Honda S2000: The High-Revving Roadster Built From 1999 to 2009

Honda's S2000 arrived in April 1999 to mark the company's 50th anniversary, as a production version of the SSM concept first shown at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show. Its name reflected the 2.0-litre engine and the sporting heritage of the S500, S600 and S800 roadsters from the 1960s.

The car was a front-mid engined, rear-wheel-drive roadster, and its high-revving engine became the reason many drivers still talk about it. Across its ten-year life it went through two main generations, AP1 and AP2, plus a range of special versions.

Where did the S2000 come from?

The S2000 grew out of the Honda Sport Study Model, which was shown at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show. That concept used a 2.0-litre five-cylinder engine and aluminium body panels, and it was designed by Honda's own staff rather than an outside studio.

The concept drew its inspiration from the Honda RA270, the company's first Formula One car from 1963, and from the Caterham Seven. The SSM had a 50:50 weight distribution and a rigid high X-bone frame that Honda said improved rigidity and collision safety.

The SSM appeared at many shows over several years, which kept interest alive until Honda announced the production car in 1999. The production version kept the concept's compact size and low weight as its guiding principles.

A two-seat roadster whose small four-cylinder engine became one of the most admired in motoring.

How did engineers shape the S2000's character?

Development was run entirely by Honda's own engineers, who wanted to avoid the compromises that marketing requests usually bring. Shigeru Uehara, the former chief engineer, said the team aimed for a focused car rather than one that tried to please everyone.

Engineers started from a mule based on the Civic CRX Del Sol. Packaging was tight, but early prototypes were tested against rival models at Suzuka, and the car looked right on the track, so the team kept developing the same path.

Real-world testing included runs in Hokkaido and across Europe, averaging 450 miles (720 km) a day at high speed. Final tuning took place on the track, followed by road work around the Hakone area, and overall driving feel and sound were ranked above outright speed.

What engine did the AP1 use?

The AP1 used the F20C, a 1,997 cc inline-four DOHC VTEC engine. Output ranged from 177 to 184 kW (241 to 250 PS; 237 to 247 hp) and torque from 208 to 218 N.m (153 to 161 lb-ft), depending on the market it was sold in.

The Japanese-market F20C reached 184 kW (250 PS; 247 hp) thanks to an 11.7:1 compression ratio. That worked out at about 92 kW (125 PS; 123 hp) per litre, a figure that set the benchmark for naturally aspirated road cars of the period.

Honda said the S2000 achieved the highest specific output of any naturally aspirated production car in the world. The F20C also ranked best in its class at the International Engine of the Year contest for five consecutive years, from 2000 to 2004.

How did the AP1 handle?

The AP1 used independent double wishbone suspension, electrically assisted steering and integrated roll hoops. Power reached the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and a Torsen limited-slip differential.

The compact, lightweight engine sat entirely behind the front axle. That placement gave the car a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution and lower rotational inertia, both of which helped its agility on a twisting road.

The car ran 16-inch Bridgestone Potenza S-02 tyres. Its dashboard design echoed the McLaren-Honda Formula One cars of the late eighties, including the MP4/5, MP4/6 and MP4/7, as a nod to the high-revving engines Honda had supplied to that team.

How did the AP1 change during its life?

The AP1 was updated several times. In 2001 the car gained a clock in its radio display, and the rear wind blocker became standard equipment. In 2002 the suspension settings were revised, the plastic rear window was replaced by glass with an electric defroster, and the gearshift knob was leather-wrapped.

Colour choices grew over time. Spa Yellow joined the US line-up in 2001, and Suzuka Blue Metallic and Sebring Silver Metallic arrived for 2002. Other markets had Monte Carlo Blue Pearl and Spa Yellow Pearl from the start.

The AP1 was built until 2003 at Honda's Takanezawa plant, alongside the NSX and the Insight hybrid. Production later moved to Suzuka with the revised AP2 model.

What did the AP2 change?

From the 2004 model year the S2000 moved to Suzuka and gained 17-inch wheels, Bridgestone RE-050 tyres and a retuned suspension designed to reduce oversteer. The subframe was also redesigned for greater rigidity, and carbon fibre replaced the brass synchronisers in the gearbox.

North American cars received a larger engine, the F22C1, which displaced 2,157 cc and produced 177 kW (237 hp) at 7,800 rpm. Torque rose 6% to 220 N.m (162 lb-ft) at 6,800 rpm, while the redline dropped to 8,000 rpm, a change driven by the longer piston travel.

The F22C1 also arrived in Japan in 2006 with 178 kW (242 PS; 239 hp) and 221 N.m (163 lb-ft). That year also brought drive-by-wire throttle, electronic stability control and a new exterior colour, Laguna Blue Pearl.

What was the Club Racer?

The Club Racer was a track-focused version of the S2000 sold in the United States for the 2008 model year. It was lighter, had fewer amenities and offered more performance than the standard car, and it was 41 kg (90 lb) lighter overall.

