Speaking about the S2000, it just dawned on me that Honda's flagship sports car heritage is longer than Nissan's (240Z debuted in Oct. 1969).

 

Wow, that is one sessy automobile. Good finds, H/N :thumbup:

 

While the GT-R might be able to take on the current Z06, I have a pretty good feeling that the next Z06 will be ever more bad ass.

and kazi, the S cars have gotten a bigger engine many times. sooner or later a 4cyl wont do, and i think that time might be sooner than later.

 

Seeing as there was like a 25 year gap from the S800 to the S2000 that's a bit of a reach as far as a "trend" is concerned...

Anyway about the Z.

I like the tonneau cover. Looks like it'll sell well. Nissan still needs to play with the damping on the shocks and get rid of some of the plastic in the footwell.

 

I agree with you that 3.5 seconds is a huge difference but so is the $15k difference. But that's why the Z06 win. Can you imagine what NISMO can do with this car for $15k? In the recent (I think it's either) R&T or MT, they went to japan and test drove the S-tune 350Z. They said that the car is practically ready for the track (suspension wise). So even w/ the S-tune, I'm sure the Z can close in on that 3.5 sec. gap. They also comment that with the S-tune, the car feel completely balanced. No more understeering at the edge. They also said there'll be an R-tune soon which will increase the HP.

I think the EVO and the STi will be able to give even the Z06 a good fight. I wouldn't be surprise if they'll pass the Z06 as well. The EVO did get .98g in lateral acceleration in the MT review. I think the S2000 and the RX-8 are not in the same league as the Z in term of potential. S2000 and RX-8 are already highly tuned already while the Z is just starting. That and NISMO is coming so performance parts w/ factory warantee sounds really good to me.

 

Well there was the S500, S600 and S800. So in like 7 years, the S's engine grew 300cc. It went on a like 30 year hiatus and came back as the S2000. Im going to do all this math in my head, so i might mess up. If you take 300, divide it by 7, you get 42cc a year. Time 30 years, you get 1200. Add the orginal 800cc, you get an S2000. So according to my calculations, we'll see a S2200 in 2005. That seems fairly likely. But then again that means we we'll see an S3000 in like 2025.

So there is a "trend".

most likely i got all that info

 

actually one of the mags had an article suggesting that honda may bring over a hardtop S2000 with a stroked 2.2 liter making 250hp with alot more torque and even lighter weight (the s2000 weighs 2,800lbs)...so it'll have a great power/weight ratio along with rwd

 

We've only been saying it for 3 months now. It was in R&T...Mitani all but confirmed an S2200, same as the one we discussed.

 

Yeah, i remember that, and I'm hoping its true. It'll make more power, but not as much specific output. As long as the redline doesnt drop, i dont think anyone would care. 115hp/L is nothing to laugh at.

 

The Z has more weight to deal with and I know for a fact (having driven both cars) that the S2000 chassis is much better to drive fast. The main area where the Z has more potential is the motor. The S2000 with much less power and narrower power band is capable of keeping up most of the way with a Z around a track. Yes, it is going to take more effort to get big power out of an RX-8 or S2000 compared to a Z but it's possible.

I would try not to make judgements based solely on magazines.

The Z understeer can be cured with simply a tire change btw.