2008 Honda S2000 CR Preview

2008 Honda S2000 CR Preview – New York Auto Show: Depending on who you believe, the Honda S2000 is headed for some major changes after the 2008 model year. Some say it will sprout two more seats and swim with larger fish, while others believe that the S2000 will go even more bare bones and compete with the Mazda MX-5 Miata – the only car endorsed by both sororities and car magazines. Until then, and starting this fall, Honda is injecting the current S2000 with a special “club racer” trim, dubbed the S2000 CR and built to be light and tight on the race track. After all, the current model is just flabby and boring to drive.

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When one of the most loved “regular guy” sports cars grows a club racer trim, why, there’s plenty to be happy about what that will do to your weekend drives. Given that the S2000 CR has what looks like even tighter seats, a shifter with shorter throws and a stiffer ride, it’s not the car you want to take to the office – unless you plan to leave early and avoid rush hour. The Honda S2000 CR will be available in the fall of 2007 as a separate trim level of the S2000, and will come in a new, sexy “Apex Blue.”

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Honda engineers focused on making the S2000 CR lighter and tighter on the track, and did so by reworking the suspension, chassis and by carving off around 150 pounds of weight. According to a Honda spokesperson, however, the actual net weight loss is around 90 pounds once the chassis and body changes are added back into the mix. All told, Honda track rats say that they were able to carve two seconds off their test track times, thanks to an aluminum hard top, increased body rigidity and an aerodynamic body kit. Highlights include a large front spoiler and rear wing, a stubby shifter with shorter throws and a wider rear tire size (Bridgestone Potenza RE070).

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The seats are also new for the Honda S2000 CR, and they actually look comfortable than the regular S2000 seats – which is quite an accomplishment in pain. They are great for track driving, however, with deep bolsters, a grabby fabric, suede inserts and yellow stitching.

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Give us those keys – to the Honda S2000 CR and to the local track. This is sure to be one heckuva track drive, but one helluva of a daily driver. Park it in your garage and bring it out when the roads are open, the skies are clear and you need to hear the sound and feel the spirit of a real S2000 track car.

Photos courtesy of Honda Motors of America