Honda likely discontinued the S2000 due to poor sales, with fans estimating that only a few hundred were sold in the U.S. in 2009.
The Honda S2000 is a brilliant example of a fun sports car, boasting a superb lightweight body (which also happens to be one of Honda’s most beautiful models, at that), rear-wheel drive, and an engine that’s by all accounts a miracle of engineering. Automotive reviewers, journalists, and everyone in between have sung its praises since its release back in 1999, and the car enjoyed a full ten-year tenure in showrooms, only leaving the catalog in 2009. But if it was really such a beloved car, then why was it discontinued while other Hondas like the Civic lived on? Moreover, why hasn’t Honda released a spiritual successor?
In truth, there is a bit of rose-tinted glasses-style reminiscing here; the S2000 is a reminder of a time when all one needed was an open-top, no-frills sports car with a stick shift, RWD, and two seats. Honda perfected that formula, but the S2000 was a very niche car, and one that sold poorly in its final years. This wasn’t a Civic that could hold a small family and some groceries in the back; instead, it was a purpose-built sports car, in the same vein as the Mazda MX-5, but with an initial price of about $30,000. Of course, the fact that S2000 prices haven’t depreciated much shows us that we’ve learned to appreciate what we lost. But why did we lose it in the first place, and will it ever come back? Let’s take a look under the hood.Why the S2000 was so special
At its debut, Honda touted the S2000 as the equivalent of a roadgoing Formula One car with two seats.
