Secrets Behind Honda’s Iconic Roadster Revealed

Today, we regard Honda’s S2000 as one of the Japanese automaker’s most revered sports cars. The compact two-door boasts both agility, power and superb handling, making it an instant classic in the automotive world. Not least because of a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four which seemed to be able to rev for as long as you could keep your right foot planted in the corner.

That wailing sound of the four-cylinder, though, nearly never made it to the production line. When Honda lifted the covers of its new concept model at the 1995 Tokyo Auto Show, the car in front of the crowd sported an inline-five. Luckily, the right decisions were made. But here’s a look at the curious backstory of one of the best compact roadsters out there today.

This article focuses on the SSM concept car, which Honda has showcased since 1995 at various auto shows around the globe, as a way to show the genesis of one of the most popular roadsters in the automotive scene.

Honda’s SSM Show Stunner: Birth Of The S2000

Key Facts To Know About The Honda S2000

• Designed by Daisuke Sawai
• Produced from 1999 to 2009
• Sales topped 110,000
• Highest-ranked model in the JD Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study “Premium Sports Car” class for 2004, 2006, and 2008

The mid-1990s was a period in automotive history bursting with exuberance. With “Y2K” (the year 2000) on everyone’s lips, manufacturers turned their focus to fun cars to drive, something that would reflect the general energy and spark of the era, anticipating the changing of the century. Mercedes and BMW opened the slate with the SLK and Z3, respectively, in 1995, while Audi (TT, 1999) and Porsche (Boxster, 1996) soon followed in their tread marks. Very soon, the performance coupe and roadster would become a new, and popular, segment in the automotive world, lasting for around two decades until the market’s taste faded off.

Over in Japan, in the early 1990s, Honda was quietly working on its own open-top roadster project. With the help of Italian design supremos, Pininfarina, a neat roadster was penned down. It very much resembled the later production version of what we would know as the S2000, but with some distinct differences. First was the long, rakish hood. The headlights, positioned low in the nose, also stood out, as did the rather flat panes on the flanks, with minimal accent lines, and the massive diffuser at the rear.

More curious, though, was the interior. The SSM (Sport Study Model), which made its debut at the 1995 Tokyo Auto Show, had two separate pods for the driver and passenger. Behind their heads sat big hoops, and in front of the driver was a digital binnacle, with a gear-shifter positioned high to his left. Did we mention the concept car also didn’t have any roof, cloth or otherwise, to speak of?

Inline-5 For The Show Car

But perhaps the most intriguing aspect for show-goers, back then, was that the sleek roadster was powered by a 2.0-liter inline-5. This was a rather new idea, with the naturally-aspirated engine red-lining at a lofty 8,000 rpm. Another thing to note was that the SSM was engineered with a steel monocoque and the dual cockpits were lined with composite panels to save weight.

The concept borrowed quite a few items from the bigger NSX sports car of the same era. Like the double wishbone suspension, front and rear, made of lightweight aluminum. It also received the NSX’s F-Matic four-speed auto-box, but now with an extra cog.

Now, today, an automatic gearbox is nothing to frown upon, as they provide quick and accurate changes. But in the 1990s, the era of sluggish torque converters, this was anathema to the sports car world. Honda did, though, provide a novelty to the ‘box in the shape of a lever behind the steering which, when pulled, would manually change up or down the gears for you.

All in all, the 1995 SSM concept car was already a piece of brilliance. It had a compact, but rather intriguing 2.0-liter inline-5, rear-wheel drive, and a perfect 50-50 weight distribution. The car world couldn’t wait for the real thing.

The S2000: Honda’s Y2K sports car

We had to wait till 1999 for Honda’s new front mid-engined sports car to come to fruition. The cleverly named S2000 – which both referred to the 2,0-liter engine size as the year 2000 – was immediately a crowd favorite and show stunner. Honda’s designer, Daisuke Sawai – the same person behind the SSM – gave more life to the concept’s flat sides and rakish nose. The S2000 lost the big diffuser, the headlights were moved up higher, and the hoops were ditched. Also, it gained a soft top. And yes, the pods were discarded for a normal interior, but with the curved dashboard still driver focused.

