http://youtube.com/watch?v=KAWjWVhamY8&fea...061AD78&index=2

I'm not racing in the rain like those guys, but it's a nice demonstration of how far the limits of traction CAN be pushed in low trac conditions without losing control. F1 racing uses traction control in their lightweight, high horsepower cars.

And it's not like using the full 350hp on an FI S2000 is excessive. There are many sport sedans pushing that amount of horsepower in all conditions.

The RS4 can use all 420hp without upsetting the traction in the wet.

Wanting to use more than 200hp in the S2000 doesn't equate to driving recklessly. I don't push the static handling of the vehicle in low traction. But I do want to be able to roll on the throttle past 5k rpms in a straight line.

After driving the S2000 through four Midwest Winters with boost, it's my impression that it's the nature of the power delivery, rather than the power itself that makes the S2000 twitchy in the wet. The same throttle response that I love in the dry makes the car nervous in the wet. The traction control just smooths out the hp / tq curves to not upset the balance.

I don't like accelerating in the S2000 at 4/10ths. That's painful to me. That's about what I'd have to limit acceleration at in order to ensure 100% traction in the wet. I'm not talking about driving 10/10ths. But tires and traction control allow you to go 6-7/10ths without increasing the risk of losing control.

So my points were:
Yes, I agree that you can drive uber-conservatively in a stock S2000 and never lose control of your car.

No, using 350hp+ does not constitute F1 racing or driving like an a$$hat.

Yes, the S2000 is twitchier than other cars with more horsepower due to the throttle response and peaky powerband.

Yes, VSA for AP2.5'ers and Racelogic for cable throttle guys can allow you to have more fun while still driving reasonably.

xviper drove his Vortec'd S2k through numerous Canuck Winters without ever losing control. It can be done.

From personal experience, I appreciate the electronic assist.