S2000 featured in EVO Drivers Car of the year
06-07-2002, 01:04 AM
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S2000 featured in EVO Drivers Car of the year
This months EVO has a feature on the best (affordable) drivers cars........ the S2000 gets a look in but its back to the old EVO....... the road was slightly wet during their test and low and behold they didn't rate the S very highly.
The other cars were (can't remember them all)...... Scoobie WRX STi, EVO VII, Mini Copper S, Alfa GTV, Elise, Caterham...... plus one or two others. The overall winner was the Mini....... which they then compared to the
The other cars were (can't remember them all)...... Scoobie WRX STi, EVO VII, Mini Copper S, Alfa GTV, Elise, Caterham...... plus one or two others. The overall winner was the Mini....... which they then compared to the
06-07-2002, 01:42 AM
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This crap really does piss me off.
ANY RWD lightweight sports car needs to be handled with respect in the wet so it's hardly surprising that a FWD Mini 'won' this particular comparison test... Totally meaningless!!!!!
The other thing is that the S2000 is so radically different to anything else out there with it's huge rev range between gears with maximum BHP coming at close to 9Krevs, which is exactly where the car is going to be skittish in the hands of the uninitiated. How many of us can honestly say we felt happy starting to exploit the real capability of this car straight away?.... Very few I suspect, and in that respect the running in period is a blessing in disguise!! The S2000 needs time to get used to.
Any motoring journo jumping into an S2000 is going to have one thought uppermost in his mind... 9K revs!..it is after all, the cars biggest claim to fame. He's going to start pushing it obviously, given the time restraints involved in these 'tests'. Hardly surprising that the car doesn't come out well in these tests, especially conducted in the wet.!! Time and again we hear from people on these boards who've only begun to really appreciate the handling of the car after they've had it some time.
One of the best assessments of the car I ever read was the U.S. Road and Track Test, conducted over 3 days by different drivers with lots of town and interstate driving for two days finishing up with a track day for the final day. The car was rated 1st over a BMW M Roadster, Boxster, Audi TT and SLK, setting a new track record for that circuit in it's class!!
I'm not one of those people who can stand no criticism of this car, and I don't believe it to be perfect, but I think the car is sufficiently unique, that we should be very wary of how much notice we take of some of these journos ramblings!
ANY RWD lightweight sports car needs to be handled with respect in the wet so it's hardly surprising that a FWD Mini 'won' this particular comparison test... Totally meaningless!!!!!
The other thing is that the S2000 is so radically different to anything else out there with it's huge rev range between gears with maximum BHP coming at close to 9Krevs, which is exactly where the car is going to be skittish in the hands of the uninitiated. How many of us can honestly say we felt happy starting to exploit the real capability of this car straight away?.... Very few I suspect, and in that respect the running in period is a blessing in disguise!! The S2000 needs time to get used to.
Any motoring journo jumping into an S2000 is going to have one thought uppermost in his mind... 9K revs!..it is after all, the cars biggest claim to fame. He's going to start pushing it obviously, given the time restraints involved in these 'tests'. Hardly surprising that the car doesn't come out well in these tests, especially conducted in the wet.!! Time and again we hear from people on these boards who've only begun to really appreciate the handling of the car after they've had it some time.
One of the best assessments of the car I ever read was the U.S. Road and Track Test, conducted over 3 days by different drivers with lots of town and interstate driving for two days finishing up with a track day for the final day. The car was rated 1st over a BMW M Roadster, Boxster, Audi TT and SLK, setting a new track record for that circuit in it's class!!
I'm not one of those people who can stand no criticism of this car, and I don't believe it to be perfect, but I think the car is sufficiently unique, that we should be very wary of how much notice we take of some of these journos ramblings!
06-07-2002, 02:43 AM
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I drove my S around Brands in the wet, and it was excellent fun. Several twitches, but mainly on my poor downchanges (I'm trying to learn to heel and toe, but I'm not too good at it). I even overtook a Scooby driver - yes I know that says more about the drivers than the cars, but even so ...
As for the journos opinions, major pinch of salt required.
There were two hot hatch reviews a couple of weeks ago, I was interested in the Civic against the Mini Cooper. Both gave the nod to the Mini - no argument there, but the reviews of the Civic were so different. In the one (Autocar I think), cost of ownership was slated, and got 4/10, in the other it got 7 or 8. Interestingly, if the cost of ownership had been more realistic in Autocar, it would probably have won the group test on points.
The only way to be sure is to drive the car for yourself, and if people are after a sporty roadster in the 20-40K bracket, then they'd be a fool not to give the S2000 a go. As CT says, it has its flaws, but in my opinion, not half as many as all its competitors - and that doesn't include the Zonda ...
As for the journos opinions, major pinch of salt required.
There were two hot hatch reviews a couple of weeks ago, I was interested in the Civic against the Mini Cooper. Both gave the nod to the Mini - no argument there, but the reviews of the Civic were so different. In the one (Autocar I think), cost of ownership was slated, and got 4/10, in the other it got 7 or 8. Interestingly, if the cost of ownership had been more realistic in Autocar, it would probably have won the group test on points.
