2008 Honda S2000

Equipped with a high-performance engine, slick-shifting transmission and racing-inspired chassis, Honda's S2000 roadster caters to the enthusiast.

If you don't get this impression from the outside, just plop yourself into the well-bolstered driver's seat and grip the fat small-diameter leather-wrapped steering wheel. All essential vehicle controls are centered around the steering wheel, within a finger's stretch away. You can access most of them without taking your hands off the wheel and your eyes off the road.

Since its launch in 1999, the S2000 has been best known for its high-revving powerplant, a 2.2-liter four-cylinder with 237 horsepower and a lofty 7,800 rpm redline.

This engine has been acclaimed for its high horsepower per liter of displacement (at 107.7 it easily breaks through the remarkable threshold of 100), especially because Honda's engineers accomplished this without the aid of turbocharging or supercharging. The S2000's engine is normally aspirated.

While these engine specs are great for high performance on the track, they make the S2000 a bit temperamental to live with on a daily basis, with the stop-and-go traffic of city roads. However, it used to be worse, before 2004, when the engine was smaller and more high-strung (a smaller 2.0-liter with more horses, less torque and still high redline).

The S2000's power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential. With the engine up front and drive wheels out back, Honda was able to achieve a near 50-50 weight distribution, ideal for handling dynamics.

Another feature that greatly helps handling is the vehicle's rigid X-bone monocoque frame.

New for 2008, the Club Racer or CR version boasts features that make it highly suitable for, as the name suggests, club racing events. It has a stiffer suspension, quicker steering ratio, larger rear tires, aggressive aerodynamic kit, removable aluminum hard-top and more.

To shave off 100 pounds in weight and thus further enhance performance, air conditioning and a stereo are options on the CR, and the spare tire has been replaced by a tire-repair kit.