Honda S2000 Successor Shooting For 300 HP From 1.5L Turbo
By Paulo Acoba
A Honda S2000 successor is in the works and boy will it be a screamer…a hybrid screamer.
You wouldn’t think that Honda would leave one of its most storied nameplates out to dry without making a comeback now would you. We don’t know who Auto Express is talking to but according to their inside source in Honda earlier today (Oct. 1, 2015) a Honda S2000 successor is very much alive and well and in the works. You can forget about a 2.0 liter screamer as due to stricter emission regulations, they’re looking to stuff its 1.5 liter turbo unit equipped with electrical assist that will see this iteration of S2000 hit close to 300 HP. Keep in mind at best Honda’s legendary F20C pumped out a generous 247 HP and 161 lb-ft of torque from its JDM spec 2.0 liter power unit. That was well over a decade ago. 53 more HP and a bit more lb-ft? We wouldn’t mind onebit Honda.
With the Acura NSX estimated to be priced around $155,000 and the all new Honda Civic Si and Type R variants to be priced in the mid to low $30,000 it would behoove Honda to stuff something smack dab in the middle of that price range. Say hello to the Honda S2000’s successor. For design inspiration, remember that Baby NSX that was making its way around the internet due to some patent drawings Honda filed? Expect the S2000 successor to draw heavily from its big brother, the NSX.
Although McLaren-Honda has had a dismal first season together mostly due to reliability issues, you can thank Honda’s F1 endeavors for fast tracking this Honda S2000 into being a reality.
"“When Honda made its last F1 comeback in 1999, it basically coincided with the development of the original S2000. That’s where you got the first-generation’s screaming 9,000rpm engine.”"
So expect to have McLaren influencing much of the power units hybrid technology as well as possibly a bit of styling? Let’s hope these rumors aren’t just rumors. Honda has been making a comeback of sorts with fans across the world and a new Honda S2000 would cement that comeback as official.