Honda S2000 successor being discussed, may seat four
The Honda S2000 is one of those incredible cars that has been around for a while and which we never hesitate to recommend when somebody mentions the need for a fun ride. But the car never really appealed to a broad enough audience for Honda to work on a successor, at least officially. Winding Road is reporting that a successor is indeed being discussed, but that the plan is to bring the car into a slightly different market segment.
Although the car wouldn't reach dealerships until 2009 at the earliest, word has it the replacement would move up market a bit to compete with cars like the Mercedes SLK. We remember when the S2000 originally debuted and people wondered whether or not the car should be badged an Acura because of the high price compared to other Hondas. Will this again be the case?
WR's source says the car is yet to be approved but a few things are certain about any possible future S replacement. It should stay rear drive. It will be less raw and more refined than the S2000. And the car will look completely different, perhaps adding a back seat in the process. This already seems like heresy and we hope that Honda comes to its senses and offers another pure sports car. We know we're not alone in loving the S2000 and what it represents as a halo vehicle.
[Source: Winding Road]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
tim 8:58AM (5/11/2008)
Please HONDA offer it with a backseat (i dont care how small). Insurance goes down and my wife lets me buy one! Heck the 911 has a backseat.... and yes she does have that much control - I sleep next to her.
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ssgtakeo 11:54AM (1/04/2007)
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
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sfast 12:05PM (1/04/2007)
Lame. Ford Thunderbird style.
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aaron 12:16PM (1/04/2007)
well honda, do you want an overpriced car that purists love, or one that will make you money.
Seems like a normal business debate for an auto manufacturer.
going upmarket would not be a bad idea, and the acura name would make some sense, since they are trying to buff the nameplate up.
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mike 12:08PM (1/04/2007)
I can't really see Honda changing a model so much, adding 4 seats and making it completly different WHILE KEEPING THE SAME NAME. Wouldn't it be a different car?
I see rear wheel drive, 2 seater convertible maybe 4 seater version but convertible/hardtop convertible, maybe look completely different but I'm sure it would be the same exerience just improved.
Also, if it stays a 2 door, 2-seater, convertible it will NOT BE AN ACURA. Acura has cut the RSX becuase it wasnt to be more luxury and larger sedans/suvs. Thats the image they want. S2000 wouldn't fit that.
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Jason 12:08PM (1/04/2007)
Calm down. There is ZERO chance of a 4 seat S2000.
This is just some bozo automotive journalist feeling the need to increase traffic through false hype. The sad part is that they may have actually had a good story about a new Honda car before they felt the need to attach "S2000" to it in the name of gathering attention.
Honda is far too in touch with its own heritage and history of performance motoring to call any 4 seater an "S2000 successor", either in name or otherwise.
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D. Cole 12:13PM (1/04/2007)
Honda should stay with its same philosophy when it comes to their S2000 replacement. Of course, a new interior/exterior design and slight chassis improvements are in order. Other improvements might include a simple, lightweight powerfolding hardtop like the Maxda MX-5, optional sequential manual, and a 5 cylinder derived from their rumored V-10. Its not impossible, but we'll see what Honda has up its sleeve.
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hondacura 12:31PM (1/04/2007)
The S- series of Honda has never been a four seater.
A four seater will be Acura not Honda. Acura has a sub-NSX coupe coming around 2009 after the debut of the NSX.
I think the S2K will be cancel and not replaced. I think Honda will shift S2K buyers to Acura.
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rwdmtparkingonly 12:21PM (1/04/2007)
What looks more probable from what I've seen is that the S2000 will die without any Honda RWD replacement.
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Sid 1:01PM (1/04/2007)
I honestly have more respect for the Honda brand-name than for Acura. Whenever anyone says Acura, I picture a pretty-faced FWD Accord with a weak V6 and aluminium trim coming out the wazzoo.
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Tony 8:59PM (1/04/2007)
First of all, as an S2000 owner, I can safely say that anyone that says the S2000 is overpriced has never driven one - I mean REALLY driven one.
Secondly given Honda's history, and the purpose of the S2000 (a specialty car designed for the express purpose of celebrating Honda's success in F1 racing and demonstrating their race winning F1 technology) I really don't see this happening.
More that likely, this is just another urban legend similar to the one R&T reported on back in April.
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cb 12:54PM (1/04/2007)
Great.. now used S2000's will cost $30,000+ like supras. Thanks, Honda
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Michael Karesh 1:07PM (1/04/2007)
"Replacement" doesn't mean the new car would be called an S2000. After all, when they "replaced" the CRX I used to love they called the new car the del Sol.
Did the S2000 really sell so far below expectations that a true replacement doesn't make sense? One problem with the car has been high insurance costs, but now that stability control is standard these might come down.
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Typesbad 1:19PM (1/04/2007)
i agree with Jason and hondaacura. There may well be a four seater convertible in the pipeline, and Acura would probably be the most appropriate home for it. Calling it a sucessor to the S2000 is just a journalist's linking of two largely separate stories.
I certainly hope an Acura 4-seater convertible becames a reality. When I narrowed my list to manual tranmissioned 4-seater convertibles to replace my Miata, I found the selection surprisingly small, particularly from the Japanese, which only had the clumsy Eclipse (the unloved 3rd gen) to offer. An Acura with the TSX engine and possibly the RDX engine as an option would be a great addition to the market place.
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Honda videos 1:21PM (1/04/2007)
Why would Honda change a good thing, The S2000 is timeless and for them to change the car completely is just crazy.
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Todd 1:23PM (1/04/2007)
I think the problem is that there is too much compitition in the roadster market now. You have the new MX-5 and the Kappa Platform Roadsters from GM. Fun cars that aren't quite as quick as the S2000, but offer the same amount of driving pleasure for less money.
What Honda needs to do is drop the starting price to around 25K to compete with the other roadsters and get out of Evo/STi Territory.
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fenglong 1:31PM (1/04/2007)
if it becomes a 4-seater i wonder if one can call that a successor to the S2K. well since i've always wanted an S2K for my second ride, i may as well start looking for one before they disappear from the lot...personally speaking, i don't think they should kill it, even if the model continues to be a low-volume vehicle. i still have faith in honda that they'll keep the spirit of 'fun,' one of mr.honda's philosophy for the company, and that it'll never become too much of a profit/mass-market oriented with somewhat boring vehicles like...you know who.
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bauhaus 1:47PM (1/04/2007)
Prelude, baby! Prelude!
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Nick 2:57PM (1/04/2007)
4 seat convertibles are uber lame... if they add a back seat I hope they have the good sense to weld on a proper roof.
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Jeff Banks 1:52PM (1/04/2007)
A 2+2 configuration wouldn't be bad. I think that's what would be considered, but I still think that sucks.
I only wish the S2000 didn't cost as much.
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