2008 Best Car Series (Round 2): Honda S2000 vs Audi R8

[YSSMAN]

This may be the most-interesting of the round two votes. Keep it civil, keep it interesting.

===

The Honda S2000

VS

The Audi R8

===

Lets try to "be nice" in this one...

 

[Tornado]

This should be the closest of the Round 2 polls, if the voters of both cars in previous threads all stick to their principles.

 

[YSSMAN]

I had to go for the S2000 on this one.

Of all the sports cars to debut in the past few years, I still cannot think of too many cars that hit the nail on the head so perfectly. Honda did their homework, and consequently, it paid off. The car demands respect, as it has proven itself both on and off the track. While the change in engine displacement may have taken away some of its "special feeling," it still comes off as the right car at the right time... And eight years later, it still feels "right." A testament to how hard Honda worked on it.

Its nothing personal against the R8, but in terms of lasting effects, the Honda takes the cake for me.

 

[gator of kana]

I am going for the S2000, has a V-Tech engine that can rev up to 9,000 rpm, it's a convertible, looks better, and it's Japanese

 

[Brett]

Honda S2000 gets my vote! 👍

 

[exigeracer]

Eight years ago, I would've chosen the S2000. Hell, even 2 years ago I would've. But I feel that the way that YSSMAN described the Honda could easily be applied to the R8, it just hasn't had the time for that to be exposed. I already wrote a teary defense for it, so I hope that's in people's memory when they have to vote.

The S2000 is a great car, I love them, but it certainly isn't 2008's best car. Maybe 2002's best car...

 

[McLaren]

I love the R8 & I love the S2000. But...I love the R8 more. It's gorgeous to me, and I always spend 5-10 minutes just looking at them in person. It's an eye-catcher for me.

 

[V1P3R]

I'm sorry... I just gotta go with the R8 again.

 

[Philly]

S2000 for me. The R8 surely is quite a car, but Honda just has perfected that formula of a small, light, surprisingly quick car that I can't not vote for it.

 

[neanderthal]

The R8 has displaced the venerable Porsche 911 as the pundits weapon of choice. How many times has the 911 been beaten, so comprehensively, by one car.

The choice is easy. R8.

 

[Muzaffar]

Voted for the S2000. Its a fun (and cheaper) car than the R8 and besides, nothing like a RWD 2.0L 240HP car to have fun drifting with.

 

[niky]

I don't think this one is as close a choice as some may think.

The S2000 is, granted, a very good lightweight sportscar... but it has its flaws... too frenetic, a little on the harsh side... it's on its way out... doesn't bring anything new to the table, and it wasn't even as revolutionary as, say, the NSX, when it came out.

Whereas the R8, despite being seriously outgunned by more powerful motors in its class, brings the extravagant style and character of a true exotic to the high end sportscar market... oh... and it drives nicely, too. In fact, it's a lot like the NSX... (just AWD, not as light and not carrying a Honda badge... ) not carrying the most firepower to the party, but definitely standing out from the crowd.

Besides... an R8 versus GT-R battle would be an epic thread... both in terms of voting and the possible flame wars that may erupt.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I shall abstain from voting, both are equally boring, and both are a couple of the last cars I'd consider in their segments.

 

[Leonidae]

I voted R8. S2000 is really starting to show it's age, since Civic Mugen RR is equally fast or even faster.

 

[Joey D]

S2000 for me. The R8 surely is quite a car, but Honda just has perfected that formula of a small, light, surprisingly quick car that I can't not vote for it.

+1 for me on this statement.

 

[homeforsummer]

I voted R8. S2000 is really starting to show it's age, since Civic Mugen RR is equally fast or even faster.

Someone's been watching Fifth Gear... Much as this statement is true from what they figured, it's a bit irrelevant as they were effectively comparing the S2000 to what is virtually a front-drive race car around a very tight circuit. The Civic would probably have been quicker than an NSX-R too.

Aaaaanyway, I'm going to vote for the S2000. As Toronado mentioned in his post, I'm gonna stick to my principles, and for me a smallish, lightweight, high revving roadster is closer to my ethos of the ideal performance car. It's also lasted, and I'm awaiting with baited breath whether the R8 will last as long or whether Audi will get bored of it in a few years and either drop it, or design something better. The S2000 hasn't been replaced because Honda would really have to pull out all the stops to design something better at what it does.

Also, a naturally-aspirated 120bhp per litre in a road car is still very impressive indeed.

 

[Jim Prower]

S2K, I think this time. It's less about style and more about substance...I still see the R8 as too much of a glittering jewel.

 

[YSSMAN]

Hmmm, interesting votes thus far. With four separating them, I'd still say that its pretty close knowing that there are some who haven't voiced their opinions yet.

 

[Jondot]

It was a tricky decision for me at least, but eventually I went for the S2000. I don't know why

Well I do, but there's not really any logic I can apply to this. I think they're both equally excellent in their own ways, so I went for the underdog at the time of writing.

 

[forza2.0]

S2000 had its day. Its now trading on its reputation of the past.

 

[homeforsummer]

S2000 had its day. Its now trading on its reputation of the past.

Disagree. It's trading on the fact that it's still a very good car, and it's had a lease of life from the ever-growing interest in the Japanese car scene, drifting, and other things along those lines.

 

[Danny]

Its now trading on its reputation of the past.

