BimmerBoost - Asian Cars

Crawford Performance fully built Subaru BRZ.

whoosh — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:07:28 GMT

450hp, 500tq from the 2.0 liter FA20 boxer on pump gas. 500hp on E85. The car weighs 2700 lbs.

Suddenly, the limits for the BRZ have gone way, way up.

Team ice ricers 4 "ski hill attempt"

bobS — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:15:31 GMT

This is pretty cool, how many performance/sports cars can do this? The gtr really is a freak, no need for storage during the winter for this beast.

Thread from GTRLife - forged performance failure

Adrenacide — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:58:48 GMT

Just grabbed some exerts from the original thread that can be found here:

http://www.gtrlife.com/forums/topic/85083-forged-performance-the-truth/

The Truth About Forged Performance

This is going to be a long winded review, but my experience spans over a 22 month timeframe and I am still dealing with the repairs as I write this. I feel it is important to notate all of the details in order to properly warn my fellow GT-R owners. I would never want anyone to have to go through what I have experienced over the last couple of years.

Here are the cliff notes for anyone who doesn�t want to read the entire detailed experience�

� 22 month project
� Over $250,000 spent at Forged Performance
� Countless lies and broken promises
� 300 whp below goal
� Engine failure before delivery
� Transmission failure shortly after delivery
� 2nd Engine failure upon teardown
� Hacked up turbo kit
� Overcharged for the performed work
� Horrible craftsmanship
� Shoddy work
� FP refused to compensate me for the troubles or refund me

Attached Images

Official AP1 versus AP2 Honda S2000 comparison broken down by changes each model year

Sticky — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:40:41 GMT

Thanks to @crazylegs for this:

Official AP1 vs AP2 Comparison

Model Year 2001

� Model year 2000 did not have a clock. Per Honda, it was intentionally left out due to the race car theme. It became standard equipment on 2001 model.
� Model year 2000 offered wind deflector as an option; it became standard with the 2001.
� Red floor mats became available.

Model Year 2002

� Public pressure was strong to replace the plastic rear window design with a glass window, equipped with a defroster, which became standard for 2002 model. The window is smaller in size and the top frame was redesigned to accommodate the glass.
� The UK Press release states �.. for 2002, there is a significant change in the suspension�s fine tuning. Spring rates have been increased, anti-roll bar stiffness reduced, and the gas-filled dampers (shocks) recalibrated. The changes have been made to improve steering feel and handling progression at the limit, while maintaining the response, grip and balance of the original S2000.� {All three changes would be for an understeer correction.}
� Anti-roll bars: Front & rear sway bars were reportedly changed. Originals were F: 28.2 mm (1.11") x 5.0 mm, R: 27.2 mm (1.07") x 5.3 mm. A new �02 owner says his measures: F: 26.11mm and R: 27.35mm.
� Springs: � 02 rear springs have a new part number.
� Early stereo complaints were addressed in the 2002 model with an upgrade from 20 to 30 watts per channel and the addition of door mounted tweeters. The door speakers are blue-plastic, have no 'paper' cone, magnet is still small, but owner�s report the 2002 sounds vastly better.
� The solid aluminum shift **** could be cold as ice in winter or very hot in the sun, for the 2002 model it was changed to a combination leather and aluminum ****.
� The black interior color shade has changed to a dark grey or charcoal bluish black shade.
� The stereo has digital bass/treble/fade/bal controls. You push the right **** and set them as opposed to small black ***** that you would push to pop-out.
� The tonneau cover changed. There is only 1 clip on the each side to push in from underneath. The elastic bands straps on each side remain the same. Reportedly its easier to attach and doesn't appear to 'flap' up like previous design.
� The shade of wheels are a slightly darker silver with a little more metallic-flake.
� Heat and A/C fan are more powerful. The 2nd and 3rd fan speeds are noticeably more effective.
� A chrome ring has been added to the tail-lights.
� A metal ring has been added to the interior door panel pulls.
� The horn reportedly has a different tone.
� The plastic trim piece that outlines the dash, as well as the trapezoidal plastic plate in which the roof and hazard buttons sit, are made of a different color/finish plastic � a gray, grooved plastic rather than the bland black untextured plastic.
� The cupholder cover and trash hole behind it are textured plastic as opposed to the same untextured earlier ones.
� Interior leather and plastic colors have changed. For example, earlier Silver cars came with a combination of red and black interior. The 2002 model comes with a solid red interior (dash, doors, center storage, etc.).
� Radio design and color changed.
� It�s said to have improvements in the transmission to make it smoother and provide quieter shifts.
� The dead-pedal is now metal/rubber and matches the other pedals.
� A vinyl console cover replaces the carpet console cover.
� The buttons for the defroster and cruse-control on switches are a different shape.
� The new window defrost button is the cruise control on the right side of the steering wheel.
� There is a small subtle change in the trunk lid shape at the rear, near the trunk brake light. Reportedly this was to meet the Federal safety standard measurements.
� The tach indicator line is now white and the scale connected by a solid white arc line.
� The outside Honda badges are larger.
� A second post has been added to the carpeted floor mats to secure them.
� There is very limited cockpit storage in the race car tight confinements, so door panel net storage pockets were added for the 2002 model but they are too small for anything but perhaps a garage door opener.
� Paint color changes were made. In the US, Sebring Silver replaced Silverstone Metallic (the newer is a brighter silver). Suzuka Blue Metallic was added.
� Some interior colors were changed in 2002, for example, the red & black interior of the Silver car was changed to �all� red.
� At mid-model year the banjo bolts in the engine lubrication system were upgraded from two-holes to four-holes each.

