Hot-blooded and high-temperature test drive Honda S2000 (translated)
Overview
I believe all of you readers are familiar with Honda S2000. You may know this car from "Gran Turismo" or "The Fast and the Furious", or maybe you are a driving enthusiast who covets purebred sports cars. S2000 has more or less the flavor of an idol player. How "authentic" is this car? Front engine, rear wheel drive, manual shift, no turbo, no engine expansion... If you want to buy a new car that meets the above conditions, then the choice is very narrow, it is nothing more than Mazda? MX-5 , Nissan 370Z, Toyota 86, or Caterham.
Speaking of this engine, no matter whether you like it or not, anyone who has driven this car cannot ignore the existence of VTEC. This is a traditional-style VTEC machine that gives people a split-character driving experience. The 2.0L inline four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine on the S2000 can output 237bhp and provide approximately 207N·m of torque. The car weighs 1260kg, accelerates from 0-96km/h in 6.2 seconds, and has a top speed of 241km/h. If you look at the parameters carefully enough, it is not difficult to find that this car is relatively "weak". Her torque parameter is lower than that of the Golf Blue Drive version, and the peak torque has to wait until 7500 rpm, which is 6000 rpm later than the Golf.
The S2000 was produced from 1999 to 2009. During this period, 110,000 units were sold, and the UK contributed 8,000 sales. Three years after the new, three years after the old, three years after the patchwork, the S2000 has undergone many upgrades and changes in the past ten years, the largest of which was in 2004. New style, big wheels, and improved suspension are all arranged. When the S2000 was withdrawn from the market, it also took away the unique magic of Honda's performance cars. It was not until the launch of the new Civic Type-R and NSX in recent years that it regained its true self. Perhaps the subsequent models of S2000 can inherit this magic in the future. Although the lowest second-hand price of this car is only 6,000 pounds, which is about 55,000 yuan, and Lemon has been contracted by a translator, her charm remains the same as before. But the question is, can this amount of money really buy an S2000? More importantly, is she worth it?
Driving
The low-torque performance of the S2000 is really not good. Below 6,000 rpm, you may even feel that this thing is not a sports car at all, and the speed does not climb very fast before 6,000 rpm. But as long as you stop the accelerator and continue to step on it, when the digital instrument crosses "6", this little Honda will drive forward all the way to the 9,000-rpm redline. Her singing voice is aggressive yet intoxicating, like a wild horse running loose, like a trapped animal emerging from its cage. Just step on it, just step on it a little more, keep pulling the speed up and that's it. Step on it until the piston is about to burst through the engine cover, then shift gears. This is one of the best cars ever made, without even adding the word "one".
It is not easy to feel the performance level of S2000. But precisely because it is hard-won, this experience is so precious. When you try your best to find out her potential, you will linger here. Therefore, you will keep the S2000 in the high-speed zone and be happy to forget about misfortunes. This process is fascinating, and it takes some effort to enjoy it. If you are used to modern turbo sports cars, you need to make a comprehensive correction of your brain when you get the S2000. But once you adapt to Honda's rhythm, you will often blast TEC and feel the zero point between rationality and madness. Speeding all the way at high speed, you will admire the balance of this car - the engine is placed behind the front axle, and the weight ratio is a perfect 50:50. You'll also marvel at how beautifully this car handles.
It is worth mentioning that our car is Edition?100, which is the model that marks the end of the S2000 life cycle. She enjoyed all the improvements Honda had made to its chassis over the past 10 years. Stabilization program, which was optional on the 2006 model, became standard two years later. The S2000 in the early years was not easy to drive, especially on slippery roads. Fortunately, the later facelifts were mainly for tuning and not tampering with parts. Therefore, owners of early S2000 models can also adjust their cars to look like later models. As for bigger wheels and better tires, it all depends on personal taste.
No matter what, this is a good car for honing skills. To maintain smooth power delivery, you have to control your right foot just right.
The S2000 is even more willing to downshift, especially when downshifting into the 6,000-rpm range. The S2000 received mixed reviews during its life cycle. She faces competition from the Porsche Boxster, Lotus Elise, and various TVR models, and not everyone likes the need to maintain a high-tension driving atmosphere at all times. But if people had foresight and expected that all sports car manufacturers would switch to turbines, then maybe the S2000 would have more fans.
