Introduction

2008 Honda S2000 CR Preview – New York Auto Show: Depending on who you believe, the Honda S2000 is headed for some major changes after the 2008 model year. Some say it will sprout two more seats and swim with larger fish, while others believe that the S2000 will go even more bare bones and compete with the Mazda MX-5 Miata – the only car endorsed by both sororities and car magazines. Until then, and starting this fall, Honda is injecting the current S2000 with a special “club racer” trim, dubbed the S2000 CR and built to be light and tight on the race track. After all, the current model is just so flabby and boring to drive.

Why it Matters

When one of the most loved “regular guy” sports cars grows a club racer trim, why, there’s plenty to be happy about what that will do to your weekend drives. Given that the S2000 CR has what looks like even tighter seats, a shifter with shorter throws and a stiffer ride, it’s not the car you want to take to the office – unless you plan to leave early and avoid rush hour. The Honda S2000 CR will be available in the fall of 2007 as a separate trim level of the S2000, and will come in a new, sexy “Apex Blue.”

What's Under the Hood

Honda engineers focused on making the S2000 CR lighter and tighter on the track, and did so by reworking the suspension, chassis and by carving off around 150 pounds of weight. According to a Honda spokesperson, however, the actual net weight loss is around 90 pounds once the chassis and body changes are added back into the mix. All told, Honda track rats say that they were able to carve two seconds off their test track times, thanks to an aluminum hard top, increased body rigidity and an aerodynamic body kit. Highlights include a large front spoiler and rear wing, a stubby shifter with shorter throws and a wider rear tire size (Bridgestone Potenza RE070).