What Greg had said! I posted a little bit too late! sorry!

Hand build MOSTLY means you built it by hand, like form the car body by hammering the sheet metal on the body jig. (instead of formed by a huge forging machine to stamp out he body sheet metal. A lot of older car were made like that! If each car was hand built it is very hard to find a body parts to fit for a replacement! (It will have to be custom hand made again!) If our S2000 were "Hand Built", it will cost a lot more than $32,000!

Hand Assembly means most of the parts (engine, body, wiring, ...etc) or subassembly had already been made (either by hand of machine tool). and assembled by hand, instead of robots!

But I think our S2000 still uses some robotic to do few spot welding and thing?

Am I right?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 850
[B]But I think our S2000 still uses some robotic to do few spot welding and thing?

 

Whether the S2000 will continue to be built, and whether it will continue to be sold in North America are two different questions.

As I recall, in 1999 American Honda would only agree to sell the S2000 for three years because they'd been burned on other low-volume Hondas that they ended up having to sell at a loss. But they hardly have that problem with the S2000, do they? Dealers are still getting more than MSRP in many areas in the third model year. So IMO the American dealer network will happily sign a new multiyear contract if they haven't already.

As for Honda continuing to build the car, why wouldn't they? The amount of money they make may be small, but it's still money. And the prestige and the front-engine/rwd experience are important to them. People come into the showroom to gape at the S2000, and then buy a hot Civic. And Honda gets to work out all its clutch, transmission, and differential problems on a low-volume car. (Not to mention the issues with a 120 hp per liter engine. And while I think these problems have been fairly infrequent and generally well-taken care of, IMO it's pretty clear we've been beta-testers to some extent.)

I predict at least 2 more model years beyond 2002 for the S2000, and very likely a redesigned model after that. And probably other f/r cars in the future.

 

I agree with the above post...

There are quite a few cars that started their careers by being low production cars, but eventually turned out to be so popular that that they became mass produced automobiles.

The car that comes to my mind is the BMW M3. It started out in 1988 as an "homologuation special" (a car that need to be procuded in order for it to run in automobile competitions) a very familiar face in the sports car arena.

The S2000 is one of Honda's most expensive car, and is certainly a concept that will lead to a new generation of cars to be expected from this auto manufacturer.

My bet would be that the current iteration of the S2000 runs for a couple more year, and it would be replaced by an all-new S2000, maybe with a retractable top, more powerful i-Vtec engine, but also more pricey.

Only time will tell. In the meantime, be patient and enjoys what you have.

 

Honda S2000 Roadster Charges Ahead in 2003

Date: August 16, 2002 16:28
Submitted by: Tuan
Source: Honda Press Release
Credibility Rating: N/A

Torrance, Calif. 08/16/2002 -- Coming off a record sales year and its third consecutive year on Car and Driver Magazine's list of "10Best Cars," the popular Honda S2000 roadster returns for another award-winning year.
With racing-inspired performance and handling, the S2000 provides an exhilarating experience behind the wheel for any driver. The 240-horsepower, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine boasts the greatest output of any normally aspirated production vehicle on the road today. Propelling the roadster from 0-60 in under six seconds, the potent 16-valve, DOHC VTEC (Variable Timing and Lift Electronic Control) engine meets California's Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV) standard. Sophisticated electric-assist power steering allows for rapid response and lighter overall weight. Additionally, a high-capacity clutch, featured in the 6-speed manual transmission, results in exceptionally smooth and quiet shifting.

The S2000's excellent road manners are the result of an optimum 50/50 weight distribution, racing-inspired in-wheel double wishbone suspension and highly rigid body structure. Marked by the high central tunnel that runs down the center of the cockpit and serves as the backbone of the vehicle, the S2000's "X-bone frame" provides enhanced bending and torsional rigidity.

The central design theme of the S2000's interior is performance. Designed after a Formula One race car, the interior features a driver-oriented control layout, with a digital instrument panel and engine start button reminiscent of modern racing cars.

The S2000's exterior features the following colors: Berlina Black, Grand Prix White, New Formula Red, Sebring Silver Metallic, Silverstone Metallic, Spa Yellow and Suzuka Blue Metallic. New for the 2003 is tan added as an interior color for Grand Prix White.

For 2002, the S2000 earned accolades from both the automotive press and public alike. The awards included:

Car and Driver - "10 Best"
AMI Auto World - "Best of 2002" (Luxury Convertibles)
Automobile Magazine - "Readers' Choice All-Star"


This published on TOV...

 

I guess we know the answer to this now, don't we?

 

You gotta stop this xviper!