AyJay

Found this video entertaining... and pretty accurately depict my feelings about both the S2k and the FR-S. I'm currently DD'ing an FR-S and had the chance to track both cars back to back @ Thunderhill (FR-S on Sat & S2k on Sun) the weekend before last. My S2k is much faster than my FR-S but it's sorta apples & oranges because my S2k is modified and my FR-S is bone stock except for tires (Falken 615-ks) and track worthy brake pads.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jImHTWfj8aM[/media]

Terdburgler

lap times aside. Which car gives you more confidence around the track?

AyJay

I feel like familiarity breeds the most confidence so I would probably say the S2000. I've done many more laps in that car vs. the FR-S.

As a matter of preference, I would pick the S2000 without hesitation for any track day but I think the FR-S walks the line of track and street car a little better because it does both pretty well. I think the S2000, even in stock form, isn't a great DD car.

MiCRon 08

Thanks for posting your opinion on the car. I have been thinking about getting the FRS/BRZ in maybe a year or two. I want something alive enough that it doesn't make my mind go numb during my long commute / regular to-and-fro drives.

I do have a question. Being that they are kinda similar; does the FRS ever take anything away from the fun of driving the S2000?
I haven't test driven the FRS/BRZ yet so I don't know how different it feels to drive one.

Grimnebulin

So you gave Anna the Civic?

AyJay

The FR-S is definitely a fun DD but I still prefer the S2k for driving fun. The FR-S feels pretty nimble and athletic like a stock S2k so you won't be disappointed on that front. It's pretty balanced and very compliant on the street... perhaps even more compliant than a stock s2k. At the limit, with all the traction controls off, there is a touch of oversteer but it's progressive and controllable. That actually makes the car a lot of fun on the track... it's pretty easy to hang the rear end out on corner exit. There is also some understeer present if you enter too fast and it's not easy to get it to stop pushing w/o backing off. On the track, with sticky tires, the suspension feels a little sloppy to me. There is a lot of roll, lean, and pitch in it. It felt like a had to work a lot harder to drive it fast but I imagine a stock S2k would feel similar. I don't remember the S2k being that much work even tho I do remember roll and pitch in the S2k. It's been a while since I tracked a stock suspension S2k and maybe I wasn't skilled to make it feel like so much work back when it was stock.

The powerband feels a little meatier on the bottom end than the S2k does. This helps with DD driver duties as you don't have to rev it as much to manuever quickly. The vid review is true tho when they say it falls off on the top end around 6-7.5k. Not alot of punch up there. I really noticed that on Thunderhill between turn 8-9. You come out of that turn @ a higher rpm to a slight incline and the FR-S just wouldn't build MPH on that incline like the S2k will. I hate to be cliche but I do also agree that the car would be closer to phenomenal if the engine had a lil more power toward the top of the powerband. I'm fine with the bottom and middle of the powerband but the car would go to the next level and definitely turn in faster laps.

If you like the cabin of the S2k then you'll really like the FR-S. It still feels driver oriented like the S2k but there is a little more room, a semi-usable back seat, and the adjustable stock seats are much better than the S2k's stock seats in comfort and position (arguable but just my opinion). A bright spot of the FR-S is definitely the guage cluster. If I were to design my own I'd make it just the same. Big tach front and center with shift light set around 7k rpm (i'd like it to flash closer to 7.5 redline). Speedo off to the left and gas & temp guages to the left. All other indicators are hidden until illuminated.

AyJay

No, she still has her Optima. Civic Si went the way of the dinosaur in favor of the FR-S.

Grimnebulin

No, she still has her Optima. Civic Si went the way of the dinosaur in favor of the FR-S.
[/quote]

What?!? I thought she got the FR-S...fail on my part. LOLZ.

Grimnebulin

Great review!

AyJay

She did get the FR-S ... and so did I lol