Well said, Bieg... now if only my Ducati could learn a lesson from the Stook about character and some reliability then all would be right with the world.

 

I love stooks, and I'll love mine if I get one...but nah...they don't have character. Not IMHO.

My CRX...now she's got character.

You gotta double clutch into reverse or it'll grind.

It takes awhile to get used to that cable actuated clutch, and if I haven't driven her in a week, it'll seem like my first time driving a standard tranny until I get used to it.

There's a tickle that gets sent up your spine starting from your butt around 2K rpms because of the exhaust resonances.

I gotta snap the front lip back on everytime I nail a pylon.

It's a chore getting in and out of a small car with no headroom, with a well bolstered Corbeau race seat while wearing a helmet.

You gotta jiggle the hazard light switch just right or they won't blink.

The hatch squeaks like there's no tomorrow.

You gotta tap one of the corner lamps to get one of the bulbs to light up. Repeat as necessary.

That and a bunch of other things add character. Give em about 12 years...they'll start to have character.

I think it's okay that Stooks don't have character, but they've got alot of heart...and I can live with that.

 

I've a character in my character

 

interesting comment...but consider this...as a bit of a car nut,a current[and happy thank you..]s2k owner , an [sob] ex lotus super seven owner ,and a serious student of things japanese, i would like to put this forth- what every japanese car nut really wants,deep down inside, is a lotus seven![ i'll expound on that at length if anyone wants to listen]...however the point is that i believe that the s2k is actually the modern japanese vision of the classic lotus.[ever wonder why whenever the s2k and"classic sports car" are discussed the seven is almost always mentioned?...[as did bieg!!]well i think they're the same car...just with 40 years of added technology and japanese "soul" if you will, sprinkled in..[and i don't mean just the "specifications"...i mean it's the modern embodiment of the lotus itself]...i had both cars together for a time and the similarities are truly striking...if the italians[or ,god forbid, the germans] had made the s2k i believe it would have been a totally different car..but with the magic triangle of the japanese[in this case the s2k design team and honda management..car nuts i'm certain..],the lotus seven as a dominant icon in the japanese automobile culture,and the actual s2k itself..they all appear to me undeniably linked....the "yuurei"of the lotus seven lives in the honda s2k.i'm convinced.

 

I know Honda respected Colin Chapman (although he screwed them when they first went F1 racing but that's another story) and his design philosophy. One only need to look at the backbone X frame design to see that. You make a great point about the S2000 being the Japanese modern iteration of the Lotus 7 with all the safety features and federalization that selling a car today requires.

I have often wondered what a F20C powered Lotus (Catherham) 7 would be like to drive. I am sure someone will try it soon.

Back to Character, it is significant in itself that a car as singlemindedly focused as the S2000 was made at all. It was not trying to be all things to all people or "Jack of all trades, Master of none" that so many Japanese cars are often accused (many times unfairly) of being. It also is a totally original (Homage to Chapman excepted) design that makes it somewhat of a cultural landmark in Japanese automobiles. What I mean is here is a car that a Japanese manufacturer has released to the world that makes no apologies for not trying to please a large number of people. It is a narrowly focused nasty little screamer that kicks ass and takes names and makes no apologies. A car like that 10 years ago might not have been deamed "polite". The original 240Z may have hinted at this but it always had it's saving grace as being fast but "cheap" and not really competing with the XKE and such. The S2000 dares to kick sand in the face of such Marques as BMW, Audi and Porsche and makes no excuses. It takes them on Heads up and spots them tens of thousands of dollars to boot. That is pretty ballsy even for Honda, the most unconventionally Japanese of all Japanese companies.

 

If Jesse H and others define character as a list of small but annoying problems that we owners eventually get used to (seems like most of his CRXs character flaws could be fixed if he chose to do so), then the S2K certainly has character:

1st-2nd grind

Oil consumption during break-in

Windshield washer nozzels dribble on the hood during hard acceleration

No clock on the '00, can't read the clock on the '01

And the list goes on I'm sure.

I would like to speak of another kind of character for just a mo.

S2K driver character.

After looking at the sigs of a lot of the posters on this board, it's pretty obvious that most could have given in to the "mystique" of the German and Italian cars. Everyone knows from watching movies that if you are really cool, really rich and really happen'n you have to drive one one of them. I think it takes a bit of character to get past all that to find a car they can really love. How many times have you done this: When someone ask: "What kind of car do you drive?", you just answer: "A Honda" You know that you drive one of the most exciting cars on the road today, and that's enough. You don't have to make sure that they know that it's just as hot as the "flash" cars. That's Character! And I see a lot of that "No apology" attitude here on this board.


Did I forget to mention? Thanks for letting me join in.

 

Anyone that's driven an Elise 190S knows that it shares nothing (except the fact that you are smiling ear-to-ear after getting out of it) with the S2000. The 190S is by all means a wicked sports car with no and I mean NO items for comfort. That is a purpose built car. Not to mention the engine is in the part of the car....

I agree totally with the Lotus 7 analogy. What a timeless automobile that is. I agree with dbw that the S2000 is the next incarnation of that great design. I'm surprised out motor hasn't found it's way into one yet.

 

Great observation. It is a common denominator we all share for to plunk down 33 Grand "for a Honda" requires the ability to actually look past "image" and "see it for what it is". It requires the knowledge of what HONDA is and how significant this car is for them.

Maybe the "S" also stands for "Significant"!

Good work folks, you all didn't just opt for instant name recognition "Status" with a BMW or Porsche.

That is Character as Duffer so wisely noted.

 

Along with the hyper engine, I also see character in the seating position (often called "committed" on sport bikes) and interior design (dash, starter button, shift knob). I agree I'd like a little more of the Elise character in our S2k's, but not the unreliable "runs barely to the end of the race" Lotus philosophy.

 

At 1700 lbs. the Elise is a 125 mph go-cart on rails, definately purpose built. The Boxster is more of a 2 seat luxury touring sportscar much more comfortable and quiet over long trips. In between we have the S2K capable of track precision and comfortable enough for mid-range trips.
Character? Maybe still a little too early to say, that's kinda like saying a 3 year old child has character, but it is definately building a reputation among sportscars which will lead to it's percieved character in years ahead.