If you say so.

I voted S2000 because it's still an extremely sweet-handling, brisk and good-looking sports car. Plus, it's pretty much bullet-proof and Honda's customer care is almost legendary.

 

[Wolfe]

Normally the choice of the screaming 4-cylinder FR over the mid-engined AWD V8 supercar would be obvious for me, but for some reason I've never really loved the S2000. A 9000RPM redline on a naturally-aspirated 200+hp 4-cylinder? Hell yes. A digital dash? Awesome! Great RWD handling? Bring it on! A hotdog-looking roadster body? Ehh......

There are only certain soft-top convertibles that I really love (E30/E36 convertible = ), and the S2000's overall styling just doesn't appeal to me. The front end is way too "generic '00s Japanese car" (which isn't exactly the car's fault considering it was one of the first), and it fails to balance the long nose, which apart from the wheel wells is pretty featureless on the sides. Even beyond styling, there's just something about the car that doesn't really make me go "wow."

Meanwhile, the R8 is super sexy, sounds great, drives great, and is kinda on the affordable side for a supercar. It also hasn't quite been getting the recognition I think it deserves.

Another easy vote. R8.

 

[Tornado]

S2000 had its day. Its now trading on its reputation of the past.

Which would be true if it wasn't still capable of destroying all of the other cars it competes against.
This isn't the NSX where it had two years to shine before the competition blew it away. This is a car that was so far ahead of the curve that it not only creamed all of its competition in 1999 but it still is easily capable of doing the same to its competition today.

 

[gator of kana]

I'm getting worried about the Audi R8, I hope it gets eliminated

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I voted for the R8 because it's not Japanese.

Actually it was a tough choice, but the R8 is a bit more fresh and a very good all-around "supercar."

 

[forza2.0]

Which would be true if it wasn't still capable of destroying all of the other cars it competes against.
This isn't the NSX where it had two years to shine before the competition blew it away. This is a car that was so far ahead of the curve that it not only creamed all of its competition in 1999 but it still is easily capable of doing the same to its competition today.

Competition being the RX8, TT, Z4, SLK and boxter and maybe the elise?

Sorry but I have to disagree with you guys, its no longer the sharpest, nicest looking nor the fastest. Also because of the high amount of c0 the s2000 kicks out it will be in the £400 a year tax band bracket. Something its german competitors arent. The chassis isnt all that brilliant, its magic trick was its 9000rpm engine, and now I will pick a high revving monster over anything else full stop, but now the competition has overtaken it, and quite frankly it is still living off its past reputation. When was the last time the S2000 has won a review? In 2008 the car is outgunned, outclassed and out styled. Its a top notch motor, but the bar has moved on since, and a replacement is long overdue.

If you say so.

I do actually

and it's had a lease of life from the ever-growing interest in the Japanese car scene, drifting, and other things along those lines.

Japanese car scene is already massive, and given the reasons you have above, then surely the nissan 200sx should be in the place of this S2000.

 

[homeforsummer]

Japanese car scene is already massive, and given the reasons you have above, then surely the nissan 200sx should be in the place of this S2000.

That's completely irrelevant, as the 200SX isn't available brand new today, and the S2000 is. The Japanese car scene is indeed very big, but it's still growing, and the S2000 is a good example of what the Japanese are capable of when it comes to performance cars.

 

[Prosthetic]

Don't refer them as "Japanese" thats been covered before and its a derogatory word that was used to put down Japanese people in North America.


Anyways, I don't get very excited about the R8, and comparing it to one of my realistic dream cars shouldn't be any question on what I pic.

 

[Tornado]

Competition being the RX8, TT, Z4, SLK and boxter and maybe the elise?

Essentially, yes.

Sorry but I have to disagree with you guys, its no longer the sharpest, nicest looking nor the fastest.

The only car that is faster by any notable margin for similar money (similar being relative, as the comparative Beamer/SLK still cost way more) is the flappy piece of trash 350Z Roadster. Looks are subjective (and I'll doubt you'll find too many who agree with you anyway), and the S2000 is only outclassed by the Boxster in handling (and that is supposedly close as well even with the new Boxster).

Furthermore, I have to question to reasoning as a whole as well. Only the Boxster has had a notable update since the S2000 first competed with the Z4/350Z/Boxster a few years ago (I'm ignoring the SLK because that is outgunned by about everything in the segment in terms of what you are arguing). So what somehow makes you feel that the S2000 is outmatched by all of the cars it competes against when nearly all of the cars it competes against are unchanged since the first time the S2000 beat them?

When was the last time the S2000 has won a review?

I can find quite a few American reviews around the 2004/2005 range that it either won or received best handling credits. Which would essentially be akin to a 2008 review, because none of the other cars it competed with in those reviews (except the Boxster, which finished 3rd in this Car and Driver review and has a newere version that suffers from many of the same problems that that car did) are any better now then they were then.
It hasn't won any comparison tests recently because there haven't been any. You know why? Because the results probably would have been identical.

In 2008 the car is outgunned, outclassed and out styled. Its a top notch motor, but the bar has moved on since, and a replacement is long overdue.

If that was true it wouldn't consistently still be in the very top of the segment whenever it is in a comparison. Its as if you don't understand why people loved the S2000 at all.

I do actually

Its nice that you do, because no one agrees with you.