2008 honda s2000 CR

[tien2cool]

anyone heard of the knew s2000 CR (club racer), if not i have pix here. IMO i like the seats that comes with it. Looks more crazy than clean.
Honda S2000 CR Concept - RSportsCars.com

[karnito]

yes. There is a thread on this site talking about it;

and here too. The respond is mixed.

2008 Honda S2000 CR Prototype - S2000 Club of America Forums

[fhinner]

So I looked at the thread and saw a couple of interesting comments. Still after looking at all of it don't really like what they did with the car and the hp is not impressive either.

I like the tonneau cover, but would question if it really fits over the softtop. I bought one for my S with the promise "yeahhhh it will fit no problem". To make a long story short it does now after 6 hours of modifications........on all the OEM ones they make you take the softtop out.

Also to pickup on a point Java enjoys making, I realized that I only use the cover on longer trips with stretches of multi lane highways where you drive higher speed. As the darn thing gets in the way all the time and handicaps you when it starts to rain as you have to add 2 minutes of getting the darn thing off before you can use the speed of your automated top to pull a roof over you head in 6 seconds.

What looks interesting is the Hardtop over the tonneau, wonder how they did that. Might have to check into that.

Really don't like the wing on the back and the seats are not my style either.

All in all they should my take is they should have not screwed with perfection......or if they really wanted to do something add more power. I understand the weight reduction and all, but the S will not get a Lotus weight wise and then I would rather compensate with more power.... but that is just me.

Be well, Franz

[Swingle1]

The way I read it, there isn't a softtop at all. They're getting the weight reduction of ~90# since there's no softtop and (more importantly) no mechanism by which to raise or lower it.

Hard to imagine there being too much demand for this thing. But then, if I worked in Marketing, I'd probably be starving.

[fhinner]

Hhhhhmmm that makes sense then the tonneau would not have to be modified to much, rather installed.

Check out the pictures connected to the S2K link there is actually a photo of a hardtopped version. So maybe they are trying to sell this as a club racer with hardtop and you take it off for track purposes.

I figure there might be a couple of companies that will sell a persenning style thing like for the old Morgan's and Triumphs.

Anywho I think I stick with my '03.

[gomarlins3]

Not impressed. I will stick with mine thanks.

[Java Junky]

Trust me fhinn, the dissatisfaction with the missed opportunity for a power increase by Ma Honda ain't jus' you. Not by a long shot.
Look at all the contortions n' dream chasin' that's goin' on just on this site to eke a few more horse out'a Stewie. No. 'Ain't jus' you pal.
(Dang hearin' aid mus' be actin' up agin . . could'a swore I heared Morgan n' Triumph. 'Voice sounded familiar too. 'Think it said beer a bit earlier)
Fact is Honda's already got our money. They're not interested in sellin' us a "new" Stewie. But somebody's been studyin' the marketin' profiles n'z decided that there's alodda ricers spendin' cash out there.
Hmmm-m-m-m-m . . . if the early version was an AP1, n' the last version was an AP2 . . . does that make this the CRAP3?
Be well.
Java

[Swingle1]

CRAP3!!?? Maybe the line of the month. And the month ain't half over yet!

[bjurasz]

Love the wheels, I want them on my car. Photographs 2 and 4 are really good, I love shots like that. I like the seats. Don't like wings on street cars. I'm so-so on the tonneau cover.

[leo520]

you all are right man Honda got out Fu*king money allready .. they don't care what people think they care about money only... haha
lolz

[Vezna31]

If I could order it without the rice wing and definitely in a different color, I would think about it, otherwise

[griffon]

That hard top does you a lot of good when it's in your garage and it starts pouring.

[bjurasz]

They way I see it, Honda definitely expects this to be a Club Racer, not a daily driver. The lack of a soft top, the lack of A/C, etc. But I wonder if they need a dedicated racing series to really make this take off?

