Autoblog

The S2000 is already about the wind in your hair, rorty sounds out the back and high velocities. For the Tokyo Auto Salon, Mugen has mutated Honda's lithe little performer into the Open Top Pure Sport Concept.

With no performance or power numbers, we have to focus on the show, rather than the go. There's a new front end out of carbon fiber, Mugen seats in the cockpit and an exhaust that probably goes blatt-blatt out back. You'll definitely get more bugs in your teeth, as the windshield is more a vestigial suggestion; get yourself some Nuvolari goggles if you're serious about speed in this thing. The front fenders gain vents, or at least the appearance of vents, at their trailing edge. This could mean that there's more hardware in the boiler room creating a need for more airflow.

The targa-style bar recalls the original Dodge Viper RT/10, and although it's not the most graceful form to see the light of day, Mugen's done a decent job of integrating it with the tightly-drawn lines of the S2000. The detailing looks meticulous, even if we're not totally sold on the the body modifications being an improvement. We're curious about what's under the hood, as we'd hate to roll up on a clapped-out Civic Si in this thing and lose, cause it sure looks like it should go fast.