I just got my 04 a few days ago so it just might be the new but I feel it and it is very noticable. I have only hit VTEC in WOT so far though.

 

Isn't it also because the intake manifold switches to the shorter runners up top on the type-R?

 

The ITR has a short-ram manifold. The GSR has the 2-stage manifold which comes on at 5800rpm (VTEC at 4400).

 

Yeah. I was just thinking about that.

 

My stock '04 has about a 25hp immediate bump when it hits VTEC, according to the Dynojet dynomometer. I have never been in another S2000, so I can't compare, but I can assure you that, at least in the lower gears, it's quite a kick at full acceleration, enough so that you have to be careful on the track pulling out of low speed turns and accelerating to redline in second gear.

 

I would say that you can pretty well feel the VTEC kicking in at 6000 rpm Even when accelerating slowly to over 6000 rpm and then accelerating, you suddenly get a big on your face and start shaking your head from left to right out of unbelief that this is street legal and possible out of an atmospheric 2 liter 4 cylinder! Especially in the first 3 gears. But even from 3000 up to 6000 rpm the F20C2 engine is pretty impressive.

Comparing it to an EVO 8, I don't know, I've never driven that one, but comparing it to a WRX... It's supposed to be as fast, but when the turbo kicks in (even at low rpm), it feels to me the Sub could be just a little faster. But that could just as well be subjective because of the turbo kicking in hard. Power delivery in the S feels smoother and linear all the way from 6 till 9 but quite agressive too! When you look at the video's of circuit racing, the S mostly wins it from the Sub's in the video's I've seen

Comparing to the previous Boxster S, the Z4 3.0 and the 350Z, there is not much difference in power IMO.

 

When you're new to the car, VTEC can be pretty dramatic. After I passed 600 miles, I found myself a relatively secluded stretch of road and broke the cherry. The effect was astounding, to say the least. I'd read about it often enough on these forums but wasn't prepared for the rush of acceleration. It was great fun.

Now that I've got over 15k miles on the car, it's still a lot of fun but the rush really isn't there anymore. I've gotten used to the car to the point where I can pretty much run it up to, but not engage, the rev limiter without having to keep an eye glued to the tachometer. I still wouldn't trade it of anything else though!

Drive Safe,
Steve R.