2008 Honda S2000 CR Sports Car Review

2008 Honda S2000 CR Review

Review:

The S2000 CR is a slightly different beast than the more pedestrian Honda roadsters that have been on the scene for the better part of a decade now. The S2000 has been and remains one of our favorite ways to enjoy going topless in the Florida sun. They’re fun, reliable cars that can easily win a trophy at a local autocross, then get you to work in the morning. Add Honda reliability to the equation, and you’re certainly dealing with a winning recipe.

The CR, however, is more of a take-no-prisoners solution. While the engineers left the S2000’s already glorious engine alone, they looked hard at the rest of the car and found some opportunities to enhance performance. Gone is the effortless convertible top, replaced by a handsome body-colored aluminum hardtop in an effort to reduce weight.

There’s also a rather large wing perched atop the decklid that, according to press materials, reduces lift. The rear wing unquestionably reduces rearward visibility, since it sits right in the middle of the already small rear window. While the hardtop and the wing are the biggest visual differences on the S2000 CR, there are myriad smaller details that Honda engineers have tweaked and twisted to help drivers find a few extra tenths out on course. These include revised suspension settings, a quicker steering rack and additional underbody bracing. All of the adding and subtracting of components from the standard S2000 results in a moderately significant 50 pound weight savings; the savings jumps to 99 pounds when the hardtop is removed. Math majors will note that Honda has developed a very feathery aluminum hardtop, and we wonder if the stiffening effect of installing the hardtop would overshadow the potential weight savings from removing it.

The interior of the S2000 CR remains the driver-focused experience it’s always been. Controls and instruments are easy to use, and the seats are very comfortable considering their sporting nature. All things considered, there isn’t much about the S2000 CR that we didn’t like. There were times that we missed the ability to put the top down and enjoy the sunshine, however. Before signing the check, make sure you want those last few tenths of a second badly enough to forgo the less capable but more flexible standard S2000.