the s2k blog

Well it’s official. It had been rumored and expected for a while, but today Honda announced that 2009 would be the last production year for the beloved s2000. The s2000 wasn’t really expected to be the hit that it turned out to be. Designed as a commemorative car for Honda’s 50th anniversary and first released in 1999 it became a hit among enthusiasts.

While sales in 2001 and 2002 churned out almost 19,400 cars in the US, Honda only sold about 7,000 units in 2007 and 2008 combined. A slowing economy and Honda restructuring spelled doom for the roadster. Hopefully once the economy swings back the other way, we’ll see another s2000 or similar car from Honda to fill the gap. Now that the NSX and s2000 are out, Honda really needs something sporty to stay true to their racing heritage.

The run was a lot longer than anyone expected. 10 years is a long time to keep a car pretty much the same. I also like the thought that my AP2 s2k is going to become a little more special now that no more are going to be made.

A precurser to the s2000, the Honda Argento Vivo has an unusual back story. The Argento Vivo started out as a 1995 concept car designed by Pininfarina for Honda.

The original drivetrain consisited of an inline, 5-cylinder, 2.5L, rear-wheel drive setup. The Argento Vivo featured aluminium construction and two-tone finish with the aluminum left polished and exposed on the upper panels. The dark blue sections of the Argento Vivo were formed from fiberglass. When the Argento Vivo was unveiled as a concept car in 1995, it was praised for its smooth and innovative styling, and won several industry awards.

The Argento Vivo also caught the attention of the Sultan of Brunei, an avid car collector who managed to persuade Pininfarina to create a fleet of five Argento Vivo’s for his wealthy family. However in place of the original Honda drive train was a Mercedes setup, including suspension, brakes, transmission and an AMG 7.3 liter V12.

Aside from the concept models and the mercedes powered versions ordered for the Sultan, the Argento Vivo never saw production. Ahead of its time, it did serve to influence the development of the already-concepted s2000 which would see production 4 years later.