Model Year 2003

� Only change was to offer white cars with a tan interior.
� A Honda dealer says the clutch disc changed for 2003.
S2000 �Modulo� or �Factory Performance (FP)� In 2003 Honda announced that its division Honda Access Corporation, a Japan based operation that specializes in improving the look and performance of Honda company cars, will undertake the S2000. The FP team is led by Makoto Tamamura, the chief suspension engineer for the original NSX. To begin with the team will concentrate on only the handling traits for performance; engine tuning may come later. As of early 2003, USA availability is undetermined.

R&T�s early test vehicle (March 2003 issue) had 5-way adjustable suspension system, the entire double-wishbone set recalibrated, 17" wheels with Yokohama Advan TNR 215/45ZR-17s, slotted brake rotors and special brake pads.

At Willow Springs the stock S2000 lapped at 1:38.2. The Modulo did 1:37.6. The cost for picking up the extra � second, in Japan pricing, was $5,500.

Nothing more has been heard of this since.

Model Year 2004

(Second generation S2000).

ENGINE
To improve torque output, Honda engineers stroked the all-aluminum four-cylinder 6.7mm to deliver another 160cc of displacement and a slightly undersquare configuration. By Honda's measurement, there's still 240 hp at your command, only it arrives at 7800 rpm, some 500 rpm lower than previously delivered. This is because the increase in piston speed from the long-stroke layout would stress the internals to the breaking point at a higher rpm. It's one of those physics things.
� Redline dropped from 9000 RPMs to 8000 RPMs.
� F20C engine code changed to F22C ( 2.2 liter) in North America market; the F20C (2.0 liter) remains in production elsewhere. Reportedly Greece gets the F22C too with engine code designation F22C1.
� Through the use of a longer stroke (increased to 90.7mm from 84mm), the motor's displacement was increased from 1997cc (2.0L) to 2157 cc (2.2L).
� Basically a 500rpm shift of the horsepower curve (to the left, on the rpm scale). Thus the new motor makes the same power as the older F20C, simply 500rpms sooner at basically every point on the curve.
� Compression has been bumped up a tenth of a point to 11.1 (from 11.0:1) and the valve timing has been altered to enhance mid-range performance.
� 240hp at 7800 rpm (vs 240hp@8300 rpm) and 162 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm (vs 153 lb-ft @ 7500 rpm).
� This will improve oil consumption and reduce piston noise, Honda improved the cylinder machine honing process by bolting a dummy head to the block (a technique used in race engine building) to improve accuracy. It results in reportedly less than 25% of the deformation on a block.
� The enlarged displacement results in a 6-10% improvement in horsepower and torque from 1000 to 8000 RPMs. Honda claims at the normal operating range of 4500 RPMs the 8 ft-lb torque increase in real world driving translates to 15 ft-lbs over the prior years engine.
� Continues to use traditional VETC instead of iVTEC as on the K-series motors.
� highway gas mileage dropped 1 mpg
� Honda claims better acceleration in each gear, offset only slightly by the reduced top speed potential in each gear (in the older car, thanks to the slightly taller gearing and extra rev capacity, you're able to hold a gear a bit longer, resulting in better acceleration during that brief period where the '04 must up shift while the '00-'03 is able to remain in the lower gear).
� Throttle pedal travel was shortened and pedal effort increased. By reducing the diameter of the throttle body drum, pedal effort is increased approximately 10% at the completely shut end, and 6% at WOT. This was done partly to reduce the occurrence of accidental throttle input such as when the driver encounters a road undulation. Accelerator pedal travel was shortened by approximately 10mm.
� The '03's pistons whiz at 4906 feet per minute at 8900 rpm, whereas the '04's slugs rip along at just 4761 feet per minute at 8000 rpm.

