Honda S2000

Honda S2000 generations: what actually changed

Overlap of dates (2003-09) is in the data; treat late-2003 cars by the generation label on the version, not by guessing a cutover day.

1 generation (1999-04-01 – 2003-09-30) is the lightest slice of the range. Three versions: 2.0 MT 250 hp, 2.2 MT 239 hp, 2.0 MT 240 hp. Front brakes are Ventilated disc; rear are Disc. Ground clearance is 130 mm on all three. Kerb weight is 1240 kg on the 250 hp car and 1260 kg on the other two. Gross weight is 1535 kg on all three. The 250 hp 2.0 MT is the only version in the whole catalogue with 0–100 km/h in 5.7 s.

1 generation, restyling (2003-09-01 – 2010-01-31) keeps Cabrio, RWD, Manual 6, and the same two displacements, but the set grows to four versions: 2.0 MT 250 hp, 2.2 MT 237 hp, 2.2 MT 242 hp, 2.0 MT 240 hp. Front brakes are listed as Disc (not Ventilated disc). Wheel options appear on three of four cars. The restyle adds the only 107 mm clearance figure (2.2 MT 237 hp) and the heaviest kerb weight in the file (2.0 MT 240 hp at 1320 kg). Top speed on the 250 hp restyle 2.0 MT is not measured.

Overlap of dates (2003-09) is in the data; treat late-2003 cars by the generation label on the version, not by guessing a cutover day.

Honda S2000 engine specs: 2.0 MT vs 2.2 MT, stock horsepower and torque

Engine position is Front, longitudinal on six versions; on 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp it is not measured. Injection is Distributed injection (multi-point) on all seven. Compression: 11.7 on both 250 hp 2.0 MT cars; 11.1 on 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp, restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp, and 1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp; 11.0 on restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp; not measured on restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp. Bore × stroke: 87 × 84 mm on the 1997 cc engines that list it; 87 × 90.7 mm on the 2157 cc engines that list it; not measured on restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp.

Horsepower per litre (stock, from these numbers): 250 hp / 1997 cc = 125.2 hp/L (both 250 hp 2.0 MT). 240 hp / 1997 cc = 120.2 hp/L (both 240 hp 2.0 MT). 242 hp / 2157 cc = 112.2 hp/L. 239 hp / 2157 cc = 110.8 hp/L. 237 hp / 2157 cc = 109.9 hp/L. The 2.0 litre cars are the specific-output choice; the 2.2 litre cars trade that for 3–13 Nm more peak torque and a 500 rpm lower power peak (7800 vs 8300).

Peak torque ranking: 221 Nm on 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp (@ 6400) and restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp (@ 7500); 220 Nm on restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp (@ 6800); 218 Nm on restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp; 217 Nm on 1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp; 208 Nm on both 240 hp 2.0 MT cars. The 240 hp 2.0 is 9 Nm below the 250 hp 2.0 (pre-facelift) and 13 Nm below the strongest 2.2.

Fuel: 95 on both 250 hp 2.0 MT cars; 98 on the other five. Euro 4 is listed only on 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp and restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp; the other five have eco class not measured.

Honda S2000 specs: 0–100, top speed, mpg-style consumption

0–100 km/h is 5.7 s only on 1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp. The other six versions are all 6.2 s — 0.5 s slower than that one car, and equal to each other despite 237–250 hp and 1240–1320 kg.

Top speed: 241 km/h on 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp and restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp; 240 km/h on 1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp, 1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp, restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp, restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp; not measured on restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp. The 1 km/h gap is in the data; it is not a reason to pick a 2.2 over a 2.0.

Consumption (L/100 km), where measured:

• 1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp and restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp: city 13.2 / highway 7.9 / mixed 9.9.
• 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp and restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp: city 13.1 / highway 9.4 / mixed 11.2.

City is 0.1 L/100 km lower on those 2.2 cars. Highway is 1.5 L/100 km higher (9.4 − 7.9). Mixed is 1.3 L/100 km higher (11.2 − 9.9). On a 50 L tank that mixed gap is about 5.1 L extra per tank at the mixed figure, or roughly 50 / 11.2 ≈ 4.5 tanks per 500 km of mixed running versus 50 / 9.9 ≈ 5.1 tanks — wait, range: 50 / 9.9 ≈ 505 km mixed vs 50 / 11.2 ≈ 446 km mixed, a 59 km mixed-range penalty on the measured 2.2 cars. Not measured: 1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp, restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp, restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp (city, highway, and mixed all not measured). CO2 is not measured on all seven.

Honda S2000 dimensions: weight, clearance, wheels, horsepower and weight

Tank is 50 L on every version.

Kerb weight, lightest to heaviest: 1240 kg (1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp) → 1250 kg (restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp) → 1260 kg (1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp and 1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp) → 1270 kg (restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp) → 1299 kg (restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp) → 1320 kg (restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp). Spread is 80 kg (1320 − 1240). Restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp is 30 kg heavier than the same-power pre-facelift car (1270 − 1240). Restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp is 60 kg heavier than 1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp (1320 − 1260).

