Acura Derivative of S2000?

Jimbo · 18 August 2003

What would you think of an Acura variant of the S2000. Think of an aluminum chassis/bodied MR-2 with NSX related styling cues.

Weight: 2300 pounds
Rigid Aluminum Coupe w/mid engine

Use as many parts from the S2000 as possible.

Make it a coupe for maximum stiffness.

Performance should be in the NSX realm or better with less than 10 lb/hp.

Of course, it wouldn't be a replacement for the NSX...let's call it the NSZ.

-Jim

Eric5273 · 18 August 2003

Sounds like something that already exists. There's a company out in California that puts the Integra Type-R engine and tranny into a Lotus Elise and it's street legal. Costs around $60k (Elise + cost of the engine install).

Soichiro · 18 August 2003

>>Use as many parts from the S2000 as possible.
This is a good idea and it's how OEM's cut costs - by sharing platforms.

>>Rigid Aluminum Coupe w/mid engine
But when you say this I am confused. This is an all new structure (platform). The parts shared with the S2K might be the engine and some interior details. This does not sound like "using as many parts from the S200 as possible."

tararan · 18 August 2003

Eric5273 said:
Sounds like something that already exists. There's a company out in California that puts the Integra Type-R engine and tranny into a Lotus Elise and it's street legal. Costs around $60k (Elise + cost of the engine install).

i thought some models of the lotus elise originally comes with the honda engine in it straight from the manufacturer.

i don't think lotus make their own engine. they just design the body and put another company's performance engine in it.

Animate · 18 August 2003

"Weight: 2300 pounds
Rigid Aluminum Coupe w/mid engine"

That would certainly get my attention!

Eric5273 · 18 August 2003

Animate said:
"Weight: 2300 pounds
Rigid Aluminum Coupe w/mid engine"

That would certainly get my attention!

How about:

"1800 lbs
Rigid Aluminum Coupe w/med engine"

By this time next year, people will be driving the new Lotus Elise S3 around. Rumour is that it will have the Toyota Celica GTS engine with around 190 hp and will weigh somewhere around 1800 lbs.

As far as the older Elise models, they used Rover engines. The only ones with the Honda engine were the ones modified by this company in California. They also did the same mod with the Exige. Either car with the Integra Type-R engine was a beast. They were producing 0-60 times around 4 seconds.

Justin664 · 18 August 2003

http://www.suninternational-usa.com/

Eric5273 · 18 August 2003

Justin664 said:
http://www.suninternational-usa.com/

Yup.......that would be them.

I remember reading that they do great work but are also rather unreliable. Some people waited many months to have their car modified with no end in sight. There were numerous complaints over at the Lotus board.

Ojas · 18 August 2003

Not a coupe, but how about an aluminum version of the K-1 Attack with S2000 motor?

MarkB · 18 August 2003

What would be wrong with keeping the NSX style and replacing the engine with a doubled S2000 engine (4L 480hp V8). The engine size would not be prohibitive and the weight increase would be minimal.

Jimbo · 18 August 2003

The idea of a V8 based on the S2000 engine is appealing. However, that would be for a NSX replacement.

An 1,800 pound car by a real manufacturer would be real difficult, if not impossible. Considering crash worthiness regs, and normal creature comforts, I really doubt that Honda would go that route. At 2,300 pounds, I was trying to be realistic and optimistic.

I do realize that the structure would need to be all new. However, I think there could be enough parts that follow over to make this practical.

I'm doing this thought exercise to explore the possibility of a $45K-$55K little brother to the NSX. Of course, performance would be potentially better than the NSX.

It could be done, however.

-Jim

4AU4LIFE · 19 August 2003

Ummm, why not just buy an SK2 and put an Acura badge on it.

Jimbo · 19 August 2003

1. Because it weighs not that much less than a NSX. About 2,800 pounds. I'm thinking with an aluminum coupe design (no convertible) that 500 pounds could be trimmed.

2. Because I would like to see a mid-engine design.

-Jim

Ojas · 19 August 2003

This is fun

Sign me up if we're talking about something along the lines of an Exige with the interior comfort level on par with an S2000 (or NSX). I would not want too many gadgets or luxury amenties (due to weight), but would not like something as minimalistic as an Elise.

However, I'm thinking the price would have to be in the low $40s. I say this because if you get much more, buyers may expect more luxury amenities which add weight. I think it's realistic, too. What are your thoughts on luxury-level, especially taking into account the Acura badge?

If production volume is similar to that of the S2000 and price is within $10k, they should not have any problem selling them. At that volume, it seems like it would be realistic for Honda to design a new chassis and build it in aluminum. They did it for the S2000, surely they can do aluminum for $10k more so long as volume is in 5000+ units/year range. Right?

Since we're talking about leveraging existing components and a MR layout (transverse, I assume), I think it would be more cost-effective to use an Integra Type-R (either current K-whatever or old B18C5) drivetrain mounted in the back. What you do think?

Acura Derivative of S2000?

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