Incomplete Comparo

Re: Fanzy Panzers, Article appearing in August 2000
edition.

Dear Car and Driver Editor:

I don't understand why you decided to omit the Honda
S2000 from this review. How anyone could remove a
car that is so clearly superior in ways that are likely
to matter to potential owners is beyond me. The incredibly
short throw distance of the shifter that you described
as "rifle-bolt precision", the stiffness of the chassis
that puts it on a "higher handling plane" and deems it
"virtually devoid of body roll", transient responses that
"would make some cheetahs look clumsy", the suspension,
braking that was "beyond reproach", the VTEC engine
creating 120HP/L unmodified, etc. all justify your
consideration. In summary, you label the S200 with a
"Raceworthy engine, raceworthy gearbox, raceworthy chassis,
raceworthy suspension, raceworthy brakes" Given that
all of those quotes were given while comparing the S2000
to three of the vehicles in your recent article (sure,
some are improved), you take the winner of the comparo
from "Bending The Rules", Oct. 1999 and throw it out the
window. Did you discover something after the fact that
you would like to fill us in on?

I do understand that the manufacturers of the cars
you reviewed are very unlikely to want to be compared
to a superior and less expensive vehicle. Market
segmentation at work folks. I sincerely hope advertising
dollars have not influenced the integrity of your fine
magazine.

In "Bending the Rules" you stated, "When the ballots were
tallied, we found that we still prefer performance to being
pampered." Put the S2000 on the track and you, as well as a
recent Roundel writer, will once again find that the S2000
is quite capable. Or, at the very least, be consistent.



-Mark Davis, BMW owner recently surprised by the S2K.

 

Very well worded

Car and driver can be a bit obnoxious with their responses though

 

I think the term "FANZY PANZERS" pretty much eliminates the s2k from the test.

 

Yeah. I can Imagine the CD Editor's reply:

"Well, someone didn't do so well in History class, hey bub? If ya did, you'd know Panzer's are GERMAN."

<Sorry, just having a little fun at someone elses expense :-) >

 

Ouch Mark! Sounds like this was a test of German cars...

Last I heard our cars were made in Tochigi...

 

It ended up being a test of German cars, but that wasn't the intent. If you read the article, you'll notice that they eliminated the S2K because it was too cheap. Yes, you read that right. They eliminated the S2K, the winner of their last comparo vs. 3/4 of the cars in the current comparo. The methodology is ignorant.

 

The thing I don't understand is how the stook was excluded in Road and Track's recent issue in which they chose the Miata, MR2, Corevette, and Audi TT as the best convertibles for value in the 50,000 dollars and under price category?? Where is the S2K??? Somebody should write them a letter!!

 

I agree, Moneeb. I was more than a little bit surprised to read that R&T article and see the S2000 conspicuously absent. Methinks there is a lot of behind the scenes political and financial shenanigans going on...

 

To elaborate:

Note that this is simply a comparo of roadsters, which ended up being all German in the 2000 comparo due to the elimination of the S2K because of price. The title was inserted due to the cars they ended up testing, not the other way around.


Here are links to the 1999 and 2000 roadster comparos -- the 1999 comparo included the S2K, while the 2000 comparo did not.

Bending the Rules, October 1999

Most Recent Review, August 2000