Maybe he was just comparing road noise.

Seriously, outside of a heavily modded Civic he'd be stupid to think that it feels the same. I drive the Lude and I test drove the S2K. Even when I'm not in VTEC I feel the difference. Now the Civic may be closer to the S2K in weight and I've never driven a Civic, but a stock Civic isn't really that fast.

 

I was just noticing how much power is available below VTEC. I was cruising around town and felt that the car had more than sufficient power below VTEC. Without even trying, I was always the first one out of the signal and would be way in front of all the other cars. I shifted around 5K RPMs in each gear. I've never driven a civic, but I can't imagine one keeping up with us (at least a stock civic).

 

This is a common misconception on the S2000. It isn't because there is no torque below 6k it is because if you constantly shift before 6k you will always be in too high of a gear so the gear ratio will cause you to have too low torque at the rear wheels. It would be like shifting a Vette at 4000rpm and wondering why the car accelerates so slowly.

Yes, VTEC does increase torque, but it also keeps you in a lower gear longer (to 9k) so you have much higher torque at the rear wheels, where you can feel it.

Mid range for the S2000 is 4000-7000 rpm not 2500-4000 like other cars.


Hugh

 

I traded a 00 Civic Si in for the 2001 S2000. Below 6,000 rpm the s2000 is definitely stronger. I bet the s2000 could beat a stock Si shifting at 7,000 rpm through the gears