The Honda S2000 CR

The Honda S2000 CR: Honda's Track-Ready Swan Song

The Honda S2000 was already one of the most driver-focused sports cars of its era when Honda decided to sharpen the formula further. The S2000 CR — Club Racer — arrived in 2007 as a limited-edition variant built to celebrate the S2000's tenth anniversary, and it represents the most focused, uncompromising version of the platform Honda ever put into production. Strip the luxuries, dial in the suspension, add the right aero, and you have a car that transforms an already sharp roadster into a genuine track weapon.

What Is the S2000 CR?

The S2000 itself debuted in 1999 as Honda's 50th anniversary project — a rear-wheel-drive roadster built around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that revved to 9,000 rpm and produced 240 hp, figures that made it one of the highest specific-output naturally aspirated engines in production at the time. By 2004, Honda enlarged the engine to 2.2 liters, dropping peak revs slightly but broadening the usable powerband.

The CR variant, introduced for the 2008 model year under the 2007 announcement, was never meant for daily commutes. Honda developed it specifically for drivers who wanted an S2000 calibrated for circuit use, with every modification serving that single purpose.

Suspension and Chassis Tuning

The most consequential upgrade on the CR is the suspension setup. Honda fitted the car with a retuned double wishbone arrangement front and rear — the same geometry that underpins the standard S2000 — but added adjustable dampers that allow drivers to dial in compression and rebound to suit specific tracks or driving styles. Spring rates are stiffer than the production car, reducing body roll and keeping the tyres planted through high-speed corners.

The result is a car with considerably sharper turn-in and more communicative feedback through the steering. Where the standard S2000 already rewarded precise inputs, the CR demands them, making it a more exacting but ultimately more satisfying car on a circuit.

Weight Reduction: Cutting What Doesn't Contribute

Honda's approach to the CR's weight reduction was methodical. The air conditioning system came out. The audio system came out. Several sound-deadening panels were removed. These aren't dramatic measures individually, but collectively they trim mass from the car without touching anything that affects the driving experience on track.

Combined with the stiffer, more responsive suspension, the lower kerb weight improves the car's power-to-weight ratio and makes it quicker to respond to steering and throttle inputs. On a circuit, where transitions from braking to cornering to acceleration happen in fractions of a second, that reduced inertia is felt immediately.

The Engine and Drivetrain

The CR runs the same 2.2-liter inline-four found in the post-2004 S2000, a high-revving naturally aspirated unit that produces 237 hp in North American specification. Honda's changes to the CR's drivetrain focus on extracting more from that engine and putting the power down more effectively.

A high-performance exhaust system improves flow and adds a modest gain in top-end power, while also sharpening the intake and exhaust note that made the F22C1 engine famous among enthusiasts. More significant for track use is the addition of a limited-slip differential. The standard S2000's open differential was a known weak point in hard cornering — under power, the inside rear wheel could spin freely rather than driving the car forward. The Torsen-type LSD in the CR addresses this directly, distributing torque to the wheel with more grip and allowing drivers to use the throttle far more aggressively on corner exit.

Aero and Visual Differentiation

The CR doesn't wear its aerodynamic additions as decoration. The prominent rear wing generates meaningful downforce at speed, keeping the rear of the car stable during high-speed braking and through fast corners. A revised front fascia works in concert with the rear wing to balance the car aerodynamically.

Honda also fitted the CR with lightweight alloy wheels wearing performance-spec tyres, reducing unsprung mass and improving the contact patch's response to road inputs. Every visual change on the CR has a functional rationale.

CR vs. Standard S2000: Who Is Each Car For?

The standard S2000 remains one of the most engaging sports cars ever built for road use. It's comfortable enough for longer journeys, has a proper roof, and doesn't require you to sacrifice daily usability for a sharp driving experience.

The CR is narrower in its purpose. Without air conditioning or audio, it loses approachability as a road car. The stiffer suspension transmits more road surface to the cabin. But for someone whose primary use is track days and performance driving events, those compromises disappear — because the very things that make the CR harder to live with are the things that make it faster and more rewarding on circuit.

Key Takeaways

• The S2000 CR was introduced in 2007 to mark the S2000's tenth anniversary, built as the most track-focused version of the platform Honda ever produced.
• Adjustable dampers on the retuned double wishbone suspension allow drivers to fine-tune handling for specific circuits or conditions.
• Weight reduction through the removal of air conditioning, audio, and sound-deadening material improves power-to-weight ratio and responsiveness.
• A limited-slip differential — absent on the standard car — transforms the CR's corner-exit traction, allowing more aggressive throttle use mid-corner.
• The rear wing and revised front fascia are functional aerodynamic components, not styling additions.