..
08-10-2009, 08:16 PM
#3
Uhm... you do know dude had an 01 and 03 before he bought his NC right? Not to mention he was comparing it to a CR which is a modded S (although mildly imo).
08-10-2009, 08:28 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Stealth_SUX_,Aug 10 2009, 10:01 PM
so wait ur comparing an modded miata with coilovers, exhaust, intake to a stock s2k
put those coilovers on the s2k and see what happens.
u should know u cant compare aftermarket with stock. so do that first and then come back..
put those coilovers on the s2k and see what happens.
u should know u cant compare aftermarket with stock. so do that first and then come back..
I had coilovers and HKS exhaust on my 2nd S2000 (Vortech S/C on my 1st), and it still didn't handle as well. Intake, header, and exhaust on an S mostly make more noise, since the engine is already pretty well optimized from the factory w/o going FI.
My comparison wasn't intended to be "fair" or declare a winner, just point out the different characteristics of each from my perspective and possibly clue enthusiasts in that there's a viable fun alternative to the S now that it's out of production - it just requires a little finish work to make it live up ito its potential.
08-10-2009, 08:41 PM
#7
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Interesting observations. I've noticed that when I watch in-car track videos (Buttonwillow) of S2K's and Miata's, the S2K drivers are correcting wildly, while the Miata drivers aren't. My experience is that the S2K steps out quickly and with little warning, while the Miata is much more forgiving and communicative. The Miata inspires more confidence.
The rear diff on my '05 S is also extremely loud and terribly annoying. The Miata is definately on my list of cars to drive. Are the '09 Miata's called an NC?
The rear diff on my '05 S is also extremely loud and terribly annoying. The Miata is definately on my list of cars to drive. Are the '09 Miata's called an NC?
