And add more weight?...

 

its the frame.. double wishbone.... heavy duty frame compared to 95% of cars out there.. cant belive nobodys said it yet... also things like brakes wheels top

 

Honestly ... the S2000's body rigidity is not bad, but it really isn't all the way up there when you compare it against some of the other sportscars out there. I think the body rigidity is a bit overrated ... but of course, one could say my comparison / argument is flawed, since I'm comparing the S2K against all sorts of cars, including ones that actually have a damn roof ...

The S2000 is stiff relative to other open tops, but not that impressive against other hardtop sportscars.

Anyway, the car is heavy because it has a roof, brakes, suspension and wheels ... don't all cars have that????

 

Stiffness in a convertible comes at the cost of added weight. Comparing the S's stiffness to a coupe is kinda pointless since the coupe has increased stiffness by its very nature. It's apples and oranges even though sports cars can be coupes or ragtops. Are we also going to point out that the S's hauling and towing capacities aren't that impressive compared to pickup trucks?

The S isn't super small. Have you ever actually parked next to a Miata?

 

I was going to say, comparing to the Miata or MR2 is flawed because those cars are small compared to the S2K. The SmartCar is lighter too. Have you noticed the absurd amount of money BMW charges for "lightweight" versions of their cars that knock off maybe 250 lbs? So being a few hundred pounds lighter than other cars you are thinking of is a big deal.

I assume that linked thread goes over the things you can do to save weight. The S2K is not as hardcore from the showroom as some people think. I was just lifting out my heavy-@ss seats the other day...

 

I've always thought about this as well. It came to the conclusion that most of it is due to the more rigid frame we have. I wouldn't trade the frame for anything though in this regard as far as losing some weight. That is why you here so many great threads about the S2000 holding up in accidents and rollovers. The makers knew how unforgiving this car can be and beefed out our frames and suspension in that regard.

 

the s2000 is light to me My VR4 with some weight reductions is still at 3600lbs. I can't wait to try out a 2000ish lbs car one day.

 

I dont think it's that heavy at all

 

i have to agree on not wanting to trade the frame. i see some of the lotus crash images here and there and just think i'd worry about DD'ing a car like that now that i'm married. compared to that, i'm happy to have more safety at the expense of weight (and therefore performance).

a roll cage would resolve my concerns, but a dedicated track car in a controlled environment would be ideal.

 

2850lbs is pretty light for a convertible...

I would be amazed to see any future sportscar under 3000 lbs...