Next-generation Honda S2000 on the cards?

The Honda S2000 is a much missed sports car that only lived for one generation. Make no mistake, it’s one of the best cars produced by Honda, but the company shift in focus toward SUVs in the early 2000s meant the business case for a second generation model didn’t quite stack up.

Currently the Civic Type R hot hatch and Honda NSX supercar are the only two sports models in Honda’s line-up. What’s lacking is a somewhat accessible sports coupe or convertible (the new Prelude is a North American-only product). And with its fellow Japanese rivals having a sports coupe in their respective line-up – Mazda with the MX-5, Toyota with the GR86 and Subaru with the BRZ, could Honda be toying with the idea of a S2000 revival?

In the past decade, this subject has been an on and off affair from the rumour mill, but the creativity of the internet always amazes. Shown here is a rendering by AI Car Design of what the next generation Honda S2000 could look like, and we really like what we see.

The trademark S2000 elements of a long bonnet and low proportion are all there, packaged up in a sleek and minimalist convertible body.

If the new S2000 is to eventuate it’s likely to feature a hybrid powertrain. A possible option is the use of the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine from Civic Type R and pairing it with an electric motor. It will likely feature hybrid technology that is currently in used in the Honda Formula One power unit found in the Red Bull F1 Racing Team.

The unit will enable the S2000 successor to sprint from 0-100km/h in under 5.0 seconds, while returning a fuel consumption of under 5.0L/100km.