How loud do you like it? Part Two… Exhaust:

Earlier, we discussed different intake options to give your S2000 a bit more “vocal presence,” now it’s time to talk exhaust systems…

There are a number of exhausts available, but we’ll just try to look at the different types and some of the more popular models available. There is a huge price range in these systems ranging from the very expensive ($2000+) exotic titanium offerings from Amuse to the modestly priced offerings from Spügen (mostly under $600). By replacing your stock exhaust system with an aftermarket “cat-back” system, (this replaces everything behind the catalytic converter) you can save some weight, change the look, and even add a little horsepower to your S2000. Most importantly, you can take your quiet little S2k and increase the sound one level or two, or crank it up to eleven!

We’ll divide the exhausts into two categories, singles and doubles; then consider the range of options available in each.

Singles:

If you want loud, a single is the easiest way to go. I don’t really know of a quiet one, but I believe the Veilside Teardrop wins for the most obnoxious. I had one for a brief time on one of my S2000s and while my ears never started bleeding, I could set off car alarms from three blocks away. (Firing it up in an enclosed garage would bring a tremendous chorus of alarms to an instant crescendo.)

For weight and HP gains, a single is the way to go, but it’s going to be loud. Many singles offer the option of installing a “silencer.” While these silencers do reduce the noise, they unfortunately reduce the HP even more significantly. In many cases, the silencer brings the HP below what it would have been with the stock exhaust.

There are excellent offerings available from Amuse, T1 Racing, J’s, Kakimoto, and Spügen, but if you want to remain friends with the neighbors, a dual might be a better choice. The range of sound in these units ranges from mild to extra spicy.

Doubles:

At the wild end of the scale are the offerings from Invidia, Amuse, and the Spügen dual ti. While the Amuse will cause you to dip into the kid’s college fund, (a state school is fine… right?) the Invidia is quite reasonably priced for an all stainless system, and the Spügen offers titanium mufflers at a real bargain..

The middle ground is occupied by systems from Spügen, Comptech, Mugen, and Supersprint. The Supersprint has often been voted the best sounding S2000 exhaust. It’s pricey for a stainless steel system, but it offers one of the highest HP increases over stock and sounds great. The Comptech and Mugen units are also expensive. While they may not sound as nice as the Supersprint, they do offer weight savings in comparison. Spügen has several offerings in the midlevel sound range, and they offer a nice alternative to the stock system at affordable prices.

On the mild side are exhausts from Fujitsubo, HKS, and the Spügen dual oval. The Fuji is one of the nicest looking exhausts for the S2000 with its large stainless steel cans and pipes. It offers a slight boost over the sound of the factory unit, but the tone is very deep and resonant. Because of their larger mufflers, the more quiet units offer little in the way of HP boost, but their augmented sound can give a nice enhancement to your driving experience.

There are a number of other systems and manufacturers we’ve overlooked here, as this article represents only a sampling of some of the most popular available options. With an aftermarket exhaust system you can add some sound, save some weight, and even add a couple of horsepower to your S2000. You can save the old exhaust in case you’d like to return it to stock later, but you may find the size and weight a bit difficult to manage storage if you live in a small space. If you do decided to get rid of the stock system and later decide to go back, it’s usually pretty easy to find a used stock system available here in the forums.