2008 Honda S2000 - S2000 Homage

New Year's Eve was not a time for celebration for Honda lovers this year, given that the S2000 officially went out of production at the end of 2009. Originally built as a celebration of Honda's 50th anniversary, the S2000 was meant to be a limited-edition vehicle with a short production run. But with strong sales during 2000 and 2001, this appealingly raw roadster made a totally unexpected 10-year run that resulted in more than 65,000 units being sold in America and over 110,000 globally.

As its swan song, Honda released the truly limited-edition CR (Club Racer) in 2008. With a large rear wing, removable hardtop and aggressive front air dam-all designed to increase the S2000's aerodynamic downforce-there's no mistaking a CR for an early AP1. The hardcore intentions of the CR were also made clear with the addition of a quicker steering rack, stickier Bridgestone rubber, a firmer suspension and some weight reduction. But for the truly hardcore, Honda may not have gone far enough with the CR.

Ryan Mahoney is as hardcore a S2000 fan as you'll find, having built three (one of which made our cover in Oct. '07) prior to acquiring this '08 Berlina Black CR. Whether or not this will be Ryan's final S2K build remains to be seen, but his plan for the CR was clear: "I wanted to build a car that would be fast and fun at the track. As one of the two owners of TimeAttackForums.com, I wanted to build something that could represent the website well and also be a great track car. I used to care about car shows, but now I really only care about improving lap times."

Ryan's devotion to Honda began with his very first car, an EJ8 Civic coupe. "While I was saving up for a motor swap, I got rear-ended in my Civic and it was totaled. Around that same time I saw an S2000 driving up the street, and I knew I had to own one someday. With the accident, that someday came sooner than I expected. I put down all the money I had saved for the motor swap, plus the money I got out of the Civic, and bought my first S2000. I was only 17 years old at the time, and I'm now 24 and on my fourth one. I have also had an STI and a Honda Fit over the years, but my love (and passion) is for the S2000."

Ryan's CR build came together pretty quickly, which should come as no surprise given his previous experience modifying S2Ks. According to Ryan, "I always visualize the finished product before I begin modifying a car, so I knew the CR would turn out well. I don't know that there was a motivation for the color scheme, but as soon as I saw the yellow Project µ brake calipers I knew I wanted a set. As much as I hate maintaining a black car, I felt that it was the only color that would really bring the yellow accents together well." Adding a custom yellow time attack-style lip treatment to his matte-black Volk Racing CE28N 17x9.5-inch non-staggered wheels further tied the black-and-yellow theme together, as do the yellow-painted J's Racing tow hook and Hard Dog roll bar. Helping set an aggressive stance while closing up the CR's wheelwell gap are track-ready KW Variant 3 double-adjustable coilovers, complemented by T1R anti-bumpsteer kits (front and rear) and a full assortment of GTSPEC chassis braces.

Ryan's attention to detail on the exterior of his CR goes well beyond the color scheme. Maintaining some of the CR's original character, he's kept the aggressive CR front lip in place, but the slightly awkward-looking, low-mounted CR rear wing has been replaced by a more effective and attractive J's Racing V1 that's been mounted high enough to receive some clean air off the roof of the Mugen hardtop. The bulky OE sideview mirrors have been replaced by lightweight C-West versions in carbon fiber, and the rear bumper cover has been converted to an AP1 OEM piece that matches up nicely with the single-exit T1R EM-R full titanium exhaust system.

By David Pratte

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