Gross weight: 1535 kg on five versions; 1510 kg on restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp (25 kg lower); not measured on restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp. Payload where both masses exist: 1535 − 1240 = 295 kg (1 generation 250 hp 2.0 MT); 1535 − 1260 = 275 kg (both remaining 1 generation cars); 1535 − 1250 = 285 kg (restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp); 1510 − 1299 = 211 kg (restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp); 1535 − 1320 = 215 kg (restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp). The 237 hp restyle 2.2 has the smallest payload in the file.

kg per hp (kerb / hp): 1240/250 = 4.96 (1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp); 1270/250 = 5.08 (restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp); 1250/242 = 5.17 (restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp); 1260/240 = 5.25 (1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp); 1260/239 = 5.27 (1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp); 1299/237 = 5.48 (restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp); 1320/240 = 5.50 (restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp). The first-generation 250 hp 2.0 MT is the densest power-to-weight figure here; the restyle 240 hp 2.0 MT is the worst (0.54 kg/hp heavier than the 4.96 car).

Ground clearance: 130 mm on six versions; 107 mm on restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp (23 mm lower). That 237 hp car is also the one on 215/45 R17 and 245/40 R17 with 1299 kg kerb.

Wheels: not measured on 1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp and restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp. 205/55 R16 and 225/50 R16 on 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp, 1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp, and restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp. 215/45 R17 and 245/40 R17 on both restyling 2.2 MT cars (237 hp and 242 hp). Independent, spring suspension front and rear on all seven. Front brakes: Ventilated disc on all three 1 generation cars; Disc on all four restyling cars. Rear: Disc on all seven.

Which Honda S2000 version to choose

There is no price in this catalogue, so “what the extra money buys” is what the extra kilograms, millimetres, rpm, and litres buy.

If the number that matters is 0–100 km/h: only 1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp is 5.7 s. It also has the lowest kerb weight (1240 kg), highest stock hp/L (125.2), best kg/hp (4.96), 95 fuel, Ventilated disc front brakes, 240 km/h top speed, and the 13.2 / 7.9 / 9.9 consumption set. Wheels not measured. That is the performance pick among these seven.

If you want the same 250 hp after 2003-09-01: restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp keeps 250 hp, 184 kW, 8300 rpm, 1997 cc, 95 fuel, 11.7 compression, 87 × 84, and 6.2 s 0–100. You give up the 5.7 s time, add 30 kg (1270 vs 1240), gain 1 Nm (218 vs 217), switch front brakes to Disc, and lose measured top speed and measured consumption. Gross weight and wheels are not measured. Choose it only if the restyling date range is the constraint; it is not a faster 250 hp car on these figures.

If you want 2.2 litres and the highest torque at the lowest rpm: 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp — 221 Nm at 6400 rpm, 241 km/h, Euro 4, 1260 kg, 130 mm, 205/55 R16 and 225/50 R16, Ventilated disc front, consumption 13.1 / 9.4 / 11.2. Versus the 250 hp pre-facelift 2.0 you lose 11 hp, 0.5 s to 100 km/h, 1.3 L/100 km mixed, and 20 kg of lightness, and you move to 98 fuel. Versus restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp you gain 2 hp, 1 Nm, 39 kg less kerb (1260 vs 1299), 23 mm more clearance (130 vs 107), 25 kg more gross (1535 vs 1510), and 16-inch rather than 17-inch listed wheels.

If you want restyling 2.2 with 17-inch wheels and Euro 4: restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp — 242 hp, 178 kW, 221 Nm at 7500, 2157 cc, compression 11.1, 87 × 90.7, 1250 kg (second-lightest car in the file), 1535 kg gross, 130 mm, 215/45 R17 and 245/40 R17, 6.2 s, 240 km/h, Euro 4. Consumption not measured. Versus the 237 hp restyle 2.2 MT you gain 5 hp, 1 Nm, 49 kg less kerb (1250 vs 1299), 23 mm more clearance, 25 kg more gross capacity, and you keep the same 17-inch sizes. Engine layout is Front, longitudinal here; on the 239 hp 1 generation 2.2 it is not measured.

Avoid restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp if clearance or payload matter: 107 mm, 1299 kg kerb, 1510 kg gross (211 kg payload), 237 hp (lowest hp in the table), 174 kW. It does match the 241 km/h top speed and the 13.1 / 9.4 / 11.2 fuel set. It is the heaviest 2.2 and the only sub-130 mm car.

The 240 hp 2.0 MT pair is the 98-octane 2.0, not a secret 250. Same 240 hp, 176 kW, 208 Nm at 7500, 1997 cc, 6.2 s, 240 km/h. 1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp: 1260 kg, wheels 205/55 R16 and 225/50 R16, consumption not measured, compression 11.1. Restyling 2.0 MT 240 hp: 1320 kg (heaviest), same wheels, 13.2 / 7.9 / 9.9, compression 11.0. Restyle costs 60 kg and 0.1 compression for measured fuel figures matching the 250 hp pre-facelift 2.0. kg/hp 5.25 vs 5.50. If you want a 2.0 on 98 with 16-inch wheels, the first-generation 240 hp car is 60 kg lighter; if you need measured mixed 9.9 L/100 km on a restyle 2.0, only the 240 hp restyle lists it.

Short map: 5.7 s and best weight/power → 1 generation 2.0 MT 250 hp. Same peak power in the restyle window → restyling 2.0 MT 250 hp, knowing 0–100 is 6.2 s and top speed is not measured. Highest torque at 6400 rpm → 1 generation 2.2 MT 239 hp. Lightest restyle 2.2 with Euro 4 and 17-inch wheels → restyling 2.2 MT 242 hp. Measured 2.2 economy plus 241 km/h in the restyle → restyling 2.2 MT 237 hp, with 107 mm and 1299 kg. 98-octane 2.0 → 1 generation 2.0 MT 240 hp unless you need the restyle’s measured 9.9 mixed and accept 1320 kg. All seven share Cabrio, Gasoline, Inline 4, no boost, Manual 6, RWD, 50 L. Engine swap, CR, and sale prices are not in this dataset.