Given S2KRob's hypothetical line up, the price-independent car of choice would be the Boxster S! Of course it will likely be more than the current model, which is already about $20k more expensive than the S 2000. The main effect of the continuing "roadster renaissance" () on the Honda is that prices will likely come down so that more people will be able to enjoy VTEC nirvana ... and may get the dealers off their high-horse.

Iceman - The Boxster has an excellent chassis. Have you ever driven one?

 

About the hp/liter argument, the RX8 has a rotary engine, so its not in the same category as a piston engine.

 

Will it fall into the same "no-low-end-torque" catagory, though?

 

Let the power war begin - I've got my S2000 and that suits me just fine. As soon as I saw the S2000 I knew it was the car I wanted. I liked the looks, the power, and the handling, so if you are looking for more power you will be looking forever because there will always be more bang for the buck$$$. If you are looking for a car that you know you will enjoy stick with the S2000.

It is the car I have always wanted and I plan to keep.

Oh and yes it does make me do this =======>

 

That's not how I meant it. I look at it this way...anyone can put power into a car with more cu. inches/liters, anyone can make a beautiful high performance car for $50K +, but only Honda could pull of the S2000.

 

10,000 plus is not limited.

Yall can chirp all you want about chassis rigidity and old rear ends -- but the M roadster is not only faster from the stoplight it is faster on the road course. Yes I have driven both on the track (although I own an M coupe, not the roadster) -- E30 rear end or not the M is more stable into and out of the turns -- and does not require 100 shifts per lap ..... how people read a magazine and suddenly become experts in suspension and racing dynamics is a mystery to me.

Bah oh well. Competition is good -- let's not lose sight of how spoiled we are as consumers right now. Am I the only one that remembers the mid 80's when you could count the performance cars for under 50 grand that ran sub 14 second quarter mile times on one hand?

 

Now there's a car that I would love....

 

Frankly, I'm one person who is fed up with this obsession with raw horsepower. Sounds like too many people running around with an excess supply of testosterone. More horsepower will not make this car any more fun.


So be it that there are cars with more horsepower. Frankly, I don't give a damn.

 

Yes, and Yes.

The RX8's 2-rotor engine is 1.3L, but rotaries go through an entire intake/compression/power/exhaust cycle once every crankshaft revolution, as opposed to once every two crankshaft revolutions for a piston engine. This fact has led most people to agree that for a "fair" comparison of specific output, one should double the displacement of the rotary. Doing so yields 250 to 280 hp (reported specs vary) out of 2.6 liters, still inferior to the F20C.

Also, the motor's redline is something like 10,000 rpm, and in a preview drive, Sam Mitani (pretty sure it was him) of R&T commented that low-end torque was indeed quite minimal.

Love the suicide rear doors though...

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rick Hesel
[B]Frankly, I'm one person who is fed up with this obsession with raw horsepower.