Honda S2000 test drive since 1999 Cabriolet

Comparative test: Honda S2000 CR against Nissan 350Z NISMO

Do not judge the book only by its cover. For example, both of these machines demonstrated a more brisk circuit than their serial options, although the engines of both were not subjected to any modifications.
Both models are released by a limited edition, shod in the sticky wear -resistant rubber of Bridgestone 140, do not feel very well on bumpy roads and guarantee you active attention from road guardians. If you manage to meet such a car on the street, then most likely she goes to the track. We brought them together and did what was expected from us: we checked them on the ring.
 
Honda S2000 CR
 
Some might think that this bright blue Honda S2000 of 2008 of the release looks like a victim of an excessively zealous young admirer of imported tuning, in whose hands fell a credit card and a catalog of spare parts, on which he decided to tear himself up in full. But in fact, this is a limited series, carefully designed and leaving in this form from the gates of the manufacturer.
The S2000 CR (contraction from Club Racer Club racer), the new model is available in three more color solutions: white, black and yellow. Only 1,500 of these relatives with a hard top, worth in the region of $ 40,000, will be collected per year. They will differ from the standard model with numerous additions, as well as the absence of some things.
For the sake of reducing the mass, the machine lost the air conditioner and audio systems (offered as an option), sound insulation, a spare wheel and a jack. A light removable aluminum hard top of only about 22 kg took the place of soft with an electric drive; The released place allowed to install the spacer of the rear racks, thanks to which the hardness of the body increased by 11%.
The new body kit, including the updated front spoiler, a large rear spoiler and outlined arches for headrests made it possible to reduce the lifting force by more than 70%. In the interior of the changes, the sheathing was affected now it is black with yellow inserts and a yellow stitch. The handle of the switching lever is replaced by an aluminum, and on the updated dashboard there is a green power peak indicator that lights up, notifying the driver about the need to switch the transmission. If you exceed the red zone, then this very zone on the tachometer also begins to blink.
S2000 has always been among the favorites on our track test. This machine is perfectly balanced. At the entrance to the turn there is a slight demolition, but it is so insignificant that you can safely press on the gas when exit from the turn, to start gaining speed earlier. This is the opinion of Steve Millen, the winner of the 12-hour races in Sebring and the champion in his class in the 24-hour Le Manne, invited to evaluate cars participating in a comparative test, the best sports cars from around the world, passing on the Buttonwillow Raceway highway. Yes, and our editor-in-chief Mike Montisello, who knows a lot about good cars, describes the controllability of this small sports coup as the easiest machine in which it is easy and fun to make skins in the most difficult turns of the Buttonwillow highway.
And in the new S2000 CR, controllability is even better, thanks to a long list of improvements: the front springs are 38%tougher, the rear by 17%; They work in tandem with shock absorbers, which are tougher than standard by 50% in front and 32% behind; Large in size front and rear reptile stability stabilizers; Bridgestone Potenza Re070 tires with a high coefficient of traffic clutch and stiffer rods of steering rods positively influenced the controllability and responsiveness of the machine. On the Waterford Hills highway, when leaving Detroit, it became obvious that this model of the Honda brand is the most pleasant in managing all that had to be driven.
The only area remaining unchanged is the engineering space. If you believe the manufacturer, an optional increase in power (except for the installation of the supercharger) was not planned. The reason is that under the hood there is no room for any modifications: initially the 2-liter engine was shifted to 2.2 liters for the 2004 model. Nevertheless, a 4-cylinder in a row engine with the VTEC system produces solid 237 hp. And it easily spins up to 8,000 rpm, although the sensations from acceleration are not as acute as at the very beginning of the release of this model. Nevertheless, the question invariably arises: maybe it was worth sacrificing a couple of hundreds for the sake of increasing torque in the average range when creating this club version?
But let's leave aside the controversial moments and see what is definitely unsuccessful in the car. In this case, this is ergonomics: the driver's seat is not regulated in height, and when driving, there is a feeling that you are sitting too high. There is no steering position.
Partly due to the addition of an aerodynamic body kit, but especially due to the lack of some standard details, you can only push you to the uncompromising ascetic driving for the purchase of Honda S2000. But those who decide to leave the house without air conditioner and favorite songs of Dima Bilan, Britney Spears or 50Cent will be rewarded with incredibly fast and responsive steering control, clear maneuverability and, quite possibly, the most advanced shifts of the gearbox from those presented on the market.
 
