Honda’s Chief Engineer Ponders A New S2000

While there are no concrete plans on the horizon to bring back the beloved Honda S2000, it is unmistakably clear that the company continues to harbor a deep affection for this iconic roadster. The S2000, with its spirited performance and sleek design, remains a cherished part of Honda’s legacy, evoking fond memories for enthusiasts and car lovers alike.

According to Drive magazine, Tomoyuki Yamagami, the Prelude’s chief engineer, recently told Australian media that he would one day like to build a new S2000. It’s a car that “every Honda employee loves,” and it’s a car that, if Honda were to revive, would be unique to the automaker.

“We know what’s expected from Honda [the S2000], so we need to keep the Honda DNA,” Yamagami said. It wouldn’t be a joint venture, like the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ.

That sounds great from an enthusiast’s perspective, but it would likely make the S2000’s successor too expensive for the average consumer. The new Prelude, for example, is not cheap. Although Honda is using components for the Civic and Civic Type R to keep costs down, the Japanese automaker has already received feedback that the car is “still too expensive,” Yamagami revealed.

When new, the base S2000 cost $35,705 in the US in 2009, including a $710 delivery fee. That’s $56,709 today, according to XXX’s inflation calculator, which would put it in competition with the likes of the Nissan Z Heritage Edition, Ford Mustang GT Premium, and Toyota GR Supra.

But right now, Honda engineers only have a desire to build one, with no real plans.

The S2000 went into production in 1999 with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 240 horsepower. Production continued until 2009, with the automaker building over 110,000 units, more than half of which were sold in the United States.

• Also See: Honda Doesn’t Rule Out A Civic Type R EV