2017 Honda S2000

The original S2000, as well as its second generation, have been two of the most loved convertibles ever made. After many people lost hope for a successor, it now seems that Honda may release one for their 70th anniversary. The car would likely be first unveiled as the 2017 Honda S2000, but it would hit the market around a year later. At this point, the car is nothing but a rumor but considering Honda’s latest endeavor, the Type R, it is safe to assume that the S2000 is closer to release than most people think.

For starters, unlike what some said, the S2000 would remain a two-door convertible which is the essence of this model. Because of that, it would have to compete with cars like the Jaguar F-Type as well as the Porsche Boxster.

Source: caranddriver.com

The competitors?

Some rumors suggested at first that Honda would aim the Miata but these rumors were quickly discarded after some more information has been revealed about it. For starters, the car should cost north of $40,000 for a base model which is quite a bit more expensive than the Miata. This is also considerably more than the previous S2000, but just like the NSX, the S2000 is going to be a much better product. It will be faster, better to drive and a lot more focused than before. So far Honda does not really have a proper platform to base the upcoming S2000.

Because of that, we are quite sure that they might use the highly modular chassis of the new Civic which has been rumored to support rear wheel drive as well. However, this chassis has a transverse front engine which would not work in the S2000 so it might be nothing more than a rumor.

You might also like:

2018 Toyota Camry
2019 Mazda RX-9
2019 Cadillac CT8

2017 Honda S2000

Because the 2017 Honda S2000 will have to be one of the most striking cars in its class to be successful, it would make sense for Honda to borrow most of the design scheme found on the NSX. The early renders show just that, and the result is impressive. We expect the car to feature a highly stylized NSX-like design with a more aggressive note. This would make it a viable solution to compete with the highly exotic cars in this class. Some even said the car would be sold as an Acura, but this is nothing but a small rumor at this point. The S2000 will offer the iconic design of a roadster with a long hood, a cabin moved as far back as possible and very likely a soft top.

Inside the cabin

Because the car will be aimed at drivers, the S2000 will more than likely feature a driver-focused interior. Expect it to be quite minimalist as well in order to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor. While some suggested the car would not offer much regarding technology, this may not be true. Why? Well, they would have to compete with the likes of Porsche and Jaguar and a car with no commodities would not be able to compete at all.

2017 Honda S2000

The long hood will not be there just for show. Like the original, the 2017 Honda S2000 is more than likely going to feature a mid-mounted front engine. This will allow Honda to keep a nearly perfect weight distribution and it should allow for great driving characteristics. The original S2000 used a naturally aspirated 2-liter engine. It seems that the new one is going to stick with part of this recipe. The car is expected to get a turbocharged 2 liter inline 4 VTEC unit, the same used on the Type R.

This engine will likely be tuned for over 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque and it will most likely be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. A mechanical limited slip differential will likely send the power between the rear wheels, and the result should be nothing short of amazing. While the car may seem a bit down on power when compared to its rivals, the S2000 will likely weigh a lot less than them.

Because of that, the tiny engine and manual transmission should make it a blast to drive. Early rumors suggest a 0 to 60 MPH in the neighborhood of 4 seconds and a top speed higher than 150 MPH.