Sports Car 2008 Honda S2000

2008 Honda S2000 Sports Car Buyers Guide
Whats New: A new CR (Club Racer) variant is the real news of note for the S2000 line. While it uses the same 237-hp engine, the S2000 CR sheds 90 pounds and boasts even stiffer structure/suspension tune, lift-reducing front/rear aero devices, stickier tires, special interior trim, and gets a bolt-on aluminum hardtop in place of the base car’s power soft lid.

2008 Honda S2000 Sports Car Specifications
  2008 Honda S2000 Performance & Efficiency Standard Features
- 2,157 cc 2.2 liters in-line 4 front engine with 87.0 mm bore, 90.7 mm stroke, 11.1 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder
- Premium unleaded fuel 91
- Multi-point injection fuel system
- 13.2 gallon main premium unleaded fuel tank 11.0
- Power: 177 kW , 237 HP SAE @ 7,800 rpm; 162 ft lb , 220 Nm @ 6,800 rpm

Source: 2008 Honda S2000 Sports car information at motortrend.com

2008 Honda Civic Compact Car Performance & Efficiency Standard Features

2008 Honda Civic Compact Car Handling, Ride & Braking Standard Features
- Four-wheel ABS
- Two disc brakes including two ventilated discs
- Electronic brake distribution
- Immobilizer
- Spacesaver steel rim internal spare wheel
- Strut front suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs, multi-link rear suspension independent with coil springs

Source: For more information on compact cars Honda Civic 2008, check out http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2008/honda/civic/specifications/

Subaru Impreza WRX 5-Door 2008

2008 Subaru IMPREZA WRX 4-Door

2008 Honda Civic Si Mugen

Ford Focus Compact Car 2008

Chevrolet Aveo LT Sedan 2008

Audi R8 Sport Car 2008

I’d read about it in the buff books and enthusiast forums, and shook my head. $30,000 for what’s essentially a Civic Si with a body kit, rims, shocks, and spoilers? Then I saw one in person. And it did not change my mind one bit. It still looks like a mildly (though tastefully) riced-out Civic Si.

Now, the argument could be made that if you were going to get the equivalent items aftermarket, including wheels, tires, suspension, body, kit and exhaust with the requisite painting, mounting, balancing, installation, etc., that it might add up to about as much — if not more — than the approximately $8,000 premium the Mugen fetches over the standard Civic Si, and you couldn’t package it in financing at the dealer and have it covered no-questions-asked by your helpful local Honda dealer.

Maybe that’s true, but for that amount of coin, I’d expect some substantial improvement in many areas, not least of which under the hood. I could see how you could justify that price if it included the 222-horse Type-R engine offered in Japan and Europe. Never mind the fact that you can buy an unmolested Mazdaspeed3 for around $23k starting, and $27k nicely-loaded that packs a substantial 263 horsepower and 280 lb./ft. of torque. For you math majors out there, that’s a little more than double the stock torque output of the Si.

I know the Honda loyalists, the very fact that I’m comparing a Honda to a Mazda is galling, but putting brand loyalties aside, I find the Mugen Si a tough proposition to justify. Certainly, it will have its takers, but for me, the smart money’s on the hero from Hiroshima.

Source: http://blogs.sportcompactcarweb.com/6230510/expert-car-opinions/2008-honda-civic-si-mugen/index.html