It's not unusual for an automaker to come out with a special limited-run version of an older model in order to spruce up sales -- but you won't find many like this. Honda has taken a cue from Porsche and come out with a lightweight version of the nine-year-old S2000, called the S2000 CR ("Club Racer'). By ditching the stereo, air conditioner and folding roof, Honda was able to jettison nearly 100 lbs (a figure that gets cut in half if you fit the removable aluminum hardtop). The S2000 CR also features quicker steering, better tires, and lighter-weight wheels and brake rotors than the regular S2000, plus it's fitted with a giant front airdam and rear wing that, though silly-looking, is functional. As for handling, let's just say that you'd better know what you're doing before you flip the electronic stability control system off. The S2000 CR really is made for racers.
All of this begs two questions: Do the changes make a difference? And what do they do to the S2000's day-to-day usabilty? Check out my 2008 Honda S2000 CR test drive for the answers. -- Aaron Gold
Photo © Aaron Gold
Just as small and just as light as an old British roadster? First off, I had to go hunting for the curb weight elsewhere to verify your claim. It’s 2,813 lbs w/hardtop, 2,765 w/o. That’s over 1,000 lbs more than my old roadster! (And it’s certainly larger, too.)
Even among modern cars, that’s not particularly lightweight. A 2008 Miata weighs 2,441 lbs. The bloated Solstice GXP is only 150 lbs more, and the teutonic Boxster is even less. And the svelte Lotus Elise is a mere 1,984 lbs – and that’s WITH air conditioning and a radio! (And is a good bit faster, too.)
Sure, the S2000CR is a performer, but at a high cost which is getting close to the Elise, which has the lightweight, performance, and pedigree that the S2000 yearns for but cannot match. $37-38k is just way too much. And if you can’t swing the cost of moving up to an Elise, a lightly used Boxster is a very worthwhile alternative.
Miata is not as fast, tight or reliable. It is a bit lighter. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a blast in it’s own right but certainly not as purposeful.
Having always yearned for a british roadster but not having the patience or stamina to put up with it’s maintenance requirements, I bought an S2000 and haven’t stopped smiling. The extra weight is a nice trade off for the power, handling, reliability and every day livability.
Agree, the CR is overkill and a bit over the top with wings and what not.
The problem with the Boxster is not so much what it is, but what it isn’t. It isn’t a 911.
The Elise is not an acceptable everyday car. It also has serviceability issues depending on where you live.
The Elise is certainly a more practical everyday car than an S2000CR, which is what the review is about. With a standard Toyota engine, basic mechanical reliability should not be all that bad – and it is a true exotic, in looks, performance, and lineage.
Yes, the Miata is a softer car, but then, all the talk about lightening is somewhat out of place when what it probably its prime competitor is ~400 lbs lighter, with all the modern luxuries than the S2000CR lacks. The Miata can certainly easily outfitted as a full-on track car, just look at the huge number you see at any autocross or amateur roadcourse competition.
The Boxster isn’t a 911 – yes, this is true; it isn’t saddled with the primitive notion of sticking the engine way in the back. (And Porsche knows this is a negative, they’re tried to move to a modern modern layout a few times but the diehards always demand that the 911 soldier on, so after 40-some years of development, they’ve almost got it to handle as well as if they put the engine in the middle or front. At least they’ve finally given up on air-cooling.) Give me a Boxster or Cayman any day. Heck, I used to own a 914, and you could swap a 911 engine into it and instantly you’d have a car that was faster and handled better than the 911 that the engine came out of thanks to lighter weight and being mid-engined – of course, the 914 was a bit ugly and got no respect, but the potential was huge. But that’s a whole different topic.
Of course, comparing the S2000CR to a vintage roadster is probably not appropriate as they appeal to different people. An A-H 3000 or Lotus Elan or Jag E-Type owner is unlikely to purchase an S2000, and vice versa.
To sum up – 2,800 lbs for a two-seat, four-cylinder roadster is hardly lightweight by any measure. Imagine if you had the S2000 mechanicals in a car that weighed 400-800 lbs less – you’d REALLY get some pretty serious acceleration and handling out of it. The CR is only saving about 50 lbs over a stock S2000 – your average driver could get the same savings by cutting out dessert and doing a little exercise.
On a completely unrelated note – my wife noticed that you can see not one, but TWO A. Golds if you look closely at the photo of the roof in Aaron’s living room. One of whom is apparently upside-down!
So what is a British roadster/sports car? These are a few of the ones my wife and I owned, loved and REPAIRED:
‘66 E-TYPE JAG
‘69 TRIUMPH GT6+
‘71 LOTUS EUROPA
‘72 TRIUMPH TR6
‘73 MGB GT
‘74 TRIUMPH SPITFIRE
‘76 MG MIDGET
‘07 Mini Cooper(BMW)
So tell me which was the classic British Roadster? I don’t know. But my favorite to drive(handling-wise) was the Lotus Europa…absolutely brilliant! The most endearing…the Jag, which I think is the perfect all time sports car for all around performance/beauty/head turner…EVER!!!
Roadster means no permanent top… so that means that the TR6, Spitfire, and Midget are the only ones that make the cut on that list. (Maybe the Jag if it was a convertible.) And you can debate all day if the BMW Mini is British or German…
I have a ‘66 Lotus Elan S2 in my collection, I think it’s about the most perfect British sports car ever which is why I had to have it.
It’s also a “true” roadster as the top comes off completely from the car and usually is left behind in the garage all summer! Size and weight-wise, it makes the S2000 look like an SUV!
Kyle,considering your favorite was a Lotus, I’m not surprised… but an honorable metion must go to the Spitfire. It was an amazingly fun car to drive, but a terror to keep up. The TR6 is far more durable and considerably faster, but it has a bone jarring ride and lacks precise cornering, even though it’s handling envelope is very large.The worst of the bunch was the Midget. It was simply too primitive, didn’t handle well, too hard to get in and out of…By the way, the Jag WAS a convertible.
Wow, it is not without some degree of envy that I see where your biases come from.
What can I say but “touche”.
I would gladly swap my S2000 for your Elan any day but only for about a week or so. You certainly have more passion and patience for machines than I.
Suffice it to say all of the cars mentioned above are exceptional vehicles with unique qualities that appeal to dedicated gearheads.
Re: The A. Gold thing — J. Kyle is talking about this photo, and yes indeed, well spotted — that’s Andrew behind the glass of the roof, using it as his own personal space fort. I didn’t mention it in the caption ’cause I doubted anyone would notice if they didn’t already know he was there.
And I have to say you have a good point on those older roadsters in terms of weight — but don’t forget power, which would be proportionally lower on those older cars. And I have to be honest, I wasn’t thinking so much of the Elan — more of bigger, more common (in the US) cars such as the Alfa Spyder, Fiat 124, MG MGB, Triumph TR6, etc. (And when I say “more common” I mean “more common in places where they didn’t rust to pieces in 10 years.”)
Last time I checked, Alfa and Fiat have never made a British roadster.
(I see you updated the review to state “European roadster”.)
Regardless, we’re still talking about a “lightweight” that’s 400 lbs more than a Miata and 800 more than an Elise and only 50 lbs less (according to the official numbers) than the normal one.
No updates, my man — that’s what it always said, European. I was thinking specifically about English and Italian cars.
You know I like the look of the s2000, but it’s front engine design does nothing for me. After driving a mid engine design I would never buy another front engine design due to it’s hard riding and stiff suspension. The lotus is a much better car! Faster, corners better, gets great MPG’s.