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UK & Ireland S2000 CommunityDiscussions related to the S2000, its ownership and enthusiasm for it in the UK and Ireland. Including FAQs, and technical questions.
Just HPDE, Time Trials, or any other version of classed racing?
Love my S2k but the Supra has much higher limits than a S2k chassis. It will probably be less of a headache to run than a FI S2000. If you want a fast S2k, that's awesome and it'll be a labor of love. If you just want a faster car to drive, the Supra is probably a better answer.
Nothing competitive just track days. The car is also setup for road and would never become a track only car.
I’m at that stage on committing to FI and have no idea what it would be like, hence hoping to experience before I go down that route.
Appreciate the cars are very different and if I had the money would have both.
there are loads of boosted cars around but its quiet here - try FB
if you are a track addict keep in mind a few things
noise (can even be from intake - mine is wild loud so most tracks have an issue with it)
heat (mine gets very hot very fast, i cannot do lap after lap in summer - note i have no oil cooling which might help and no vented bonnet etc)
wear and tear - gearbox and diff is not built for 400hp+ - they will break, they are expensive
brakes - you will not need more power per se but you will need the ability to cope with higher temps, i fitted brake ducts and they are very effective but not track tested as my car is too loud and unfinished)
on the positive side a 400hp (mild boost) S2000 is a very potent track car, when i briefly had mine on Donington (before they kicked me off) it was flying, an E92 and an Evora were nowhere near as quick (i'm no Lewis Hamilton) and its great fun on road too
Hi mate ..
2 different cars those, and listen to Nottm as his advice is handy. Heat is the big player and reliability won't completely go out the window. But it won't do the daily stuff like the Supra. You have to upgrade things carefully and have a very good install by someone with a good reputation. It'll no longer be an S2000 with that famous wait for vtec. As I understand they are great fun but take alot of concentration and you're unlikely to find it's limit for long on the public road.
You'll know the Supra has the acclaimed B58 engine, same as what's in my 340i, but it's the same 2nd generation found in z4's, x5's and the later M340 G20. It will (and my 1st gen B58 engine) tune up to 700bhp, but a safe bet is that stage 1 gets you 450bhp, stage 2 500bhp... Only usually a downpipe and high pressure fuel pump asks for stage 2+, unless you're hunting silly power.
Unlike the N55, the B58 is a closed deck design with a twin scroll - there are countless advantages against the old twin turbos. It's a tough block and probably one of BM's finest and most reliable performance units - and about time.
I'm a big fan of the Supra Mk5 - TVR like lines will mean it will age beautifully IMO. It's left field.
For that money though, most opt for a newish used Porker of sum sort..
Had a TTS Supersport SC for 3 yrs. Reliable if fitted well. I dabbled on track with it. Def needs brakes and oil cooler to keep heat under control for more than 10mins without a cool down. It was great fun though, and would've taken me a while to learn to push hard. After much deliberation though, I decided the extra fun didn't outweigh the extra faff/cash, and the downsides....
On road, I found the driving experience dampened by loss of intake roar, throttle response and a lot less 'flowing' on a b road between bends. A lot more 'staccato' due to being on the power, then on the brakes hard, then same again. Also, needed decent coilovers to get the power down round a lumpy bend.
But the power is great fun, of course (even though you can only use it for a few seconds before reaching licence losing speeds). I've concentrated on the down sides here.
It all depends what you want out of a car. I'd reeeeaaally examine your own thoughts on that in an honest-to-yourself way before making a decision.
Shout if you want any more detailed thoughts.
Last edited by chrispayze; 07-10-2024 at 03:40 AM.
Conversely you're also upgrading a car that's likely fighting rust underneath, has a narrow market when you come to sell and you *might* get your money back after install costs - as doing properly presents really a lot more upgrades to plant that power. What Chris said is why I never boosted mine - I drove mine 9/10ths on the b roads when clear, and bloody loved it. Despite the lack of steering feel, it's seat in your pants stuff and relying on very good rubber too. I think boosting it takes away the flowing enjoyment and will have you tip toeing more - not for me that. My 06 reg was amazing at the corners mated to PS5 tyres.
I saw my brother fit hybrid turbos to his 135i and meth inject it, to 530bhp. It became very difficult to handle even with suspension upgrades, despite the savage acceleration grins it provides at the lights. After removing the meth it's still a tricky car and needs better brakes. The standard 6 pots are terrible mated to standard sized discs and it's a fight to stop the thing. The original 1M was about 340bhp, yes had M suspension and different tuning but it's all the power it ever needed to remain balanced on the limit. Approaching constant oversteer by over boosting cannot be enjoyable? It's a tricky one as the chassis can handle more, but can the driver or the conditions the car is in..?
The grins will wear out and I think the whole point of chasing the power for the s2k is part of the fun - they're quick but not silly quick, so it's a compelling package as it is. They aren't epic fast on track but reward on that deserted b road. I for one would leave as is personally depending on it's use / application.
Test drive the Supra unless you have already
07-09-2024, 11:50 AM
Superchargers S2000 experience
