Honda S2000 to re-enter the sports car market and rival Mazda's MX-5.
The original two-seat roadster was introduced in 1999 and became popular for its strong powertrain and handling, but Honda stopped producing the second generation model in 2009.
Now, a third generation is said to be in development as the Japanese automaker tries to re-enter the sports car market. Takahiro Hachigo, Honda's new president has already confirmed the news.
"We are receiving requests from our regions who are saying they would like more sports cars, so we are considering ways to do that," Hachigo said in a statement published by Independent UK.
The new Honda S2000 is said to retain the original's front-engine rear-wheel drive format, and hopes to rival established competitors from Fiat and Mazda.
"It will be pitched as a faster alternative to the MX-5, although its performance should be more of a match for that car's stablemate, the forthcoming Fiat 124 Spider, which uses a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine instead of the Mazda's naturally aspirated 1.5 and 2.0-litre units," according to Autocar UK.
The new model is expected to be powered by a new 1.5-litre turbo gasoline VTEC engine. The four-cylinder motor, which produces 150BHP and has variable valve timing will likely be tweaked to produce 180BHP for the new S2000, beating Mazda's MX-5 and Fiat's 124. The turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine from the Civic Type R is also an obvious fit for the new model.
The third gen S2000 will likely feature a six-speed manual transmission, although it's unclear if an automatic version will be available as an option.
While Honda has yet to announce an official release date for the new S2000, many are speculating that it will launch in 2019 to mark 20 years since the original was introduced.
