Honda Didn’t Make an S2000 Type R, But This Tuner Shop Will Build You 1
The Honda S2000 was one of the most venerable sports cars the Japanese automaker has ever produced. In the past few decades, Honda has released special versions of the Civic and the Acura Integra – dubbed the Civic Type R and Integra Type R. But why didn’t it ever produce an S2000 Type R and increase the performance quotient on such an amazing platform? Cost and a lack of interest, of course.
After all, why would an automaker spend countless hours and dollars developing and producing a higher-performance version of a two-seat roadster when the regular version didn’t sell that well? Fortunately, one tuner shop will build its rendition of a Honda S2000 Type R for any die-hard enthusiast with deep pockets.
The Honda S2000R has the heart of a Type R
Evasive Motorsports, a tuning shop and aftermarket parts retailer based in Cerritos, Calif., is responsible for building what it calls the Honda S2000R. Don’t get it twisted; this Championship White S2000 is not just adorned with a bunch of appearance parts to make it look like a Type R. Instead, it’s been rebuilt with a new drivetrain, suspension, and appearance modifications to make it act the part, too.
The Co-President of Evasive Motorsports, Mike Chang, told MotorTrend, “The S2000 is one of the best driver’s cars ever produced. With 20 years of experience tuning the platform for road and race, we had a vision to modernize the roadster and create our ideal version of what a Type R could be.”
This “ideal version” started with a heart transplant. Although the S2000’s high-revving F20C engine has long been revered as one of the best engines ever produced, its lack of low-end torque isn’t ideal for everyday driving. To rectify the lack of power and bring the car up to modern-day Type R standard, the folks at Evasive swapped in a K20C1 engine from the Honda Civic Type R.
The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine isn’t a drop-in affair. Since it’s mounted transversely in the Civic, it had to be orientated differently in the S2000’s longitudinal engine bay. As such, Evasive created its own intake manifold to fit the engine in properly and then utilized a Mugen intake system to feed air to the turbocharger.
The engine’s internals are completely stock, so the car is reliable enough for street use and track days. However, a custom downpipe and Origin Fab titanium exhaust system were installed, and the engine-to-transmission connection was made possible via a custom bell housing adapter.
The S2000’s suspension and brakes were revised as well
Since Evasive gave the car more power, it needed to upgrade its suspension and stopping power as well. A set of KW ClubSport coilovers were installed along with Evasive-spec bushings and bracing. To complement the new coilovers, Eibach front/rear sway bars and EVS Tuning bump steer kit and camber joints were put in place as well. This new setup makes the S2000 turn well on the track without being too hardcore for the street.
For stopping duties, Evasive installed a set of Bembo six-piston calipers over 14-inch rotors in the front and four-piston calipers over 12.9-inch rotors in the rear. Lastly, a set of EVS Tuning 18×9-inch wheels wrapped in Yokohama AD09 tires connect the car to the ground.
The S2000R’s interior and exterior modifications are the finishing touches
To finish off the look of the car, Evasive spruced up the car’s exterior with Championship White paint, a Honda 20th Anniversary Edition front bumper, a carbon fiber front lip and rear wing, and Spoon Sports mirrors.
On the inside, EVS Tuning carbon fiber door panels replace the stock ones, and a pair of Recaro Podium carbon fiber seats replace the stock leather buckets. There’s also a Civic Type R shift knob, a Momo steering wheel, and an Alcantara shift boot to finish off the Type-R look.
There’s no set pricing on what it would take to build a car like this, but Evasive says that it will build more versions that can be custom-tailored to an owner’s needs. It can even provide an S2000 platform for the customer. Although, considering the rising cost of S2000s, that could bump up the price by a lot.
However, if you have deep enough pockets, you too can have your own Honda S2000 Type R. It just won’t come with a warranty from Honda.
