“March.
It’s that time
of the year again, so
while you’re changing
your ‘plate’ why not
try something sportier
than usual. How about
Honda’s revised S2000
two-seater sports car?”
TRADITIONALLY MARCH IS THE PEAK SALES MONTH for UK new car registrations,
accounting for around 20 per cent of annual sales. Last year, for example,
saw close to 450,000 new cars purchased. Conseq-uently, most manufacturers
are busy launching new models in readiness for the expected surge in sales.
For the record: in 2007 Honda new car sales in the UK broke the 100,000 mark
for the first time, with a growth of 8.5 per cent against the industry average
of 3 per cent. And Honda's European sales showed the largest growth
of any motor manufacturer — up 21.5 per cent over 2006.
Of course, Honda are not just about cars. They are the world's largest engine
manufacturer, producing 24.5 million engines of all types each year —
everything from power units to garden tools such as strimmers and mowers,
to motorcycles and scooters, Pilots and Quad recreational vehicles, passenger
cars and even aircraft jet engines. Currently, they build 12.6 million motorcycles,
3.55 million cars and 6.4 million power tools. And by 2010 they expect to
have 30 million customers a year buying 18 million motorcycles, 4.5 million
cars and 7 million power tools.
Additionally, 2008 will see more good news for Honda. First, in May, Honda
celebrates its 60th anniversary. Honda car customers will also want to know
about other notable dates for Honda's car ranges.
These start in February, which is the on-sale date for the revised S2000 two-seater
sports car. In June, the Honda FCX Clarity — the world's first zero-emission
hydrogen fuel cell car — goes on sale in the US. Also in June, the new
Honda Accord saloon, with sportier and sharper styling, goes on sale in the
UK with engine options that will include a new i-DTEC diesel engine which
offers increased power but lower emissions. The Honda Tourer estate joins
the line-up in Sep-tember, ready for the '85'-registration plate month. September
also sees the unveiling of the new Honda Jazz.
Keen drivers with a yen for great engineering will, most of all, be interested
not so much in the sales figures but more in the perfor-mance figures of the
revised S2000 sportster.
Launched in 1999, the rear-wheel drive S2000 two-seater sports car has always
been a spirited but edgy machine; well suited for experien-ced drivers for
fast road or track day use. The fine, high-revving
two-litre petrol engine has been highly praised although the handling, especially
in wet conditions, has been unpredictable and raw. The latest version, says
Honda UK, has new suspension settings to make
it more communicative, predictable and exhilarating to drive.
The S2000's handling and performance characteristics have been enhanced by
a change to the suspension identical to that fitted to
its Japanese market counterpart — the S2000 Type-S.
Re-tuned dampers, uprated springs and thicker anti-roll bars improve the car's
stability, vastly improve the agile handling and make it more predictable
and trustworthy. The steering has also been tuned to give better feedback
to the driver. The new suspension in no way harms the ability to absorb the
rough road surfaces we have here in the UK and ride comfort is firm, but not
harsh.
The S2000 retains its well-loved 237bhp all-aluminium, 4-cylinder, DOHC 2.0-litre
variable-valve timed petrol engine and slick six-speed manual transmission.
If you're not familiar with it, know that it revs happily to 9,000rpm, serving
up 237bhp at 8,300rpm and 153lb ft of torque at 7,500rpm.
Top speed is 150mph, 0-62mph takes 6.2 seconds and the average
fuel consumption is 28.2mpg. CO2 emissions are 236g/km, so unfor-tunately
it incurs the top Vehicle Excise Duty rating — Band G — which currently
costs £300, but as from April 2008 this will increase to £400. Two points:
expect to pay top whack for insurance (the S2000 is classed in group 20),
and servicing intervals at every 9,000 miles are hadly conducive to low running
costs.
Also featuring on the latest Honda S2000 are a new design of 17-inch alloy
road wheels, a new — and additional — exterior body colour (Synchro
Silver) and three new leather interior colours. The headrest frame has also
been re-shaped to offer better roll-over protection.
Honda says the S2000 averages around one thousand sales in the UK each year,
but they hope this will increase to about 1,200 units now the car has more
refinement. The model is priced from £28,050 for the Roadster; and £28,600
for the GT model — which comes with an electrically-operated folding
roof.
Having driven the latest S2000 briefly over some dry and twisty Cots-wold
roads, the first and last impressions are that the car is now what it should
have been in the first place. The edginess is still there, but the handling
and performance of the suspension hasn't been refined so much as to remove
the character from the car.
The free-revving engine both loves and needs to be worked hard to get the
best from it but, importantly — thanks to the variable-valve timing —
it remains user-friendly at lower speeds in traffic.
The car still suffers from lack of interior space and it is a bit snug if
you are six feet tall. The boot, too, is pretty small (143 litres) so plan
on travelling light. Otherwise, it's a great car and very well equipped, but
then it needs to be because it has to compete against the Mazda MX5 which
is much cheaper and still handles much better; the 2.0-litre BMW Z4 which
is also cheaper and a thoroughbred sports car; the Porsche Boxster which is
more expensive but has bigger and more powerful engines; the Nissan 350Z Roadster
which is roughly the same price; and the soon-to-be-released new Mercedes
SLK Roadster — the benchmark model for this segment.
Just two things might nudge you in the direction of the S2000's rivals' showrooms:
the lack of interior space and also the fact that it's not cheap compared
to the competition in this sector. Helping you to keep the faith is the S2000's
engineering quality, the superb free-revving engine, good looks, a high specification
and better handling than before. Worth a thought? We'd say so! — David
Miles
 Honda S2000 2.0 i-VTEC GT | £28,600 Maximum speed: 150mph | 0-62mph: 6.2 seconds Overall test MPG: 28.2mpg | Power: 237bhp | Torque: 153lb ft CO2 236g/km | VED Band G £300 | Insurance group 20 Visit Honda's website  |