TRANSMISSION
� A tighter secondary gear reduction ratio (1.206 vs 1.16) to provide a bit more snap off the line and to better match the characteristics of the new motor. This is also called the intermediate ratio and is the gear after the transmission and before the driveshaft. It goes like this: Crankshaft --> clutch --> transmission (gears 1-6 + R) --> intermediate ratio gear --> driveshaft --> rear diff --> axles
� 4% shorter ratios for 1st through 4th gears while the 5th ratio is effectively 1% shorter and 6th is effectively 2% longer, for a slightly more relaxed cruise speed. 5th gear ratio changed from 0.971 to 0.942. 6th gear ratio changed from 0.811 to 0.763.
� Carbon fiber synchromesh replace the solid brass ones for all gears except reverse. The new design features a brass ring with a carbon fiber element bonded on the inner surface, resulting in simplified mechanical components, increased synchronizer capacity, improved abrasion resistance, and reduced weight. The weight reduction and increased capacity translates to a smoother and quicker shifting feel. Further enhancing shift feel quality is a reduction in the load acting on the disc spring. Per Honda, this tweak results in reduced shift **** operational load and reduced harshness.
� transmission case rigidity improved

CLUTCH

� Redesigned clutch and clutch case.
� To reduce the "impact torque" of a high rpm clutch dump, the new clutch has an additional orifice at the sleeve cylinder, which reduces the torque reaction acting on the drivetrain, in effect a clutch delay system.
� The clutch case has incorporated additional rib reinforcements to reduce vibrations and noises generated by the drivetrain. The additional ribs have improved clutch case rigidity by approximately 10%.

DIFFERENTIAL
� Redesigned differential; it has been beefed up.
� By moving to an FCD material (from FC), the case rigidity was improved by 40% while the overall case strength was increased 20%.
� Gear fatigue resistance improved by 5% through a change in the shot peening method for the drive pinion gear.

SUSPENSION & STEERING
� Front spring rates increased by nearly 7%
� Rear spring rates were softened by roughly 10%.
� Shock damper rates have been adjusted accordingly.
� Front stabilizer bar is unchanged.
� Rear stabilizer bar was reduced in diameter by 1.8mm to 25.4 mm to improve bump steer & cornering.
� To enhance steering feel and accuracy, the suspension geometry was altered slightly, lowering the steering knuckles by 1.5mm.

One owner�s research found the front suspension received a new front upper arm (left side only); some owner�s speculate that was to correct difficulties in setting the camber on that side. There�s a new part number for the self lock cam nut and bolt at the lower arm�s adjustment point. There�s a new part number for the front lower arm but no apparent geometry change; it�s thought to be a test spec. There are no apparent changes to the front sub frame. The rear suspension received a new knuckle and they moved the mounting point for the control arm. The bushing for the upper arm now has a separate part number; previously it bundled with the part. The tabs for the rear upper arm in rear sub frame have a new part number; it could be durability or geometry change. Front and rear hubs remain the same.

� The EPS (Electrical Power Steering) system features an optimized steer response gain, while the software was updated to improve steering linearity and agility. The steering gear ratio was also changed to match the new suspension and tire characteristics. Increased rigidity of the steering gearbox supporting mounts results in improved steering precision as well.
� One of the "features" of the outgoing S2000's rear suspension was its tendency to exhibit bump steer at the limits. Honda's engineers have attacked this issue from several angles. Rear toe in was reduced from -0deg 19' to -0deg 10'. At a 50mm bump deflection, toe-in has been reduced from -0.19 degrees to -0.05 degrees. Secondly, the rear roll center was lowered from 101mm to 92mm. Honda claims improved roadholding under full suspension compression or during severe body roll situations.
� Honda claims improvements in overall stability, steering accuracy/effort/feel, bump steer characteristics, wet performance/hydroplaning, high-speed stability, smooth ride comfort, choppy ride comfort, and at the limit controllability.
� steering wheel lock-to-lock increased from 2.4 to 2.6 wheel turns.
� steering ratio lowered from 13.8:1 to 14.9:1

CHASSIS
� Chassis code AP1 = MY00-MY03 chassis changed to AP2 with the re-designed bumpers and new headlights / tail lights.
� A new cross brace at the very front of the frame (positioned horizontally, in front of the radiator),
� Reinforcements at key crossmember joints
� Additional fixing points to existing braces
� Reinforcements to the rear wheel arch bulkhead
� Front suspension upper arm brackets were strengthened, further benefiting handling.
� overall weight increase of 25 pounds, from 2810 to 2835 pounds

WHEELS & TIRES
� New 17" wheels, wider in front and rear (by 0.5" and 1.0" respectively), wrapped in wider tires.
� In the front, 205/55R16s were replaced by 215/45R17 tires.
� In the rear, 245/40R17s bumped the incumbent 225/50R16s.
� Honda says both changes are key contributors to extended cornering limits.
� The tires are now Bridgestone Potenza RE050s, replacing the former model's Bridgestone Potenza S-02s.
� The new tires feature a completely different tread pattern, intended to improve the balance in performance between dry and wet conditions.

