The New Honda S2000 CR - Aerodynamic Apendages Abound
The Honda S2000 has always been a superbly understated performance car - the very epitome of a frenzied wolf in sedate sheep's clothing. However, the appearance of a new more focused interpretation of Honda's now venerable roadster, the S2000CR (CR denoting "Club Racer"), has seen this ersatz sheep tumble into a trough of vivid blue paint, to which it has seemingly had a rather severe reaction, emerging as it has covered in a rash of unsightly protuberances.
We Have Lift Off - The CR's Incongruous Rear Wing Sacrificing Beauty for Down Force
The most ungainly of these appendages which now clutter the once fluid lines of the S2000, is the CR's eyesore of a rear wing, so audaciously oversized that it may well be moonlighting as a back-up launch pad for one of NASA's shuttles. Of equally ludicrous proportions are the aerodynamic flourishes which protrude at raffish angles of attack from the front of the vehicle. While the CR's new aero-package may add its fair share of visual peculiarity to the styling of the original S2000, other aspects of the design do however pass muster, with the CR's newly designed 17" alloys offering a viable, handsome alternative to the 10-spoke affairs found on the standard car; the new Aluminium hardtop, which for weight-saving purposes replaces the standard S2000's electronic rag top, is also a thoroughly considered piece of design, which, when in use, softens the unnervingly dominant visual impact of that cumbersome rear wing, duly bringing the many conflicting, disparate elements of the CR's design together as a cohesive whole.
Looking Much Better - The Hard Top Really Brings the CR's Design Together
Such overt criticism of the S2000 CR's styling is perhaps however unwarranted, as Honda never set out to create the CR as an aesthetic exercise, the ultimate expression of automotive beauty. Instead, the CR was conceived as the uncompromising apogee of the S2000 range, the ultimate racing car for the road, and it is as such that this track-orientated iteration of the S2000 must be judged. As a matter of fact, when the CR is viewed in this light, as a race car for the road - and the occasional track day - the incongruous aero package begins to appear a little more rational; the bold visual statement the various aerodynamic adornments make is unintentional, their stylistic impact merely the result of form following function, for the shape of the CR's wings has been dictated by the wind tunnel in order to maximise down force and hence cornering speed. Indeed, the CR abounds with numerous such details designed to hone the S2000's performance and handling for the ultimate on-track, driver-focused experience.
The CR's Interior - Trimmed in Yellow Thread and Boasting a Unique Spherical Aluminium Gear Knob (Air-Con and Stereo Both Optional Extras)
In addition to the aero-package, a quicker steering ratio, wider rear wheels finished with Bridgestone Potenza RE070 tires, firmer springs and dampers, and more substantial stabiliser bars all combine to refine the chassis balance and feel of the S2000 CR for track-based work. Handling prowess should also be further augmented by the additional rigidity provided by increased structural bracing in the storage area, previously reserved for the now redundant soft top. Although motive force is still provided by the same 237bhp 2.2-litre V-TEC power plant from the standard car, the 40kg of excess weight lost by the CR should pave the way for slightly more appealing performance figures.
The Standard S2000 - The Proverbial Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
With only a smidgen over 100,000 S2000s having been sold in nearly 8 years of production, the standard car has long been the dark horse, the underrated wolf in sheep's clothing of the sports car world, revered by enthusiasts for its subtlety, frenetic engine and driver appeal. The new Club Racer, while wearing its wolfish streak more discernibly on its sleeve, is set to be no exception, its raw, ever more focused approach more than likely to appeal to the S2000 faithful with increased verve.
The S2000 CR goes on sale in Autumn 2007 in North America, with plans to launch the vehicle in other territories seemingly undecided at this current juncture. Lucky owners might however be advised to park their CRs briefly in a less than salubrious part of town, in order to give certain unsavoury characters the chance to partake in a little constructive vandalism and make off with that monstrosity of a rear wing. Perhaps Honda would do well to consult Nissan and their Fairlady/350Z NISMO edition to see an aero-package which perfectly melds both form and function.
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