Rainbow-shaped digital instruments offer relatively poor legibility. A digital tachometer arcs across the top of the array like an electronic rainbow; there's a digital speedome-ter in the middle and the arrangement is flanked by small fuel and coolant temperature gauges. A big tachometer is standard competition practice -- most race cars don't even have speedometers -- but as racy as it is, we'd still prefer an analog speedometer in this car because analog instruments provide rate-of-change information and digital readouts don't. So, while the instruments are playful, they are not as useful as analog gauges.

The hidden AM/FM/CD stereo is a nice feature. The buttons on it are small, but that is addressed by redundant controls just to the left of the steering wheel.

Thankfully, a glass rear window has been added to the S2000's soft top. The top is power-operated. An aero windscreen was added last year to reduce buffeting when the top is down. As mentioned, a removable hard top is also available.

Air conditioning, power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, keyless remote entry, and tilt steering are all standard. Starting the S2000 reminds us we're driving a thinly disguised race car: just press the big red starter button to the left of the steering wheel. Another race car cue: The tall, square, carpeted driveshaft tunnel that runs down the middle is reminiscent of a racing prototype or homemade hot rod.