WolfpackS2k

^great compilation of accolades. I actually stockpile old car magazines and I have all the issues of Motor Trend, Road & Track, Car and Driver and Automobile when the S2000 debuted and was tested.

I'm pretty sure the 4 cylinder engine in the Porsche 968 was more powerful. Of course at 3.0 liters of displacement it better be.

white98ls

Nope - 236hp

rob-2

Won't hold my breath

Mr.E.G.

I just don't really see an opening for the s2000. When it came out, it made a lot of horsepower relative to the competition, was light relative to other high-ish horsepower cars, was reliable, and basically every sports car on the market back then sucked at handling. Now, everything handles well, is reliable, and makes a bunch of power. So coming in at 2,800 lbs. (if they could even pull it off) doesn't matter that much relative to the other characteristics just mentioned.

The rest of the automotive world got better at everything than they used to be, so there is no gaping hold in the marketplace that can be exploited like there was in '99. Back then, the s2000 seemed like the performance bargain of the century. Bring a car with similar specs to market now and you'll get laughed at. Build a car with way more power and still around 3,000 lbs and you've just got a slightly better (but still mostly a "me too") entry, maybe.

rwheelz

I look forward to Clarkson's "skirt test" for the new S2000 to see how it compares to the old one!

white98ls

I guess I'm slightly more optimistic. At the time, it was between a base Boxster and Boxster S in performance (much closer to the S in fact), but lighter and much cheaper than both, and with a bit purer focus on driving over everything else. If they replicated the same thing today, where would that get us? It would be something like:

320-330hp (between base/S Boxster)
3k lbs, largely due to a relative lack of luxury features
~$45k
E-turbo could be more responsive than the Boxster's turbo-4, which many have criticized

Seems like that kind of car would get a decent number of takers, myself probably included, and this is exactly what is rumored to happen. Sure, there are Camaros and Mustangs for that price that will outperform it, but those are far larger and heavier cars, not small, pure roadsters.

Also, besides the Boxster, a lot of the old S2k's competitors have fallen away. The 350Z is now the aged and somewhat crude (though cheap) 370Z. Z4 is no longer very sporty and about to be replaced. TT was never really a sports car. Miata is great, but hasn't advanced that far in terms of power/performance. A modern S2k with potentially 9lbs/hp is something I could get on board with, although if it's non-manual and/or closer to 3,200-3,300lbs+, I won't be as interested.

The main thing I worry about is replicating the original S2000 magic. We know it won't have the manic 9k redline and quite possibly no world-beating MT. Those are two BIG things unique to the S2k that the new one likely won't have. So what will it have to replace those and set the S2000 apart as much as the original did? I guess it's the same problem they had replacing the NSX.

fernando.

No thanks.

QUIKAG

What about bring back the exact same AP2, but drop in the new Civic Type R turbo motor juiced a bit to 320hp or so and sell for $40k. I'd buy one.

i really hope Honda doesn't reinvent the wheel. How many of y'all in this thread would love to buy a NEW Integra Type R or Prelude SH? Yeah, time marches on but those old cars would still be a blast to drive if Honda was still selling them now especially at those prices back in the day.

rob-2

Would love a 400hp s2000. 320 is too little.

s2000Junky

Well your an easy sell.