According to the FAQ:

How do I read my S2000's VIN? (courtesy of HiPER)
The VIN for our car and any car after 1981 is a 17 character code. For the S2000:

1. J (manufactured, Japan)
2. H (manufacturer, Honda)
3. M (passenger car, made in Japan)
4-6. AP1/AP2 (chassis)
7. 1 (coupe+manual transmission)
8. 4 (grade)
9. Check digit (this is a random number - search VIN on Wikipeia to figure this one out)
10. Y, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (model year, y=2000, 1=2001, etc)
11. T, S (manufacturing plant, T=Tochigi, S=Suzuka)
12-17. Production Number

But what does the 8th digit "grade" mean? The reason i ask, besides it being the only non-obvious digit, is that my new CR has a 2 and my old AP1 had a 4. I looked at S2k's on eBay and it looks like all the other CR's have a 2 and the 08's and 07 non-cr's were all a 4? Coincidence or can this signify a CR?

 

hmmm very interesting good find

 

Pretty sure mine is a 4 if that helps ya

 

I found this and they show "grade" and it is just a model designation but nothing for MY00 and on to show the S.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Vehicle_Ident...VIN_Codes#Grade

Kevin

 

i grew up with muscle cars like mopar around me and my dad has a '72 cuda. For plymouth the "Barracuda" had an H in the vin and the " 'Cuda " which was the performance version had an S in the vin for special. Thats one way to tell the real Cuda from a Barracuda. fyi

I think your on to something with the grade

 

So it looks like it does represent the trim level. Since there was only 1 trim level prior to the CR, I would imagine everyone has a 4? Anyone not have a 4?

 

Did a bit more research. It looks like European and Australian VIN's have a 3. Not sure what Japan has...if they even use VIN's

Theory:
1. J (manufactured, Japan)
2. H (manufacturer, Honda)
3. M (passenger car, made in Japan)
4-6. AP1/AP2 (chassis)
7. 1 (coupe+manual transmission)
8. 2, 3, 4 (2=CR, 3=European and Australian, 4=North American Base model)
9. Check digit (this is a random number - search VIN on Wikipeia to figure this one out)
10. Y, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (model year, y=2000, 1=2001, etc)
11. T, S (manufacturing plant, T=Tochigi, S=Suzuka)
12-17. Production Number

 

Japan doesn't use the same VIN naming scheme

 

Interesting, after reading this I now have memorized my VIN.