Forget the guilt

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2005 (7570 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA– Guilt came over me as I hit the 8,000 r.p.m. redline in our Berlina black, 2005 Honda S2000 media car.

Guilt, in only second gear, because the revs arrived so fast in this $50,000 sports car that the electronic limiter stepped in to prevent me from spinning the 2.2-litre engine into little pieces.

Guilt, because I should’ve known better. Should have been more attentive to the engine and its racing livery.

Then, just a few weeks later, I watched BAR-Honda race-car driver Jenson Button slide into the perforated red and black leather seats of this very same convertible.

With the fluids still cool, he revved the engine, dropped the clutch and spun those fat, 17-inch rear tires, roaring off through a series of strategically placed orange cones on the tarmac at the PMG Test Centre in Blainville, Que.

As he seared through the course, taking the car to a level it had never seen, I could hear, again and again, the rev-limiter reining in the exuberance of his youth and racing pedigree.

I watched in delight when, for fun, he laid down a half dozen or more black doughnuts in not only an admirable display of driving prowess, but an impressive show of this car’s awesome performance.

And the guilt was gone.

Such is the spell of the S2000: It turns regular drivers into racers, and real racers into rebels. It’s one of those rare cars that is pretty much impossible to drive in a tame and lawful manner.

Stiff as a rail car, the S2000 feels like a genuine sports car from the moment you climb in. Sure, getting in with dignity takes practice. But once you’re seated, your legs stretch straight to aluminum pedals. The fit is snug, not tight. I half expected someone to announce it was time to start the engine.

From the cocoon of the driver’s seat, visibility is good all around when the top is down. It’s not so good with the top up when the blind spot looms noticeably large, though it’s nothing that can’t be overcome with a wide-angle adjustment of the side mirrors.

With the top down, the car’s beltline comes up to the shoulder. The leather seats are firm; elbow padding is thin, but the steering wheel is fat and leathery and positioned just right.

Interior controls are limited to only the most basic. The radio volume and fan controls are mounted just a finger extension away from the wheel. The stereo hides behind an aluminum door. Storage space, too is geared only to essentials — there’s room for some CDs, a cellphone and charger, wallet and maybe a pack of gum and can of soda.

In the trunk, two overnight bags will max out the balance of storage space. Instrumentation is digital and basic. A push-button start for the engine comes across as a bit gimmicky because the key still needs to be in the ignition and turned on. But once the engine fires, the soul of this roadster comes to life.

Responding to complaints the S2000 took too many revs to produce any kind of low-end grunt, Honda installed a slightly bigger engine in the 2004 model, raising displacement to 2.2 litres from 2.0. The same engine is used in 2005. Horsepower is unchanged at 240.

Bolted to a tight-shifting six-speed manual, the 16-valve four-cylinder produces its maximum torque of 162 pound-feet at 6,500 r.p.m., down from 7,500, sending the power to a limited-slip rear differential. While the torque adjustment is welcome, the engine still needs to be worked hard to be robust.

Even though the engine seems to enjoy spinning like it was pulled from a superbike, the exhaust note isn’t entirely pleasing.

Spirited driving takes effort, too, because wringing out speed requires a sustained commitment to high r.p.m. that makes for a pretty noisy ride.

Precise steering and crisp handling remain hallmarks of the S2000. Take the car into your favourite sweep of country curves and it seems to ask: “Is that all you’ve got?”

But be warned: Apply the throttle too liberally on one of those bends and the rear end will step out as fast as a deer from the bush. And there is nothing to save you: In keeping with its minimalist theme, no stability or traction control is installed.

Mitigating the oversteer is a steering setup so responsive that it’s easy to correct any unintended trajectories when things get ugly. In more dire situations, large, four-wheel ABS disc brakes stop the car with seatbelt-tugging briskness.

Unlike most convertibles, the S2000 looks sharp even with the top up. Over rough roads, only the smallest vibration around the windshield frame is detected, much less than in the Mazda Miata.

The roof, with a glass rear window, folds away quickly by releasing two latches on the windshield frame and by pushing a single button on the centre console. It can’t be opened while moving.

Chrome, dual exhaust pipes, chin spoiler, high-intensity discharge headlamps and long hood reminiscent of an old Jaguar XKE round out the beautifully rendered look of the S2000. It’s particularly impressive in black.

Involving, visceral and alive, the S2000 is a true enthusiast’s car. It may be coming due for a redesign, but the 2005 model shows that Honda isn’t all about building safe, reliable family cars, but about building cars as though every ride were meant to be a race.

–CanWest News Service

The Specs

2005 Honda S2000

Type: Roadster, rear-wheel drive.

Seats: Two.

Price as tested: $52,485 plus $1,425 freight and delivery.

Base price: $49,800.

Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder, variable valve timing, dual overhead camshafts; 240 h.p. at 7,800 r.p.m., 162 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,500 r.p.m.

Transmission: Six-speed manual.

Tires: Front: 215/45R17, rear: 245/40R17.

Brakes: Disc/disc with anti-lock.

Curb weight: 1,290 kg (2,844 lb.).

Wheelbase: 2,400 (94.5 in.).

Chassis: X-bone frame with centre tunnel.

Suspension: Four-wheel independent double-wishbone with coil springs and front/rear stabilizer bars.

Passenger volume: 1,370 litres (48.4 cubic feet).

Cargo capacity: 152 litres (5.4 cubic feet).

Notable standard features: Electrically powered top, high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps, dual chrome exhaust pipes, push-button start, air conditioning, perforated leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum shift knob, keyless remote entry, cruise control, AM/FM stereo with CD player and remote controls, aluminum sill plates.

Notable options: Body kit (includes side skirts and front, rear spoiler).

Consumer Reports predicted reliability: Average.

Fuel consumption, L/100 km (m.p.g.): City 12.0 (23), Highway 8.5 (33).

Fuel grade: Premium.

Warranty, yrs./km: Basic 3/60,000, powertrain: 5/100,000.

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