[Java Junky]

Dunno bj, I would think that most folks that're gonna field a car will take somethin' recent n' wrench it to where they want it for the track.
I don't doubt that there're folks out there who have the money to buy somethin' like this, box-stock, to "race" 'cause they don't know which end of a wrench to hold, but that ain't much of a market for Honda to be shootin' for.
I don't think that we're much of a market either, but we've certainly been more of one than they would be.
Totally personal, but, I think what we're watchin' happen is jus' a dismissive, half-hearted effort to cash in on an agin' design for another year r' so. Stewie's become the past-tense fighter that's an annoyance to the manager while the manager tries to concentrate on his new, up-n'-comin' meal-ticket/s. Honda's thrown the towel in on Stewie guys.
Be well.
Java

[bjurasz]

Java, you might be right about throwing in the towell. I guess my comments were directed in two ways (perhaps poorly directed). For one it appears to truly be a Club Racer. I'm not sure Griffon realized this. As such Honda doesn't expect people to worry about being caught in the rain without the hard top. Its a non-issue for a car like this. And for two I don't see the REASON for a Club Racer to begin with. Without a dedicated racing class whose going to buy it to go racing with? Seems too simple to buy an ordinary S2000 and race it. There isn't enough different with this car.

Mazda has done a great job with the racing. Miata's have their own SCCA road racing class. They are extremely popular in autocrossing. And Mazda actually markets the Miata. Seems to me that Honda never marketed the S2000 and then gets disappointed in their sales numbers so decides to stop making the car. Kinda makes me shake my head. Cars just don't sell themselves you know.

[clark5708]

What a tragedy. The seats, the color, the nose, where does it end, they're all awful in my opinion. For a company that does a better job with styling than most other automakers, this is a ......... I can't even think of the word/s to describe it. Anyone who drops the cash to purchase one of these blue turds better plan on taking a huge hit if they ever sell it.
Does anyone else think the S2000 will be a "classic" some day? I know it'll never be a Mustang or a Camaro for example, but I just have a gut feelin' that you may never find a 240hp, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine roadster for under $30,000 ever again. This both excites me (future value) and terrifies me when I'm on the road, that something bad will happen to it.
(Already been rear-ended once. Owned the car for a month.) Anyone else stocking up on parts already? I''ve seen a few "totaled" cars for $3500 with plenty of good parts left on them. Seems like this might be a good investment if one had somewhere to store it.

[bjurasz]

I might take flak for this but here goes. I love my S2000 but I have always felt Honda was very bland in styling. Very conservative. And really the S2000 is that to me. There is nothing striking about the styling of a Civic, Accord, or even an S2000. But I really like it anyway.

Will the S2000 ever be a classic? No. The styling is very conservative. It never sold all that well. Very nice car but has its shortcomings. It didn't fundamentally change the automotive world. Its not a Pony Car. Its not a Corvette or Thunderbird. It doesn't have pedigree like a Jag or Ferrari. Stocking up on parts? I have an uncle who has a 1986 Buick Grand National. He once thought that car would become a classic as well. I mean that car was the fastest quarter-mile American car produced that year. Faster than Corvette in a straight line, largest turbo ever used, yadda yadda. They're not quite the collector car people once thought they'd become.

[Java Junky]

Ain't gonna be any flak from my direction beej. While I do think that the nose of the car ain't bad lookin', as you all probably've heard too many times already, I think that the crew that designed the nose went off-duty n' the rest of the car was designed by the floor sweepers . . r' possibly the same guy that designs those fat-butted Hyundais. I'd give it a 5 at best.
So, I sure'z hell didn't buy into this because I thought the car was good-lookin'.
But, regardless . . . as it starts to sink in on believers (read: drivers) n' those well-heeled collectors (read: clueless anti-drivers with cash) that're puttin' anything mechanical that we used to be able to afford (read: classics, muscle cars, farm tractors, fire engines, aircraft n' anything else that can be put into some Raiders-of-the-Lost-Arc @*#&in' warehouse as an @*#&in' investment) I do believe that the CRAP3 is gonna drive home the fact that there's only so many real Stewies out there n' we may see them become a commodity that we're all gonna look back on n' wished we'd'a stocked up on a few when we had the chance.
N' I don't mind tellin' ya that, this is one time I really hope I'm wrong.
Be well. N' watch out for Volvos (Even parked ones).
Java

[Whiplash]

You guys are pretty tough with the threads I just read! Remember; Honda's in business to make MONEY! This car seems to be alot closer to what I want. Maybe the power requirements aren't sufficient, but it probably would cost $5000 to bring the 2006 up to the standard of thr CR and it would probably weigh 300 to 400 pounds heavier.

I appreciate any decenting veiws! Have at it!