The only way to be sure is to drive the car for yourself, and if people are after a sporty roadster in the 20-40K bracket, then they'd be a fool not to give the S2000 a go. As CT says, it has its flaws, but in my opinion, not half as many as all its competitors - and that doesn't include the Zonda ...
06-07-2002, 03:44 AM
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I test drove nearly every car in the S2000s class but none of them gave me the huge smile that the S did....... only the Boxster S was close IMO but even though it felt as fast and agile as the S it just didn't make me grin....... everyone says the Boxster makes a great noise but those people can't have heard the S2000 on VTEC!
06-07-2002, 06:21 AM
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I also agree with CT's comments.
Having read EVO on occasion I long ago came to the conclusion that it is staffed by a bunch of tossers - sort of post pubescent Max Power writers.
My opinions were formed before I bought my S2000 and I have to admit a large part was down to their hero worship of anything Subaru, particularly Impreza. That car is rapidly assuming the mantle of the much lamented Escort RS Turbo/XR3i, complete with white socks, baseball caps and distressed leather jacket identikit owner. Oh, I forgot, plus girlfriend/boyfriend with Afghan hound highlights. Not all, but increasingly many. Close race with the Audi TT though.
Reading their long term tests gives an interesting insight to the kind of losers I'm talking about and I don't take any notice of their opinions.
RWD and wet don't mix well and people who drive at 10 tenths in the wet in any car are a menace to road users. To conduct a performance test in these conditions sounds pretty stupid to me in the first place.
Let them carry on praising other cars. I like the exclusivity of my S and dont hanker after evening meets at Macdonalds or the local multi storey with the Nova and Subaru set.
Having read EVO on occasion I long ago came to the conclusion that it is staffed by a bunch of tossers - sort of post pubescent Max Power writers.
My opinions were formed before I bought my S2000 and I have to admit a large part was down to their hero worship of anything Subaru, particularly Impreza. That car is rapidly assuming the mantle of the much lamented Escort RS Turbo/XR3i, complete with white socks, baseball caps and distressed leather jacket identikit owner. Oh, I forgot, plus girlfriend/boyfriend with Afghan hound highlights. Not all, but increasingly many. Close race with the Audi TT though.
Reading their long term tests gives an interesting insight to the kind of losers I'm talking about and I don't take any notice of their opinions.
RWD and wet don't mix well and people who drive at 10 tenths in the wet in any car are a menace to road users. To conduct a performance test in these conditions sounds pretty stupid to me in the first place.
Let them carry on praising other cars. I like the exclusivity of my S and dont hanker after evening meets at Macdonalds or the local multi storey with the Nova and Subaru set.
06-07-2002, 08:04 AM
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This article just reiterates how subjective dynamic ability, enjoyment and satisfaction are.
(Lovers of the car include Jeremy Clarkson, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato)
Personally I enjoy the fact that one has to learn how to drive the S2000.
Thats what makes it so rewarding, and compelling. Every journey is an event. You get to know this car.
Personally I feel that there is more to overall satisfaction than from getting form A to B as quickly as possible. The people at evo seem unable to enjoy a car unless it can be driven flat out in any conditions.
Do they jump into TVR Tuscans on wet bumpy country raods looking to exploit benign oversteer?......Me thinks not.
Yes a P1 is phenomenal (had the oportunity to borrow a friends) but once youve done the driving fast everywhere bit what else is there?
Anyway thank god people keep slagging it off, keeps it exclusive.
(Lovers of the car include Jeremy Clarkson, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato)
Personally I enjoy the fact that one has to learn how to drive the S2000.
Thats what makes it so rewarding, and compelling. Every journey is an event. You get to know this car.
Personally I feel that there is more to overall satisfaction than from getting form A to B as quickly as possible. The people at evo seem unable to enjoy a car unless it can be driven flat out in any conditions.
Do they jump into TVR Tuscans on wet bumpy country raods looking to exploit benign oversteer?......Me thinks not.
Yes a P1 is phenomenal (had the oportunity to borrow a friends) but once youve done the driving fast everywhere bit what else is there?
Anyway thank god people keep slagging it off, keeps it exclusive.
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06-07-2002, 09:18 AM
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Was reading an old Top Gear mag last night and read that they rated the S2k as the next best extreme motor to the elise.
They also said that it was more at home in sunny Spain than aquaplaining down the motorway. Wish I'd read that before I learnt about it first hand...
They also said that it was more at home in sunny Spain than aquaplaining down the motorway. Wish I'd read that before I learnt about it first hand...
06-07-2002, 12:53 PM
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by guybutler
[B]Was reading an old Top Gear mag last night and read that they rated the S2k as the next best extreme motor to the elise.
[B]Was reading an old Top Gear mag last night and read that they rated the S2k as the next best extreme motor to the elise.
06-07-2002, 01:21 PM
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Originally posted by Cedric Tomkinson
I don't ever want to hit standing water at any speed in this car.
I don't ever want to hit standing water at any speed in this car.
I wouldn't be parted from my S02s though - how great are they in this warm dry weather? 