Club Racers swapped the power-folding soft top for a Berlina Black hard top, which was fitted regardless of the body colour. They also had yellow and black Alcantara interiors, a peak power indicator light and a yellow-lettered shift knob that changed the shift feel.

Honda built 668 Club Racers for 2008 and 355 cars for 2009, of which 31 were Club Racer models. That gave a total of 699 Club Racers across the two model years, a small number that makes them rare today.

What was the Type S?

The Type S was a Japan-only version sold in the final two years of production, from 2008 to 2009. It shared the Club Racer's weight loss and purpose-built bodykit, which provided much higher downforce, and it kept the car's soft-top folding mechanism.

Its suspension was tuned for everyday spirited driving and the Japanese touge roads rather than pure track work. Interior trim matched the Club Racer's yellow and black Alcantara, and leather was available at no extra cost.

Only 1,755 Type S cars were made. The yearly figures were 168 in 2007, 827 in 2008, 737 in 2009 and 23 in the first half of 2010, which shows how the car sold in its final period.

Which other S2000 variants were built?

The Type V was announced in Japan on 7 July 2000 with variable gear ratio steering, a system that changed the steering ratio with speed and steering angle. It was the first system of its kind in a production car, and it lowered the lock-to-lock ratio to 1.4 turns from the base model's 2.4.

In the United Kingdom, the S2000 was offered in roadster and GT trim from 2002. The GT had a removable hard top and an outside temperature gauge, and its on-the-road price was GBP 27,850 against GBP 27,300 for the roadster.

The Ultimate Edition was shown at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, and the GT Edition 100 was a limited run of 100 cars for the UK. The 20th Anniversary Prototype, shown at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon, was a restomod based on the AP1, and Honda later sold parts for it to help owners keep their cars running.

How did S2000 sales and production end?

Sales began falling sharply from 2006, and the trend accelerated during the 2008 automotive crisis. Only 2,538 S2000s were sold in the US in 2008, a 74% decline from the 2002 peak, and in November 2008 only 90 new cars sold nationwide.

Honda reported worldwide sales of 110,673 units through the end of 2008. The final official figure for production was 113,889 by the end of 2009, and the company did not build new cars in 2010 or 2011 beyond clearing residual stock.

In the UK the company sold 8,500 cars, and about 6,300 of the originally registered cars were still on the road. Plans for a successor were scrapped after the 2008 crisis, although patents for a Gran Turismo concept surfaced in 2015.

What awards and recognition did the S2000 receive?

The S2000 was named Cabrio of the Year at the 1999 Geneva show, where Honda held the roadster's world premiere. It also won a Red Dot Design Award in 2001 in the Best of the Best category, which recognised its styling.

Top Gear's survey ranked it number one in 2003, 2005 and 2006. J.D. Power named it the highest-ranked model in the premium sports car class for 2004, 2006 and 2008, and Car and Driver placed it on its 10Best list in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004.

Francesco Morettini, a chief engineer at Ferrari, named the S2000 engine as his favourite non-Ferrari unit in 2017. In 2023 PistonHeads voted it the third-best sports car of the previous 25 years, which is a strong result for a car built over a decade.

How did the S2000 perform in motorsport?

In Super Taikyu's ST-4 class the car collected many titles, and it also won classes at the Tokachi 24 Hours. It also won its class at the Nurburgring 24 Hours and at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, and it has been a popular car for autocross and track days.

In time attack, a car prepared by Top Fuel took the rear-drive lap mark at the Tsukuba Circuit in 2008, a record it kept for three years. A later car recorded a 51.762-second lap at Tsukuba in 2016, one of the fastest times ever set by a time attack car.

In drifting, the car scored several Formula D podiums in the mid-2000s, including a win at an invitational event at Irwindale. Tetsuya Hibino later took a 2JZ-powered S2000 to a solo run win at the 2017 Tsukuba round of the D1 Grand Prix series.

What are the Honda S2000 specifications?

The table gathers the core figures across the S2000's engines, production milestones and special editions. Imperial figures appear in brackets alongside metric ones wherever the original data gives both, and every entry matches the figures set out earlier.

The table shows the AP2 engine's higher torque figure alongside its lower redline, which reflects the longer stroke of the larger engine.

Frequently asked questions

Did the S2000 have a manual gearbox?

Yes. The car used a six-speed manual transmission throughout its life, with a Torsen limited-slip differential. The AP2 shortened the first five gears and lengthened the sixth, which changed the gearing character of the car.

Was there a hardtop version?

Yes. An aluminium hardtop was offered as an option from 2001, which let owners of a standard car add a closed roof. Club Racer cars came with a Berlina Black hard top as standard, regardless of body colour, so buyers of that model received the closed roof as part of the package.

When did production end?

Production ended in 2009, with the final official total reaching 113,889 cars. Sales had dropped sharply after 2006 and fell further during the 2008 downturn. Honda scrapped plans for a direct successor, and the company then spent 2010 and 2011 clearing leftover inventory.

What was the Type V's steering feature?

The Type V used variable gear ratio steering, which changed the ratio with speed and steering angle. That made parking and tight low-speed manoeuvres easier, and the system was the first of its kind in a production car.