Note: He said nothing DRIVES LIKE an S2k. Aside from the fact that the statement is mostly subjective and NOT performance based (and therefore stupid to argue), what other cars have the same combination of the S2000's qualities?

- High revving, low displacement n/a engine
- Classic roadster proportions, F/R layout, and size
- Dedicated ragtop
- Rock solid chassis
- Rifle bolt shifter

Go ahead. We'll wait.
[/quote]

since when low displacement is a good thing.... obviously you will not find a car with engine like S2000, you will however find a better one.
[/quote]

Thanks for failing to mention a car that drives like an S2000, and proving my point in one fell swoop.
[/quote]

Dude, you gotta give them a chance to succeed before failing them. Some silly requirements you have there. Dedicated ragtop?!? Why don't you add the following while you're at it:

- has to come with a HONDA logo from the factory
[/quote]
I give up. If you don't think the fact that being a convertible contributes to the character of this car and how it drives, I can't help you.

Here, take your pick.
[/quote]

Of course I agree with you that being a convertible contributes to the character of this car. But could you care to share with us why would anyone want to find another car that drives exactly like the S2000? That's just fanboyism. The point we all try make is that there are many other cars that drive not as good, but much better, albeit at a much higher cost.
[/quote]

The whole point of the discussion was to point out how unique the S2000 is. Nobody said you couldn't find anything better, just that this car is very unique in what it puts together. And therefore, if you genuinely appreciate the combination of what this car offers, you won't find it anywhere else. The uniqueness of the car is what contributed to "why others made it" and the S2000 didn't. When you make a niche car, you appeal to a niche audience. That's the point of this whole thread.

Your tangent about there being "better" cars out there is (a) not only subjective, but (b) not relevant to this discussion.

 

Every car is unique, whether it an an S2000, BMW Z4, or even a Miata.

 

Note: He said nothing DRIVES LIKE an S2k. Aside from the fact that the statement is mostly subjective and NOT performance based (and therefore stupid to argue), what other cars have the same combination of the S2000's qualities?

- High revving, low displacement n/a engine
- Classic roadster proportions, F/R layout, and size
- Dedicated ragtop
- Rock solid chassis
- Rifle bolt shifter

Go ahead. We'll wait.
[/quote]

since when low displacement is a good thing.... obviously you will not find a car with engine like S2000, you will however find a better one.
[/quote]

Thanks for failing to mention a car that drives like an S2000, and proving my point in one fell swoop.
[/quote]

Dude, you gotta give them a chance to succeed before failing them. Some silly requirements you have there. Dedicated ragtop?!? Why don't you add the following while you're at it:

- has to come with a HONDA logo from the factory
[/quote]
I give up. If you don't think the fact that being a convertible contributes to the character of this car and how it drives, I can't help you.

Here, take your pick.
[/quote]

i clearly misinterpreted the intention of the post. when i saw "nothing drives like an s2000" i took it to mean "the s2000 is the best feeling drivers car" which is so not true. dont get me wrong, i LOVE s2ks and will be getting one soon, but the m3, elise, 458, 911 are all better drivers cars with superior feel. so you are right, they dont feel like an s2000, they feel better.

you are correct, but im sure i could find a list of features on almost any car that were unique to that vehicle. your point is kind of silly.


this. i could say "nothing feels like a daewoo" and it would be true. daewoos feel like shit though so nobody would care.

i feel like almost every thread on this board has some guy going on and on about how special and rare and unique the s2000 is. maybe its special and unique (same basic end result as a z4 or boxster, just the delivery is entirely unique, if that makes any sense) as i have said before it is not really a very rare car at all. there were over 66,000 sold in the US alone. i see 2-3 s2ks everyday on my short 2 mile commute to work (ft worth) i see about the same number of boxsters and z4s.

getting pretty off topic here. the point of this thread was to figure out why the s2000 went out of production not play "who's got the biggest boner for the s2k."

reasons the s2k is no longer in production

1. your average buyer still had no idea what it was after 10 years
2. 35k for a tiny honda seemed ridiculous to most
3. it was designed as a present from honda to itself, was never intended to be a permanent model
4. given the choice most people would prefer a porsche or bmw badge
5. the engineering was generally under appreciated by those not in the know


i think if the nsx is anything to go by we will see the successor to the s2k in about 10 years =P.

 

You're confusing "unique" with "same". Look up a dictionary:

u·nique
adjective
1. existing as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics: a unique copy of an ancient manuscript.
2. having no like or equal; unparalleled; incomparable: Bach was unique in his handling of counterpoint.
3. limited in occurrence to a given class, situation, or area: a species unique to Australia.
4. limited to a single outcome or result; without alternative possibilities: Certain types of problems have unique solutions

I think you're "unique" if you really believe that there is no better car than the S2000 at any price.

 

Surely, everyone here has seen the S2000 factory videos. How Honda managed to continue that production method for a decade, I'll never understand. That was not Honda's original plan – the S2000 production run was to be short and limited – no need to invest in high volume production design. It was a fairly expensive Honda, and it certainly cost more than a Miata, but it was less than a Boxster or Z3/4. As delivered by Honda, the S2000 is a pretty darn reliable car. I'm biased, of course, but I think their CR edition is brilliant – a car that will be with me until they run my corpse through the furnace, at which time it will be my son's.

It's been mentioned that one strike against the S2000's selling in big numbers is the fact that no slushbox option was offered – thank goodness for that! Honda showed the world their interpretation of a pure roadster, but they didn't design it as a profit center. They designed it to make its owners feel like we do – invigorated, enchanted, inspired, enthralled...in short, rewarded.

I believe its disappearance from the lineup was a predictable outcome, and it won't return (as it was) for the very same reason (unless there is a marked upturn in economic indices). It was comprised of too many unique parts and assembled with far too many manual labor hours to remain viable.

We can't blame Honda for being fiscally responsible. When times are tough... Honda should be commended for caring enough about the S2000 program to produce the car for a decade without watering it down (I can hear the groans from the AP1 owners), screwing up the styling, or adding unnecessary 'convenience'. The S2000 is a special car for us because it was special to Honda.

I can only hope that the future will permit Honda to revisit the roadster as seriously as they did with the S2000. It is, after all, a matter of heritage.

 

its a special car for sure.

 

That's because they are making a brand shift with honda and acura in America.

Honda will be moving towards a green brand. High MPG, small car options and hybrids.

Acura will be moving towards sport, power and luxury while keeping the honda commitment to being responsible without the major focus on MPG. IE no v8s.

We're in the middle of the largest shift in automative history guys. A lot of stuff is changing as a result of both the recession and emissions. Neither the NSX or S2000 would be able to pass new standards. This was straight from the horses mouth in 2010 at Homecoming. We'll be seeing new products from honda that fall in line with these brand shifts. IE sporty cr-z hybrid, Acura NSX hybrid, TL with 305hp and civic/accord 4cy high mpg standard.

FYI NSX was made in an auto version for a short period of time. Smaller motor and a 4speed system. Didn't sell well.

 

well said sir. well said.

This is exactly the feedback I got from honda when speaking to them about the S2000. It's also what the designer was intending. "Passion" and "joy".