I first became interested in the S2000 when AutoWeek started publishing spy shots of it in ~1998. These were taken at test sessions in Germany at the Nurburgring. Rear taillights and the general size of the car were clear (the front wasn't seen), as was the dual exhaust. It was clearly a rear-wheel drive sportscar. One particular image showed a large stack of mufflers, which were different designs being evaluated on the track. It was clear something special and unique was up. Later, at my yearly pilgrimage to the NAIAS, I attended it's North American introduction and spent hours crawling all over the two cars that were shown (one elevated, so that the underside could be seen). I didn't buy one immediately when it came out on the market, instead I managed to find one for rent and spent a couple of days driving it around back roads in Nevada. It was clear that this type of sportscar with very crisp and dynamic reactions would be a great car for me. Shortly thereafter, I had my own (model year 2000). The drive home of my new S2000 lasted until midnight and covered hundreds of miles of roads in Central Texas.

My original reaction to the S2000 when it was introduced at NAIAS remains the same: I'm completely stunned by the car. It's a great drive, it's a modern masterpiece by Honda, and it looks even more perfectly proportioned in person than it does in the photos. The handling is great, the engine is incredible and it's great fun to take it thru the entire 9000 RPM rev range. This is one of the greatest "true" sportscars* of our time.

The test of a true sportscar is in the driving. I drove my own 2000 Silverstone S2000 in track events without modification other than braided brake lines, brake pads, and alignment. Only at the last event did I show up with special wheels and tires. It never let me down, it never failed to handle the Texas heat, and the only limiting factor in the car was the remaining life in the S-02s and my own skill as a driver.