I finished reading the Boxster vs. Z4 vs. SLK in the August 2012 edition of Automobile, where the Boxster was chosen as top pick again, no surprise. I then recovered the September 2000 edition of Road & Track from my archives to review The Ultimate Roadster Shootout article comparing the Boxster, S2000, Audi TT, and BMW M roadsters, where the Boxster was top pick followed by the S2000.

I was wondering what the comparison would have yielded if the S2000 was still in production and if the S2000 engine had grown to the same extent as the other roadsters. In the last ten (10) years or so the Boxster grew from 1.78 liter, 225 horsepower to 3.4 liter, 315 horsepower, the BMW from 3.15 liter, 240 horsepower to 3.0 liter, 335 horsepower. How would the S2000 have fared if the 2.0 liter, 240 horsepower had grown to the 2.4 stroker engine with 315 horsepower? Most of the changes to the S2000, aside from 2.0 to 2.2 liter for additional torque, were for handling.

I would like to think that the S2000 would still fare well against the current roadsters available. In conclusion I’ll keep my 2002 S2000 and keep smiling down the road.

 

Absolutely every bit as much fun to drive - just slower. It's a wonderful car and I can't want to have another.

 

315hp from honda? yea right!

 

It would be heavier, have more power, and be more luxurious. Which is what the trend has been.

So essentially, the S2000 would turn into a Z4 M coupe.

 

The s2000 always needed more power, but the reason why I bought one was because it was economical and therefore couldn't have too much more power. But the other thing I liked about the S2000 was its basic honesty and simplicity, none of the other cars had that, and today they are even further from that. When you get much past anti-lock brakes and fuel injection I start to lose interest. But to me the car was the winner of the first comparison just due to the cost. Value means nothing if you don't have the extra 10 grand.

 

It wasn't until 2006 or so that the Germans finally got more powerful than the less expensive S2000, and that was only because Honda stopped evolving it.

 

exactly! i hate having too much electronics. i like to control my car like DBW. i see why manufacturers add so many electronics but i wish they still make more raw versions of their cars. like s2000 ap1 or ap2v1. it's got bare minimum electronics. i bet it can save some weight too by not having so many electronics and sensors.

 

I guess that is why I've kelp my 454 corvette so long, these little import cars either cost an arm and a leg if you want any real power or they are affordable and under powered. At least the Boxster now finally makes enough power to get out of its own way and is worth owning.

 

A 2.4 liter F24C with the additional displacement from further stroking wouldn't be revving high enough to make 315hp. More like 265. Still would be kick-ass. The Z4 has gone into full-on boulevardier mode. 3500+ lb.? That's no sports car...

 

If the S2000 were still in production I could see Honda having trouble keeping up in the power race with the inline-4. I could thus see them tweaking the chassis to fit some variant of one of their V6 engines with upgraded components to rev more freely. Or a turbo, but that's not really the way Honda does things.