Daily Archives: May 22, 2016
Is Honda Celebrating Its 70th Anniversary With A New S2000 Roadster?
Is it possible that Honda will be celebration with a new S2000 roadster just in time for its 70th anniversary in 2018? Rumors of the new roadster cannot die, even as we already confirmed the tiny S660 roadster will not be coming to US shores and the mid-engine sports car that sits below the Acura NSX is probably not happening anytime soon.
Honda first launched the S2000 in 1998 to celebrate its 50th anniversary, so it’s only fitting that they can also release a new roadster for their 70th year. It is even possible we will be seeing a new car and a commemorative two-wheeler to mark the occasion.
A source claimed the car can be compared to the Mazda MX-5 Miata in size, although Honda’s will be more powerful, performance-wise. The bike, on the other hand, will be a “detuned, roadgoing version of the RC213V-S.
However, skeptics note that Honda does not have a platform for a compact, rear-wheel-drive sports car. But, just look at what they did with the S660 mini-coupe and the all-new NSX supercar. Honda may not have a platform for such models, but they come out pretty unique, didn’t they?
An Acura executive revealed during the 2014 Detroit Auto Show that Honda is planning to fit in a smaller sports car under the NSX. He, however, pointed out that such a car won’t be appearing before 2017. So, is 2018 is just about right?
What we can assume is that the new S2000 roadster will have a slightly detuned version of the Civic Type R’s 2.0-liter turbo engine, which is made in the US. The car will be, too, apparently. And to keep costs down, Honda will build it along the NSX at its specialized Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio.
Sources said a large team from the R&D staff in Japan are now in Ohio to work on the roadster.
BMW Reveals 2002 Hommage Concept
BMW just revealed its new 2002 Hommage concept, which was unveiled at Villa D’Este Concours event. This is nothing new as the company prefers to pay respect to the past through concepts such as the BMW CSL Hommage last year and the 328 Hommage from two years ago.
According to Top Gear, the 2002 Hommage will take the spotlight this year. Based on the BMW 2002 Turbo, the 2002 Hommage is most probably just an M2. BMW Senior Vice President Adrian van Hooydonk said that the 02 range started an era of success for BMW 50 years ago. That compact coupe was the foundation of the brand’s success over the years.
The 2002 Hommage concept repeats BMW’s most famous trait, which is the shark nose. But aside from that, the concept also has a huge front spoiler, a nod to the old 70s cars. The fascia has an aggressive design to go along with the single-light headlights that pay homage to the original 02 series too.
The sides have a smoother but more muscular design cues as the strong bodyline runs from the front fender all the way to the rear.
At the back, you’ll find the twin dual exhaust outlets, a smooth rear fascia, an embedded reflector on each corner, and dark glass taillight lenses with two LED strips that emphasize the outer and lower edges of the lenses.
The car is painted in light baby blue with the upper half having a matte finish to prevent reflection from the sun.
The interior remains a mystery since BMW remains mum about it. But since this is patterned after the M2, expect to have M2’s driver-oriented cabin inside.
We don’t have information on the drivetrain of the car as of yet, though we’re betting it would have the same 3.0-liter that delivers 365 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque on the M2.