An Unexpected Ride
Jon’s 2006 Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 is such a wildly beloved car by many enthusiasts in the scene. It encompasses Honda’s spirit of driving experience with a high-revving naturally aspirated engine mated with a 6-speed manual gearbox which makes it such a desirable car for many. Throughout the years, the S2000 has held its value quite well, and in the previous months that I have been around S2000 owners, it seems that it has only started to go up which motivates existing owners to keep it, and makes ambitious buyers want to get their hands on it as early as possible before it becomes extremely out of pocket. But what is it that makes this 20 year old car (in this specific case — 15 years old) so dearly loved by many of us?
I’ve stated in the previous articles just how important the driving experience is in a car. To me personally, what makes a car labelled as a “great drivers car“ is not about the power it pushes, but rather the perfect synchrony of the components in the car that provides a cohesive feeling which boosts your confidence and makes you feel like you are one with the car. It is quite difficult to find the perfect words for it, but you will know exactly what I mean when you experience one. You can just suddenly say to yourself, “wow, this is incredibly fun to drive.“ You can drive a slow car and have more fun than you would in a powerful car — and the S2000 provides just that. It is not always about how fast you can go from 0-100, but rather how it makes you feel as long as you are in the driver’s seat.
This is Jon’s 2006 Honda S2000. I met Jon about 2 years ago through another friend who — funny enough also owns an S2000. The first time I’ve met him was a random impromptu photoshoot during a late night in Markham. Throughout the entire time I’ve known him, I’ve noticed that he’s always had a huge smile on his face whenever he drives this car. Upon keeping a relationship with him, I’ve also met other S2000 owners who have that similarity that remains present when they are driving around — they all just love how this thing handles, and they always challenge the car in the on-ramps of the highways. It’s always fun to see.
For Jon, the S2000 wasn’t always the car for him. Like many car enthusiasts, it all started during his childhood when tamiyas and RC cars were the dream for many children. I was once this kid as well; all my toys were car related and I paid no attention to any other kind of toy. From scale models, to tamiyas, to RC cars of all sizes, I wanted it all; as long as I could pretend that I was driving in some way, shape, or form. As you grow up, you naturally gravitate towards the things you loved as a child and hopefully — you do not get detached from it especially when it’s something that you truly love. Luckily for Jon, it continued as he grew older. Getting influenced by an anime called Cyber Formula, he developed a curiosity for all things mechanical, which then translated into the interest in cars.
Credits to the photographers who have taken the photos of Jon’s 370z. (@sauseme)
His first car was a 370z which he acquired in his early 20’s. He was drawn to the car’s design and the drivability, and during that moment he had also thought that it was practical to have which he then corrected later on that it was not. What was important though was everything that car has brought in his life — lessons, relationships, and more lessons. “I loved how the 370z looked; the curves of the car, and at the time I thought it was practical. During the time, it was what I wanted. I knew before I got the car, I wanted an amuse kit.“
Credits to the photographers who have taken the photos of Jon’s 370z. (@sauseme)
With little to no money upon purchasing the car, Jon would scrounge up money to be able to afford the parts and then perform endless amounts of research to learn how to install them since he could not afford to pay for installations. “Because of this, I started wrenching away on my driveway applying all the things I’ve found and learned online.“ Throughout this process, he was building up a vast amount of knowledge in installing and modifying cars. They even had a thing called “bloody knuckle days“ where his friends would come over to his garage to work on each other’s cars. Each day, there would be a dedicated task and project. It could be Jon's car, his friend's, or another friend's car. The goal was to accomplish a task together and learn as you go. "We didn't know what we were doing. We were just kids that didn't have any money. So the best way to get sh*t done was to do it ourselves."
Credits to the photographers who have taken the photos of Jon’s 370z.
This is the result of passion; the risks taken, and all the challenges faced in learning skills that are simply fun to you.
After owning the 370z for about 7 years, it was time for a change… At this point, Jon had already gained enough experience to know what he wants and what it is exactly he was looking for. He had set his eyes out to a 90’s Honda NSX or an old school 911. He knew that the niche that he was going for was extremely specific so he took his time during his search. Unfortunately, he had no luck finding any of the two choices he had. The 911’s were either too expensive, and the NSX market was all over the place. Out of nowhere, a friend sends him a link of an S2000. There was no excitement but he kept his mind open and gave the car a chance.
Upon seeing the car, there wasn’t as much excitement as you’d expect for an S2000 dressed like this. It was being sold with the existing Voltex kit but with a different set of wheels. It was in great condition with low mileage, and the Voltex kit was a selling point to him. Like the 370z with the amuse kit, Jon’s idea for an S2000 should come with a Voltex kit. He went for a test drive and found that it fell short of what he expected at first. It handled great, felt light, and the 50/50 weight distribution was amazing — but something was missing. He came back and the seller had advised him to drive it again with the roof off… What else could possibly change?
“Holy sh*t it changed everything. I literally went to the bank on the way back from the test drive and told him I wanted it. I get it now. The sheer fun of driving an S2000 is why you want it. And that car with the roof off just makes me feel like I am one with the environment.”
It’s incredibly interesting to me how one small experience can change our perception on something even when we think we’re certain on that idea. Although Jon was always drawn to the aesthetics of the S2000, it wasn’t really the car that he’d thought about owning one day. “Driving an S2000 is so much about joy. A small displacement car with great emphasis on handling and balance.“
With a full Voltex kit wrapping the car from front end, side, and back, this car gets plenty of downforce which makes it incredibly exciting for those late nights up and down the 404, or a few laps around the track.
While the car may look like it has a complicated list of mods to the average enthusiast who isn’t familiar with the S2000 just yet, I think it has just the right amount for the purpose that Jon drives it for — not too much, nor too little. The kit is a Voltex track kit with carbon street sideskirts; Voltex type 2 wing with renegade motorsports dry carbon stands, an Amuse R1 Titan full titanium exhaust with some custom piping done, and a leather Recaro pole position to keep comfort in check while adding some rigidity to the seating position. The full leather Mugen quick release steering wheel and the ARC titanium shift knob feels great especially for day to day driving with occasional rips when you feel the need to have a boost of excitement.
Having been in this car multiple times, I can see exactly why the S2000 community has grown especially in Ontario. It checks off so many boxes and it balances out certain concerns you would have for the value that you are getting. At the end of the day, it is still a Honda which means parts are relatively cheap, reliable, and accessible. Fuel consumption won’t break your bank, and the style and design makes a great empty slate for a various selection of mods and theme you would like to go for. Track focus? You got it. Daily drivable? Absolutely doable. Purely cosmetic? Choose your kits. A mix of them all? Certainly.
You can find Jon on Instagram: @kingsdestroy if you want to follow what his ownership is like with this exciting machine.