It's Official: Honda Announces the End of the Most Amazing Roadster Ever Produced in Japan : Nihon Car .com

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It's Official: Honda Announces the End of the Most Amazing Roadster Ever Produced in Japan

Tags: HONDA, S2000, RAODSTER, V-TEC

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It's Official: Honda Announces the End of the Most Amazing Roadster Ever Produced in Japan

We've heard rumors about this for a long time and we all knew it was going to happen sooner or later, it's now official, Honda will stop production of the S2000 in June (2009).

I'm very sad to hear this... First produced in 1999, The 10 year old S2000 Roadster started showing it's age, but we all dreamed of a new and more powerful engine... The four cylinder natural aspirated engine V-TEC (2.2l since 2005) was a wonder and I enjoyed my self each time I drove one of Honda’s S2000 press cars, kicking in the V-TEC and keeping it high in rev for greater pleasure.

This reminds me of a wonderful time we had with another notorious French motor journalist (hi Cyril). Last year we fought on the mountainous roads of Nikko testing both the S2000 and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster.  Definitely outperformed on straight aways by the V8 Vantage, the S2000 was way more agile and fun to drive on curves

Farewell my dear friend, I will miss you and even if I wished Honda would give you a second chance with a more powerful engine, you were, like the NSX, a great and fun car to drive.

January 27, 2009-Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced that it will discontinue production of the S2000 sports car. The production for all regions will conclude by the end of June 2009.

The S2000 made its debut in 1999, as a genuine open FR sports car with what was at the time the world's top level, high performance 4-cylinder normally aspirated engine and an ideal 50:50 front/rear body weight distribution that provided a "fun to drive" spirit and the "joy of driving". In addition to dynamic performance, S2000 had environmental responsibility and the world's top level crash safety represented by an exhaust gas level that was more than 50 percent lower than the emission regulations value at that time and adoption of a newly developed body frame for an open structure that achieved the same level crashworthiness as a closed body vehicle. The S2000 continued to evolve, with performance improvements including VGS (Variable Gear ratio Steering), change of tire size and increased displacement. As a result, the S2000 achieved total sales of more than 20,000 units in Japan, and total worldwide sales of more than 110,000* units during the nine years it was in production.
* as of the end of December 2008

Sep. 1998 - S2000 prototype introduced at Honda 50th Anniversary Ceremony
Apr. 1999 - S2000 Debut (2.0L 4-cylinder Normal Aspiration DOHC VTEC engine Max. Output: 250PS/8,300rpm, Max. rpm: 9,000rpm, Max. Torque: 22.2kgm/7,500rpm. World's highest performance engine among 2.0L 4-cylinder normally aspirated engines at that time)
Jul. 2000 - Add "Type-V" (equipped world's first VGS [Variable Gear ratio Steering])
Sep. 2001 - Custom Color Plan (Customer can choose from 13 exterior colors, 5 interior colors/patterns and 2 hood colors.)
Oct. 2002 - Special Edition "Gioire" (2 exclusive exterior colors, chrome door mirrors, gold wheels, tan interior color )
Oct. 2003 - Minor model change (17-inch aluminum wheel, exterior and interior changes)
Apr. 2004 - Production was transferred from the Tochigi Factory (Takanezawa Plant) to Suzuka Factory
Nov. 2005 - Minor model change (engine displacement: 2.0L > 2.2L [increased torque at low and mid range], DBW [Drive By Wire], Exterior and Interior design changes)
Oct. 2007 - Minor model change (equipped with VSA and satellite speakers as standard equipment)
Added new grade "Type-S" (exclusively designed seat, shift knob, front and rear spoiler)

Posted on 27/01/09 By G-A.G

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Posted on Tue Jan 27, 02:18 by wanderer
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we will forever remember you s2000!

Posted on Tue Jan 27, 03:52 by JapanCarBlog, Full Time Guy, Toronto
Home Page: http://japancarblog.com
No biggie. They'll have bigger and better things with the next roadster.

In the meantime lets give the Mazda roadster the attention it deserves too.

Posted on Wed Jan 28, 03:22 by mm, sales, canada
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good riddance

Posted on Wed Jan 28, 04:13 by Rice1
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It was a good run while it lasted.

Posted on Wed Jan 28, 05:26 by Hondarookie, Autotech, Gallifrey
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If the Civic and Accord is still alive why not S2000? It was a great 10 years in the road but I do wish it would never stop. Especially with the new proposal of a 2010 model. It couldn't happen in a better time then the economic crisis. The future is vast, a S2000 cousin will take it's place! S3000 Honda?

Posted on Wed Jan 28, 08:08 by Rice1
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Hondarookie, the civic and accord are around because they sell a crapload of them each year making both the cars and their parts more cost effective to produce. The S2K, on the other hand, are produced and sold in limited numbers.

Therefore, the civic/accord is the bread and butter of the company, so they survive, while the S2K gets canned to save money, time, and space at the factories.

Posted on Wed Jan 28, 10:07 by madbalee, _, Budapest, Hungary
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After Prelude and NSX we have to say good by for another amazing Honda ((

Posted on Thu Jan 29, 09:50 by nihauh, artist, Sydney, Australia
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There still the MX5 which is so much better.

Posted on Fri Jan 30, 05:47 by Jsmalls
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Honda is officially BORING

I was happy when they canceled that abortion of a next-gen NSX, but this on the other hand is tragic

The two children of Ken Okuyama and Shigeru Uehara are now dead

Posted on Mon Feb 02, 05:31 by RASHEED, STUDENT, NICOSIA
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A
M
U
S
E

amuse owner

Died

last year too.....

RIP

Posted on Thu Feb 12, 01:04 by Tiresguy, Tire sales, California
Home Page: http://www.discountpartcenter.com/
I am so sad they will discontinue this car, it is just like the NSX.

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