Works-tuned Ohlins S2000

Ride Quality
Firstly, the odd part about driving the Works-tuned Ohlins S2000 was that the steering wheel was crooked when driving straight. The Works crew later admitted to a late-night, last-minute tuning session. Steering effort was higher than for the others and the car wandered a bit through undulations on the freeway, leading us to believe that the alignment had probably been the last adjustment done. The suspension was smooth and controlled over bumps with an excellent ability to absorb sharp bumps and rough patches. Like the Moton suspension, the Ohlins car also transmitted more road noise into the cabin, due to the upper mounts. While firm in overall feel, the Ohlins Stage II dampers never bottomed out, crashed into bumps or displayed anything that made us cringe.

On-Track Behavior/Lap Time
The Works car ran nearly identical times to the J's Racing car in every section. Proper brakes gave it more control entering sections two, three and nine. But it lost a hair in sections six, seven and ten. A tendency to become unstable over bumps made it hard to place through consecutive corners. For example, the curbing that lines up the exit of the Bus Stop would get the car bouncing, making it hard to initiate the turn with precision. Aside from the suspension, there was a serious driveline vibration. Despite these minor issues, the car still finished solidly within the tight pack of competitors.

Damping Quality
The Ohlins Starge II suspension was, according to Works, designed to be neutral and predictable at all times, both on the track and the street. This was set up to be a dual-purpose suspension for time trials and daily driving, not a full-on race suspension. On the street, the Works-tuned system displayed a firm but well damped feel, with a slight low-speed body jiggle. When hitting bumps that were offset from the S2000's center, there was an odd difference in feel from the left and right sides. On the track, the set-up was firm, but with no tire shock. Finding grip in this car was easy, especially on corner exit. The overall balance was good and easy to drive.

Modifications
Peak Power: 205whp @ 7700rpm
Peak Torque: 133lb-ft @ 6600rpm
Weight: 2755 lbs (50.2/49.8)
Model Year: 2000 (AP1)
Engine Code: F20C
Engine Modifications: Stock
Chassis: Front tower bar, Works Croxx brace
Suspension (other): Stock
Brakes: Stock
Wheels: SSR Type C RS, 17x9 +55mm (F), 17x9 +55mm (R)
Tires: Continental ContiSportContact 3, 255/40/17 (F), 255/40/17 (R)
Body: OEM hardtop
Interior: Stock