Can the S2000 Still Run With a New Miata?
Should you have any cause for concern the next time a new Mazda Miata pulls up next to you at a stoplight?
1. Miata vs. S2000
As you already know, times, well, they are a changin'. These days, even mini-vans and soccer mom crossovers are packing 250-300+ horsepower, and cars are getting quicker and quicker. We're starting to see things like full-size trucks out running muscle cars from just a decade or so ago, which is quite embarrassing, to say the least. And now that it's been a few years since we were lucky enough to buy a new Honda S2000, it had us wondering - just how does our beloved ride stack up against a car it used to readily handle in a straight line - the Mazda Miata?
2. The Contender
In the old days, the Miata wasn't exactly something you would dare try and drag race. Without extensive mods, of course. After all, the original MX-5 debuted back in 1990 packing only a 1.6-liter inline four cylinder producing a meager (at best) 116 hp. Even though the Miata weighed in at a featherweight 2,200 pounds, it could only muster a 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds. But like the hyper powerful mini-vans and crossovers you can buy today, the Miata has benefited greatly from the passage of time.
3. No Longer just a "fun" car
The new Miata is still a car that retains the spirit of the original. And that is as a reasonably priced roadster with excellent handling. Interestingly enough, it's smaller and significantly lighter than its predecessor, and sports measurables close to the original 1990 model. But there's one big difference, of course. And that's what you'll find under the hood. The new MX-5 packs a fast revving 2.0-liter inline four cylinder that produces 155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. Combine that with a still-light 2,309-pound curb weight, and Honda lovers might have something to worry about.
4. The Incumbent
When the Honda S2000 dropped in the year 2000, it did so packing 240 hp from its 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated four cylinder engine. That's still an impressive number today, even though the car ceased production years ago. And no matter what publication you read back in the day, acceleration numbers were very impressive. The biggest disadvantage the Honda faces in this modern drag race is weight - it tips the scales at nearly 500 pounds more than the modern Mazda. So will the significant power advantage still be enough to overcome that portliness?
5. Winner?
Car & Driver tested the latest and greatest Miata and managed a 0-60 time of 5.9 seconds, with the quarter mile coming in at 14.6 seconds at 95 mph. That's good enough to make it the fastest Miata they've ever tested. On the other hand, when C&D first tested the S2000, it could only muster a 6.8-second 0-60 time. But that isn't the end of the story (or the race).
Motor Trend also ran a new S2000 back in the day, and they blew those times away with a 5.8-second 0-60 run and a 14.2 second quarter at 98 mph. So how the heck did they manage to run a full second quicker to sixty? Did they have a ringer? Nope, it turns out they launched the car at 8,000 rpm and shifted at 8,300.
Instrumented tests on later S2000s are equally diverse, but Motor Week did try out a 2008 S2000 CR back in the day. However, they could only muster a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds, with the quarter mile happening in 14.7 @ 98 mph. And C&D tested a 2004 AP2 in the midst of a comparison test, recording a 5.4-second 0-60 time and 14.0-second quarter mile.
So should you be worried about that new Miata the next time you pull up to a stoplight? The answer is...maybe. With similar capability, this one might just come down to a driver's duel. So we suppose it's time you went ahead and ordered that supercharger. You know, just in case.