But the most important change occurred under the hood. The odd five-cylinder was switched for a more conventional inline-4. The red line was also notched higher, to a wailing-high 9,000 rpm. And the NSX’s auto box was thrown out, in favor of a six-speed manual. Luckily, the front/rear double wishbone suspension setup was kept as is in the concept model.

Thanks to the 2.0-liter’s high red-line, the 237-hp two-seater produced an astonishing power-to-engine-size ratio (119 hp per liter) of any mass-produced naturally aspirated car of the time. Features include independent double wishbone suspension, electrically assisted steering and integrated roll hoops.

Lots of accolades for the S2000

The performance was sublime. The light sports car (2,809 pounds) banged out of corners without resistance, while the engine screamed all the way to the lofty red-line. Gearshifts were quick and slick, and handling was balanced and poised. No wonder the S2000 racked up the accolades, with several magazines ranking it as the best sports car at the time. It also received a Red Dot Design Award in 2001 in the “Best of the Best” category.

Other Compact Sports Cars To Consider

Porsche Boxster (986)

Nearly three decades old, the original Porsche Boxster today still looks fresh and sporty in its timeless design. The air-inlets in front of the rear wheels were a novel touch, as well as the egg-headlights with their bright orange indicators sitting on each corner of the nose. The 2.7-liter flat-six was good enough for the entry models, but the one you’d really like to have is the 3.2-liter flat-six, in the Boxster S. The whirring sound of the boxer-engine was enough to make the smallest Porsche stood out, and the performance and road holding was exceptional. Plus, you’re buying into history, as the Boxster was what saved Porsche when it hit the doldrums in sales in the mid-1990s. The rest, as they say, was history.

BMW Z4

The earlier Z3 (1995) was the model which ran in the new segment for compact, affordable sports cars. But dynamically, as well as handling and build quality, the models you should aim for are the Z4’s of the next generation (). Starting in 2003, the car was designed by now-notorious automotive designer Chris Bangle. Known for his penchant for “flame”-designs, the Z4 actually worked excellently (visually) when viewed in low light, when the sun and shadows would play on the sculpted surfaces of his designs. The 2.5-liter models were the pick of the bunch, providing a sweet-sport for performance, handling and price.

Audi TT RS

Audi stunned the automotive world with its classic, Bauhaus-styled design for its own stab at the new sports car segment when it unveiled its new TT concept car to the world at the 1995 Frankfurt Auto Show. When the production version came to light, in 1999, it retained much of the concept’s stunning, convex lines, most importantly on the roof, the nose and tail, and the wheel arches. It was an odd but striking design. The car itself was very much build-by-numbers, though. It rode on the Volkswagen Group’s small platform which it shared with the Golf and A3, and used the same 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-4 to drive the front wheels. You had to wait for the next generation’s (2006) specialist model, the racy TT RS, to have some real fun. The TT RS used a new 2.5-liter inline-5 with turbocharging, powering all four wheels, to really make an impact on the sports car scene.

Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG

Just as was the case with the TT RS, one had to wait for the second generation (2003) of Mercedes’ SLK family of roadsters to really find the true sports car in the lineup, the SLK 55 AMG. While the first generation (1995) did have a hot AMG version, this only used a 3.2-liter V6. When the second-gen was introduced, AMG put their big 5.4-liter V8 in the nose, raising performance and engine sound to the max. The SLK has always been scoffed at as being a hairdresser’s car, but in the subsequent AMG models it really had a bulldog at hand.

Conclusion

With the S2000 being one of the most beloved Honda sports cars in existence, few would know that it nearly had an inline-5 under the nose, with a lower red-line. This would’ve changed the car’s character, as we’ve come to know it today. Luckily, the right decisions were made around the boardroom, and the S2000 burst onto the scene with all its peculiar characteristics we appreciate so much today. Because isn’t that what the automotive world needs today, a special sports car with its own unique character?

Sources: Honda, Audi, BMW, Porsche