When you mesmerize them with horsepower by the barrel, a shifter slicker than Joe Isuzu, and the highest redline known to man, you cause tidal waves of excitement down at the auto show stand, in the press kits, in the ad pages, and on the track. But what of the street?
When the Honda S2000 arrived at the closing moments of Y1K, the auto media was too busy gushing over all those milestones to ask such questions, and the public too busy outbidding each other at the checkout line. The S2000 kicked butt where it counted most; our extremist was our hero. Over time, though, real owner feedback came back through the pipeline, citing dissatisfaction with low-speed driving and Honda's neglection to convenience, along with a few reports of not-so-pretty roadside messes resulting from a mismatch in skill between cars and drivers.
The concessions started trickling in. A glass rear window replaced the plastic one, the tinny stereo got a stronger amp, the shifter got recalibrated more than once, and the interior got some people skills (i.e. no more hand-scorching metal shifter). Then came the drastic: the engine grew, the suspension mellowed out, and the chassis' reactions saw tweaks to make more room for driver error. And finally, here at six years out, the S2000 enjoys further investments in the audio, convenience, and safety departments.
Sounds like its makers are ready to meet us halfway.
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