Interior & Space
The S2000 is a very compact car, even if you have a Hobbit figure like Mr. Crooked, it will be a bit crowded when you sit in it. Her driving position is unexpectedly high, and the steering wheel does not provide adjustment. When buying a used performance car, you definitely need to test drive it, but it’s equally important to confirm whether the seating position is appropriate. The trunk size of the S2000 is quite large for a two-seater sports car, but you still have to confirm whether it can meet your needs when buying a car. The interior of this car is in the style of the late 1990s rather than the early 2000s. No matter which version you plan to buy, you must be mentally prepared for the interior. None of this is harmful, after all, this car has nothing to do with luxury. But the interior of this car is quite fragile. If you go to an auto parts store to change the stereo, the original factory cover that meets Feng Shui requirements will be useless. Other than that, this car is still a very comfortable little home. Even if it is very cold outside, you should open the roof frequently. It opens and closes very quickly, and it is quite warm after raising the windows and turning on the heater.
Using a car
Honda's engine should be very reliable. But you definitely still want to find an S2000 that has been carefully taken care of by Taiwanese manufacturers. It's hard to tell the state of maintenance other than by looking at how enthusiastic the previous owner was. The S2000's high-speed VTEC machine requires frequent oil changes, so when buying a car, remember to confirm whether the oil has been changed on time. If there is insufficient engine oil, the ECU will prevent TEC from exploding. If you find that the car cannot rev above 6,000 rpm when you test drive it, it may be time to add oil. The fault code should disappear after filling up, but don't take it lightly, as this may be a sign of poor vehicle condition. According to feedback from car owners, the overall cost of using the S2000 is very low, especially the fuel cost. The only reliability issue is a common problem with the timing chain tensioner. Many car owners suggest replacing factory parts because Honda's original parts are not very durable.
In order to reduce the weight of the car, Honda has omitted all the sealing strips on the lower part of the car body, so you should pay attention to the rust of the car body when buying and using the car. You'll have to get down and take a closer look to see if the previous owner did their own anti-corrosion coating. If you find a good and solid S2000 and plan to use it for a long time, you must remember to do rust protection yourself. The S2000 is a soft-top convertible, so be sure to confirm whether the top can be opened and closed normally and whether there is any water leakage. If you are looking at the car on a sunny day, look inside the car for any damp spots. If you are looking at the GT version, it should have a hardtop in the same color as the body. Remember to ask the seller if that thing is still there.
S2000 once fell to 5,000 pounds, about 46,000 yuan, and then rebounded, and now the market has basically stabilized. If you want to buy a car, you must have at least a budget of 6,000 pounds and about 55,000 yuan. In this way, you can almost buy an early version of a car before 2002, with a mileage of about 100,000 miles and a good annual inspection result. If you want trendier styling and better handling chassis tuning, look no further than the facelifted 2004 model. The starting price of this car is almost 9,000 pounds and about 82,400 yuan. At this price, you can buy a model with about 80,000 miles. If you want a GT model with a hard top, you can find a few of them. If you are willing to spend 15,000 pounds or about 137,000 yuan, you can buy some top-notch S2000s. We even found a car with only 18,000 miles in 2009 for this price. If you are willing to spend 20,000 pounds, about 183,000 yuan, you can get the Edition 100 with white paint, red leather, and an exclusive nameplate.
Conclusion
If you are not familiar with this kind of Japanese high-speed sports car, you may not be immediately attracted to it during the test drive. S2000 is slow to warm up, and it will gradually win your love. From the perspective of a car owner, we think this car is flawless.
Compared to those models that reveal their trump cards immediately, who doesn’t love a car like the S2000 that can only be understood after getting along with it for a long time?
Our era is so full of turbocharged diesel engines that many readers may have never seen 6,000 rpm on the tachometer. When you have experienced clouds and rain above 6,000 rpm, you will naturally feel sad about it. Young drivers who have just obtained their driver's license will never have the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of driving a naturally aspirated car, hitting the accelerator and hitting the red line. If you are lucky enough to drive an S2000, please cherish it. If you have the opportunity to take it into your pocket, please consider it carefully.
This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.