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Honda' s hot new ride By Malcolm G in n SPECIAL TO TH E BEAVER bout the only thing that can be said about the H onda's forth com ing S2000 roadster is, `w hat took them so long?' A fter all, H onda is a com pany that has a reputation for building ftin, excit ing m otorcycles with m ore than a hint o f high perform ance hidden beneath the fuel tank. H onda is also well know n in racing circles, w here it has been a successful pow er provider in both Form ula O ne and CA R T open-w heel racing. Finally, through its A cura division, H onda has produced the N SX , arguably one o f the m ost thrilling rides for the m oney to be found anywhere. So, with this history in mind, it's am azing that H onda has w aited such a long tim e to finally bring a roadster to market. (For the record, it m ust be stat ed that H onda did produce a tiny, motorcycle-pow ered sports car back in the A m id-'60s that saw very limited export to our shores). The rear-wheel drive S2000, official ly launched at the Los Angeles and Detroit auto shows in January, is a stun ning piece o f w ork (the S2000 designa tion refers to engine displacement, and not the model year). Some o f the car's styling cues are rem iniscent o f the M azda M iata and BM W Z3 roadsters, with a few unique designs o f its own, particularly the angular-shaped front fascia. O verall size, however, more closely approximates the BMW. The top is power operated, and a full range of additional pow er and convenience fea tures, including air conditioning, will be part o f the S2000 package. The car also features 50/50 w eight distribution, which should help to give it excellent handling control and balance. U nder the hood, the S2000 is pure magic. Pow er is provided by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine equipped w ith H onda's variable tim ing (V ETEC ) sys tem that generates an astounding 240 horsepower. A t 120 horsepow er per litre, that's m ore than any other norm al ly-aspirated m o to r available on the market. Even w ith all this energy on tap, the S 2 000 w ill still m eet C alifornia's tough low -em ission vehi cle (L E V ) standard. A s w ith m ost H onda pow erplants, the S 2000's engine is a high-revving unit, m axing out at 9.000 R PM before the self-destruct sequence begins. A six-speed m anual transm ission is standard, with no w ord o f autom atic availability as o f this writing. A lthough styled in the U nited States, the S2000 will be built entirely in Japan alongside the N SX (designated as a H onda in Japan). Initial plans call for only 12,000 cars to be built in the first year. O f that total, 5.000 will be shipped to N orth America, ensuring the S2000 will be a fairly exclusive item for the first year or two. Final prices have yet to be estab lished, but you can expect to pay about $30,000 range to take possession o f one o f these little gem s (providing you get on H onda's w aiting list early enough). T he S2000 may be long overdue, but should live up to H onda's reputation for building exciting, yet reliable vehicles. Availability is planned for September. This latest creation seems to have all the right ingredients to m ake it a huge hit with those few ow ners lucky enough to grab hold o f one. From a standpoint o f styling, pow er and price, how could H onda go w rong? Honda charity carwash A s part o f it's Community P artners pro gram , O akville H onda is hosting a ch arity car w ash for Halton W o m an 's P lace on Saturday. The car wash is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Oakville H onda, 191 W yecroft Rd. C ars w ill be w ashed by volun teers from O ak v ille H onda and H alton W o m an 's P lace in exchange for donations. A b arbecue w ith free hot do g s and h am burgers will also be available. A ll p roceeds will go to Halton W om an's Place is a sh elter for ab u sed w om en and children. GARAGE SAL! FRIDAY & SATURDAY JUNE 16 & 17 ·your oldies your Audio Equipment 94-97 Accord 4-Door Spoilers ^ Touch Paints Parts Departm ent *rK HONDA Assorted Wheel Covers Floor Mats Other Miscellaneous Items B U IL T W IT H O U T C O M P R O M I S E 91 WYECROFT RD. OAKVILLE I 90 831 wunu. i