[gomarlins3]

Actually, I think your guess on the cost to upgrade your '06 may be a bit low. The hard top alone will cost you AT LEAST half thatamount. You will need to buy wider whels and tires and change the suspension. The wheels and tires alone may make up the difference with your guess and that doesn't include the shocks and springs you need to buy. The larger sway will be somewhat pricy as well. No telling how much it will cost to recover the seatsd to fabric, but you could buy someone's old ones and sell your new ones to cut the cost. You also need to increase the rigidity through the soft top storage area although that may just be a larger rear STB.

As for the weight, you could get pretty close by taking things out yourself and buying lighter weight produces during your upgrade.

[Swingle1]

Like I said earlier, if I tried to make a living in the Marketing game, I'd go hungry. That said, I just can't imagine there being much of a demand for this thing. Let's face it, the standard S is pretty much a niche product. Whiplash, I'm sure you're not the only one who'd plunk down that kind of money, but I doubt there'd be very many.
I tend to think a guy would be better off buying an old AP1 and investing the difference into more horsepower.

[bjurasz]

Swingle1, getting an old AP1 and buying more horsepower may not be the legal way to go club racing, however. And if the CR is really targeted towards the club racer crowd, the SCCA only allows certain modifications in certain classes. This might be a way for Honda to get a faster S2000 legal for the A-Stock class. One bad thing about an S2000 for any serious racing, however, is how difficult it is to put a roll bar, let alone a cage, into the car. One of the strong points about the Miata.

[Java Junky]

I'm pretty much readin' it the same way bj. 'Seems to be more a case'a braggin' rights than truly intended for any current competition.
Be well.
Java

[bjurasz]

Anyone know why every article I read on the CR says the rear tire is wider, but the specs say its the same old 245-40-17 that is on the current cars?

Also, I still really want those rims!

[batguano]

[Scott]

Originally Posted by bjurasz

Anyone know why every article I read on the CR says the rear tire is wider, but the specs say its the same old 245-40-17 that is on the current cars?

Perhaps they meant to say that the rear wheel is wider, and they just stretched a 245 on it to appease the hip JDM crowd.


EDIT: Obviously, I am just kidding. The day Honda made the car less safe just to please some emo kids, will be the day I sell mine.

[Swingle1]

I guess I'm showing my un-hipness, but what does JDM mean?

[Vezna31]

Originally Posted by Swingle1

I guess I'm showing my un-hipness, but what does JDM mean?

It's an aftermarket manufacturer.

[bjurasz]

Quote: Perhaps they meant to say that the rear wheel is wider, and they just stretched a 245 on it to appease the hip JDM crowd.

Could be. But if so, that ruins my plans to buy those rims. If the wheel is wider than my stock '06 rims I would not be able to run a stock class any longer. Its the only thing keeping me from buying BBS RGR's (front fitment is .5" wider).

[Bartikus]

Originally Posted by Swingle1

I guess I'm showing my un-hipness, but what does JDM mean?

It means Japanese Domestic Market. It means something that is made and sold in Japan, but not generally available other places. With respect to cars, often the same model is sold in japan with different features than what is sold in other places like the USA. Also, many tuner companies for the S2000 are "JDM" but through various resources are available for purchase in the USA. One will also see USDM, which means Unoted States Domestic Market, and refers to the specs and features of cars as they sold in the USA.

For example, JDM side markers refer to the clear sidemarkers on the S2000, as that is how the car is sold in Japan. The orange side markers are USDM.

Japan Car Show Archive

[Fighting For Air]

Originally Posted by bjurasz

Anyone know why every article I read on the CR says the rear tire is wider, but the specs say its the same old 245-40-17 that is on the current cars?

Also, I still really want those rims!

My CR came with 255 shoes on the rear ... 215s up front.

[Dmaye]

[quote=fhinner;12149]So I looked at the thread and saw a couple of interesting comments. Still after looking at all of it don't really like what they did with the car and the hp is not impressive either.

I like the tonneau cover, but would question if it really fits over the softtop. I bought one for my S with the promise "yeahhhh it will fit no problem". To make a long story short it does now after 6 hours of modifications........on all the OEM ones they make you take the softtop out.

Also to pickup on a point Java enjoys making, I realized that I only use the cover on longer trips with stretches of multi lane highways where you drive higher speed. As the darn thing gets in the way all the time and handicaps you when it starts to rain as you have to add 2 minutes of getting the darn thing off before you can use the speed of your automated top to pull a roof over you head in 6 seconds.

What looks interesting is the Hardtop over the tonneau, wonder how they did that. Might have to check into that.

If u find out anything please post I like the cover under the hard top. To hell with the soft top