Considering their long history with practical, front-wheel cars, it may be hard to believe that the first production car from Honda was a rear-wheel drive roadster known as the S500. When the final evolution of the model went out of production in 1970, it took another 29 years for Honda to return to the format—the S2000 places a 2-liter engine up front, but just behind the front axle for optimum weight distribution. That engine is a remarkable piece of engineering, being one of the highest specific output engines without a turbo or supercharger, making 247 horsepower at a stratospheric 8,300 RPM. The S2000 is less of a car than it is a precise tool for surgical driving, with controls and responsiveness that would make fighter pilots jealous. Stab the throttle to rev the S2000 higher than 6,000 RPM, sending the LED tachometer bar shooting to the right, and it’s like lighting off a jet’s afterburners—Honda’s VTEC system switches over to the high-lift cam, and the S2000 rockets forward with an authoritative bark. The sensation is addictive. The S2000 is great to drive, but it’s not hard to look at, either; the clean and classic lines of this modern “S” roadster will please drivers and Honda enthusiasts for generations.
