Twin S2000 Unveilings

In a non-descript brick bunker somewhere on the south side of downtown Los Angeles at an unassuming-sounding place called Auto Conduct, one of the most exciting events for S2000 enthusiasts took place May 2, 2023 – the twin unveilings of the Evasive Motorsports’ S2000 R and the Eneos sponsored Pikes Peak Hill Climb S2000. Short of Honda itself announcing a new S2000, this release has created the biggest buzz possible in the S2000 community.

In the foreground, the Championship White S2000 R took center stage and lead off the presentation by Tony Kwan and Mike Chang from Evasive Motorsports, a name well-known to Honda and S2000 enthusiasts far and wide. With 20 years in the industry, making its name in the Time Attack series, and then branching out into Pikes Peak hill climb competition in 2013, Evasive provides aftermarket products for a variety of vehicle makes and models, but when you hear the name Evasive, you immediately think of the S2000.

So it is no surprise that the Type R which many enthusiasts feel Honda should have made for the US market comes from this company in the form of a fully refurbished and reinforced original S2000 chassis, but with all new body panels (dry carbon for weight saving), a more modern engine, interior updates, refreshing of all components, and making all the adjustments which enthusiasts wanted – more torque and horsepower which is more readily accessible at lower RPMs.

The inspiration for the S2000 R came from Mike Chang’s casual conversation with a friend about the age old question, “What car do you regret selling the most?”  Chang says, “We both agreed on the S2000. We knew we messed up by selling that car. That was 2018. And that was when the Civic Type R came to the States. And that was when the light bulb went off. Why don’t we combine modern technology with the car we love so much and create something special?”

The engine, a K20C1 from an FK8 Type R, mated to a reinforced drive train from an S2000 “makes about 300 [BHP] to the wheels,” says Chang. Torque and powerband are significantly improved making maneuvers like accelerating up onramps and merging with freeway traffic less frenetic and not requiring multiple downshifts to reach the right RPM to access power.

Still a big question mark is the cost and when these cars will be available to buyers. Right now, there are aspects still being refined, as well as some bigger issues to work out, like making the vehicle emissions compliant.  And pricing will vary greatly depending on if the customer sources their own donor chassis, as well as what options the customer chooses for the vehicle. But both Chang and Kwan said they hope to have pricing information available later this year or in early 2024. “We are working hard on it to make sure everyone will be happy with the results,” said Kwan. “We want to keep the culture alive, keep the S2000 tradition going. Anyone who has ever had an S2000 knows the joy that it brings.”

Lurking under cover in the shadows at the presentation was the Evasive Motorsports Eneos S2000 Pikes Peak Hill Climb challenge car.  The car currently holds the fastest laptime for an S2000 at Buttonwillow raceway and is now configured to make its mark racing to the clouds in Colorado. To be driven by Dai Yoshihara, Evasive hopes to have as much or better success as past years in their 86 –winning in unlimited class in 2020 with a time of 10 minutes 5 seconds-- and the Tesla which clocked fastest time for an EV. “But this year, what I want to achieve personally is I want to go sub 10. And I don’t see why we can’t go sub 10 in this car,” said Yoshihara.

As an S2000 owner and enthusiast myself, this writer is probably not alone in keeping fingers crossed for the Evasive Motorsports crew with their S2000 R as well as their Pikes Peak Hill Climb car.