Disclaimer - if you don't like vehicle comparison threads I advise you to read no further as this will be of zero interest to you

Since I got the Honda I've always wondered how it would compare to a UK sti (non-ppp) and despite having a fairly good idea you never really know until you get a run at one.

Tonight, I found myself behind one at the last set of lights leading onto a long straight, slightly uphill, on the bypass. I probably made my intentions pretty clear when I raised my roof on a perfectly sunny spring evening whilst sitting at the lights - I didn't want to give away any advantage

The lights changes and at about 30mph the BMW in front of the STI moved over and the road was ours for 100s of metres into the distance. He nailed it which presented something of a problem as 30mph is the S2000s dead zone between 1st gear and being off-vtec in 2nd. I lost an instant 2 car lengths until I switched onto the upper lobes where thereafter we sat the same distance appart through the gears. This run highlighted the importance of driving the S2000 at 10/10ths as the low grunt of a turbo car was truely devistating when I was off-vtec but I was pleased to match the STI once up and running.

We got caught behind a van that had moved to overtake a JCB and slowed to approximately 60mph so I dropped to 3rd gear. When the road cleared the STI again went for it and moved into the 'slow' lane at the earliest oppertunity thereby playing the 'pass me if you can'card. The answer was, of course, no! However, I was amazed to note that I was definately a bawhair quicker on the move and through 3rd and 4th gears creeped up alongside. If the road and the law allowed i might have even put my nose in front on the far side of 140mph but nevertheless I was impressed that the S2000 had the legs, albeit, very little ones

As you know my car does have an exhaust system but the STI did have an aftermarket exhaust. Judging by the lack of noise I'd guess it was just the backbox and not a full-decat so I expect it gives him negligable/if any gains.

Driver for driver and standard for standard I'd expect the STI to be a fraction quicker below 60mph and obviously markedly quicker if a launch was involved but pretty much neck and neck thereafter. It also goes without saying that in the twisties the S2000 has to ensure it remains in vtec all the time or the mid-range of the scooby will punish it

Got a friendly flash of the lights and never found the other drivers behaviour unpredictable or threatening in any way

 

How comes you know it wasn't PPP'd then?

 

Fair write up. Love the comment about the little legs, hilarious. I find if you keep catching it into vtec, have some 'better petrol' in it, and it's a fairly cool day temperature wise, the S doesn't really let you down when playing. It holds its own, and let's not forget, she looks great too...enjoyed your write up, thanks

 

They're funny on the track;

I was irritating a caterfield & a scooby was irritating me.

Until the first sharp corner.

I was still irritating the caterfield & scooby went through the cones!

 

I can't stop laughing out loud at the image I created in my head reading that

I don't know for sure it wasn't PPP'd but given a PPP'd sti has 300bhp and that I was a fraction quicker than this one I'd say it's a reasonable assumption. I doubt my S2000 could live with a 300hp scooby - even one with 200kg more.

 

Good write up, one question though what the hells PPP?

 

Nice write up Love reading your comparisons

 

Prodrive Performance Pack

 

^^^ As he said - it's a dealer fit option that usually consists of exhaust parts and a revised ECU giving extra grunt. In classics it improved power from 215bhp to 240bhp and in the bugeye and blobeye it brought them up from 260bhp to 300bhp IIRC you can get other prodrive parts such as suspension and styling parts - you certainly could with the classics.

 

I'm glad someone asked ...............I thought it was some pension scheme

I enjoyed the write up Saxo