Hi all, I've got a deposit down to order an S2000 but am currently making the tricky decision of colour, while looking at what's available I've noticed that the short delivery times on the 3 cars I could get in 2 weeks time are due to them being 02 models... The 03 models are quoted as being mid May, but I'm tending towards waiting so I can get any colour I like...

What's the difference between an 02 S2k and an 03 S2k?

 

Other than some new colour options available for 03, I have not read of any changes from 02 - 03.

Having said that, at the Academy Day last Friday, MarkB kindly took me for some high speed laps in his new 03 model car

Mark was quite sure that the car felt 'softer' than his sadly deceased 02 car, which in turn is well documented as having a softer (if less twitchy feel) than the 00/01 cars.

Does anyone have any specific knowledge of Honda tinkering with the suspension on the 03 cars??

 

Ian

I don't think anything has been changed at all.

 

To elaborate - it just didn't feel as sharp on turn in, in the 02, I could approach a corner at a given speed, lift off momentarily and the front end would bite, turning in crisply. On Friday, at what I can only assume to be the same kind of speed, the car understeered quite badly, the speeds I could enter corners were dramatically reduced, in fact they were a snails pace compared to the same corners in the 02.

This isn't a scientific test by any means, rather a feeling that Honda may have dialled in a bit more 'safety understeer' to the 03 on the quiet, possibly by softening the rear roll bar (which might help with the 'it just swapped ends on the motorway' claims).

Definitely not as happy with the on-track performance of my new car compared to the last one though.

 

Honda UK and Verhagen in Holland have told me there is no difference. Mine is an 03, and there is no discernable difference as far as I can tell.

Wyatt

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MarkB
[B]

To elaborate - it just didn't feel as sharp on turn in, in the 02, I could approach a corner at a given speed, lift off momentarily and the front end would bite, turning in crisply.

 

Only a little thing.

I have a fire extinguisher fitted in the passenger footwell. I haven't seen that in other cars.

BTW, the car was sourced from Belgium, maybe a extra from them?!?

 

Yep - this is a legal requirment in Belgium. Not present on UK sourced cars unless owner fitted.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MarkB
[B]

To elaborate - it just didn't feel as sharp on turn in, in the 02, I could approach a corner at a given speed, lift off momentarily and the front end would bite, turning in crisply.

 

My car came in from Belgium as a full UK spec ordered car and therefore Fire Extinguisher was not even an option.