2009 Honda S2000

" Carry on, you will always remember / Carry on, nothing equals the splendor / Now your life's no longer empty / Surely heaven waits for you "

The lyrics to Kansas' campy rock song "Carry On Wayward Son" are usually on heard on "classic rock" stations and ironic hipster karaoke nights, but the final verse is the most succinct way to describe the Honda S2000, now dead after 9 glorious years, and the final progeny of Honda's golden era of producing performance cars for the masses.

I have a long and personal connection with Honda. My grandfather, a die hard muscle car fan, sold his Coronet 500 and purchased a brand new 1973 Civic CVCC. Years later, my father worked at Honda Canada as General Counsel, and for the first 8 years of my life, Honda's offices were my second home, and the entire product lineup passed through my driveway, the highlight of which was a black NSX. My memory is forever seared with the image of my father tearing through the gears of the NSX (and countless other Hondas) while his Aretha Franklin cassettes competed with the VTEC engine soundtrack for my fragile sense of hearing.

Shortly after my father left his job at Honda, the S2000 was introduced, and it was everything I wanted in a car; a flashy convertible Honda. I spent the next nine years lusting after it, collecting every brochure, die-cast car and magazine article I could, until I finally got my chance to drive it.

The car

My press car was painted Formula Red, a vibrant hue that has adorned all manner of hot Hondas. The pictures don't do it justice, but it is on par with the best shades from Ferrari and Porsche. If you want to keep a low profile, be like everyone else and select the ubiquitous Silver. The styling, while understated, has an undeniablly phallic quality to it. Be prepared for some motorists to not let you in, especially if you're wearing a pink polo shirt and blaring music at full volume.

Performance

The jewel of the S2000 is undoubtedly its 2.2L 4-cylinder engine, which revs to a mighty 8000rpm. Lots of noise has been made about its prodigious redline and its lack of torque. I am here to assure you that this problem is entirely in the minds of grumpy journos and Gran Turismo playing adolescent mouth breathers.

I never once felt as if I was down on power in this car, and if anything, I savoured every moment that allowed me to wring out the engines hyperactive powerband and manipulate the divine 6 speed gearbox. If anything, the car's sedate nature below 6000 RPM (before the VTEC variable valve timing system's entry) means it's docile and comfortable to drive even in the worst stop-and-go traffic situations.

Handling

If you have to ask how the S2000 corners, you're probably not the target buyer. In all but the most punishing situations, the S2000 is glued to the road, but never felt ponderous or unsure of itself. It changed direction with a remarkable fluidness, and while not as involving as say, an early Mazda Miata, was exponentially more competent.

Only when pushed to the absolute limits did it display a hint of understeer or (when poor judgement was a factor..ahem) a bit of oversteer, though this was easily mediated by the standard stability control. I never once turned the stability control off, because I never felt it necessary.

The rest…

While the S2000 is pretty damn close to my ideal car, there are downsides. Fuel consumption was horrendous; I didn't keep any official figures, but officially it gets 18mpg in the city and 25 mpg highway, nothing spectacular. I know that these figures are inflated, because you will be shifting at above 6000rpm a majority of the time, leading the S2000 to consume vast quantities of liquefied dinosaur.

The small trunk is ill suited to carrying anything larger than a fall jacket, and the seats can become uncomfortable after an extended drive. As well bolstered as they are, ergonomics was not the number 1 priority. Larger gentlemen may want to shed some inches from their waistline before driving an S2000, but I can hardly think of a better incentive to hit the treadmill.

Many people have the misconception that the S2000 is a Miata on steroids, but while the Miata is a Lotus Elan 2.0, the S2000 is the distilled essence of the "Honda Way". Honda's stubborn reliance on small, high efficiency engines has cost them in the past (witness the cool reception the the Vigor, RL and 1st generation Odyssey) but in the S2000, it works. None of the 6-cylinder rivals (save for the much pricier Porsche Boxster) can touch it in terms of driving thrill or for that matter, build quality. The Mercedes SLK and BMW Z4 may have more frills, but Hondas are as reliable as death and taxes and the S2000 is scarcely different, if more maintenance intensive.

Conclusion

Sadly, the S2000 closes a chapter on one set of Honda principles (unparalleled performance) while another set (environmental focus and more mainstream appeal) appears ready to take its place. Many people have remarked that the newest Hondas have lost the magic of the old cars, and indeed, the stubborn character and insular corporate culture remains; how else to explain the styling of the new Acuras and the horrible mismanagement of the public's negative reaction to the Honda Crosstour.

While enthusiasts may not be thrilled by the company's new direction, the zeitgeist is shifting, and Honda knows it. Thankfully, the S2000 had a long and illustrious run, and will forever be a credit to the ingenuity that exists at Honda, even if it has now assumed a different form.