 
Nissan 350Z NISMO
 
This car, definitely not for everyone. You need to get used to the Nissan 350Z NISMO. The style of the car is a little odious, but these are trifles, since only 1,500 such machines were delivered in the USA. Body-Kit of this version resembles a racing version used in the Super GT championship. Earlier, it was a series of Japanese Grand Touring Championship, although we have some doubts about the statement of Nissan, as if a spoiler and splitter really improve aerodynamics. But sitting behind the wheel, you immediately understand that any connoisseur of cars will be delighted with controlling this device.
The limited Nizmo Z series is assembled at the factory in the prefecture of Totigi, Japan. First of all, through the efforts of Autech, which operates on racing variants of Nissan machines, its suspension was improved: with the help of special technology, the seams of factory welding were strengthened, which became tougher and harden. This is followed by the parts traditional for the track model Z, with the difference that the most sports options are established here.
Special alloy forged wheel wheels were provided by Rays. The front and back spacers, as well as 2 non -standard Dampers of the Yamaha chassis, were installed, one of which is installed in front of the radiator, and the second under the luggage compartment. They absorb the vibrations of the suspension, which, otherwise, would unbalance the car. As a result, the machine received greater stability when passing turns. Since this Z is the best of all that we tested on the track, there is no doubt all this really works. The springs and shock absorbers are somewhat tougher than that of the track version, but the rest of the suspension components are identical to the machines used on machines with 6-speed mechanics and include a differential of high friction and brake Brembo.
The cabin has a two -tone finish and manual seats adjustment. NISMO corporate tachometer with reverse color. On the central console, an aluminum polished plate flashes, indicating extremely and considerable cost of this instance. Buyers are not offered any options, but the configuration has side airbags, cruise control, a standard 160 watt stereo system and climate control. On the track, all this is very useful. But in the Honda stereo system and climate control, unfortunately, were absent.
From the moment of the debut of the 350Z model has undergone a lot of changes. Nismo z is the climax of the process of improving the model. The VQ35HR engine is the newest option of the famous V-shaped Nissan six; Now it is standardly installed on all 350Z, giving out 306 hp. In a wide range of revolutions, due to a change in gas distribution phases, lightweight inlet and increased compression. On the NISMO version, a release is installed, which may add or not add power, but it sounds unambiguously pleasant and looks very appropriate. The transmission, at the dawn of the release of the model, sinning excessively bulkiness, became softer, although against the background of an excellent unit installed on Honda, it still looks pale. Both cars behave excellently on the road, although we are more concerned about their behavior on the track.
Having passed the bumpy Michigan roads, we arrived at the Waterford Hills racing track, a small local highway, with which I am quite familiar because I live in Michigan. The cars for the highway of 2.25 km are quite suitable, and we managed to achieve indicators, just a second of inferior to the results of the SPEC Miata racing machines (in this class, MAZDA MX-5 cars have passed special improvement). Both cars went through the track almost on equal terms, 350z turned out to be faster than S2000 by only 0.29 s. The striking contrast was observed in the style of passing the track. Z has a much more noticeable demolition when entering a turn than CR. But Nissan easily accelerates on the straight sections of the highway, typing 4.8 km/h to the end of such sites, while S2000 reduces the gap when passing the next turn, due to the possibility of late inhibition. Nissan Late Apex, thanks to which it develops a greater speed of exit from the turn; S2000 plays due to the correctly selected program.
The advantage of the smaller mass definitely belongs to Honda, and it is felt when inhibition and speed of passage of the center of rotation. Both cars stop approximately equally quickly, but Honda, with its more stringent springs, pecks less with her nose, so at the entrance to the turn it can later slow down without loss of balance. Both cars demonstrate demolition within reasonable limits, but at the same time, Honda always remains under the control of the driver, while 350z sometimes almost breaks down, balancing on the verge during extension. When using a sticky rubber, it is extremely difficult to let the z to be used, and the S2000 is almost impossible. On a complex highway, cars go on flush, but on the line Nissan 350z is unambiguously leading. Sitting Honda is fun, but Nissan is faster. Life is full of complex solutions, but I would choose air conditioning, stereo and power that Z at Z in standard configuration.
 
  
 
Comparison results Honda S2000 CR and Nissan 350Z NISMO
Nissan 350z Nismo Honda S2000 CR
Cost $ 38,070 $ 37,000
Equipped mass 1 610 kg 1 265 kg
Wheel base 2 649 mm 2 400 mm
Length 4 313 mm 4 117 mm
Width 1 816 mm 1 750 mm
Height 1 323 mm 1 270 mm
Engine and transmission
DOHC 24 valves, V6 DOHC 16 valves, 4 cylinders in a row
Working volume
cylinders 3 498 cubic meters. cm 2 157 cubic meters. cm
Power 306 hp at 6 800 rpm. 237 L.S. at 7 800 rpm.
Twisting 363 Nm at 4,800 rpm. 219 Nm for 6 800 rpm.
Gearbox 6-speed manual transmission 6-speed manual transmission
Chassis and body
Front engine layer / rear -wheel drive of the front / rear -wheel drive
Thoromosis
(front/ass) 12.8-inch. Ventilated disk / 12.7-inch. Ventilated disk, ABS 11.8-inch. Ventilated disk / 11.1-inch. Ventilated disk, ABS
Suspension
(in front / ass) multilinoned with screw springs, spacer / multilled with screw springs and shock absorbers, upper and lower A-shaped levers, outlet springs, shock absorbers, spacer / upper and lower A-shaped levers, screw springs, shock absorbers, spacer
Wheels forged casting, 18 x 9 in front, 19 x 10 behind the foundry, 17 x 7 in front, 17 x 8.5 behind
Bridgestone Potenza Re050A tires; 245/40 R18 93W in front, 265/35 R19 93W behind the Bridgestone Potenza Re070A; 215/45 R17 87W in front, 255/45 R17 94W from behind

Technical details
0-96.5 km/h 5.3 s 5.3 s
0-161 km/h 13.4 from 13.7 s
0-402 m 13.7 s at 164.6 km/h 13.8 s at 162.2 km/h/h
Maximum
speed 249.4 km/h * 241.4 km/h * *
Braking,
96.5-0 km/h 36.5 m 33.2 m
Braking,
128.7-0 km/h 62.4 m 62.1 m
Fuel consumption
on tests 12.44 liters per 100 km 10 l per 100 km
* Limited by electronics
 
 

Source: Road & Tracks