BRAKES
� To improve fade resistance and stopping power at and near the limit, the brake pad material has been changed from a non-metallic compound to a new metallic compound. The new pad material (Jurid632) provides greater frictional stability in high-temperature operating ranges.
� Master cylinder ratio has been changed from 6.5 to 6.0, resulting in an increased feel of rigidity and "build-up" quality (Honda's term for more stopping power in the latter stage of brakeapplication under constant application). Honda claims less pedal travel is required than previously.
� The ABS system has been improved through the use of split-regulation yaw-control logic for improved stability on split-μμ surfaces when the ABS is triggered. Furthermore, though more powerful than before, the system (consisting of the CPU and modulator) has been downsized for both precious space and weight savings.

EXTERIOR
� new nose job, with wider air intake and new headlights above it
� fake brake opening reshaped and moved inward
� new HID headlights using projector beams
� new LED taillights
� lower appearing rear bumper
� reshaped exhaust pipes, now oval
� spiral double horn unit replaces the current flat double horn.
� new color - Rio Yellow Pearl
� Spa Yellow dropped

INTERIOR
� new combination red and black colored seats
� more sculpted door panel inserts; shoulder room increased by 0.5"
� wave ignition key to make copying it more difficult
� reshaped steering wheel
� new tweeter and mid range speaker housings
� metallic-look trim
� new center console with two beverage holders
� dash changes including a new gauge cluster, reshaped roll where the start button and radio controls are located
� restyled aluminum finish.

FIRST COMPARISON
Sport Compact Car magazine did a road test of the 2004 S2000. They report the 2.2 liter made 210 hp at 8000 rpm at the rear wheels, compared to 203 hp at 8500 rpm that the old 2 liter delivered, and 146 lb-ft of torque at 6400 rpm, compared to 136 lb-ft at 6300 rpm. They go on to say, �Sure, peak power remains the name of the game here, but there's obviously more power than Honda is telling us, and the improved midrange is nice to have around town�. They also did some handling tests and reported the 04 understeered on the skid pad; it registered .89 compared to .92 for the 2 liter car. In the slalom the 04 improved by 1.2 mph to 71.0 mph. They also did some acceleration runs but fried the clutch. 50 to 70 acceleration was faster by .18 seconds, and 0 to 100 is faster by just .2 seconds.

Model Year 2005

Per 9/1/04 Honda press release �There are no changes to the 2005 Honda S2000.�

� On 2/15/05 the MSRP went from $32,950 to $33,150. Shipping is another $515.

Model Year 2006

The 39th Tokyo Motor Show, held from October 22 to November 6, 2005, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, had dozens of cars and motorcycles on display, but it is the new S2000, equipped with even more advanced features than ever before, that shared the Motor Sports Zone stage with a rare close-up look at Honda�s F1 and IndyCar Series racers.

� MSRP increased to $34,050 and shipping to $550 for a total of $34,600.
� Drive-By-Wire Throttle System. Use a computer sensor to input throttle as opposed to pulling on the throttle cable
� Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control. A combination of computer controlled throttle and individual wheel braking to control sudden changes in vehicle behavior. VSA has a turn-off switch where the defrost button (moved) used to be.
� 20 lbs heavier
� Redesigned road wheels
� Redesigned steering wheel
� New color, Laguna Blue
� Daytime running lights (DRL)
� Brake Assist, which helps drivers apply full braking pressure in an accident avoidance situation via the ABS actuator. Braking pressure is maintained momentarily after the driver's initial braking action to help the driver stop promptly. It deactivates when the driver releases pressure on the brake pedal
� Basic warranty is 3 year/36,000 but the power train was extended to 5 years/60,000 mile
� Exterior temperature gauge
� New seats; they no longer have seat back pocket and headrest speaker system is gone
� 4 of the 8 speaker audio system are integrated roll bar speakers
� Sebring silver and white only come with a black interior
� CARB emissions rating is now LEV-2
� Passenger-side airbag cutoff
� IAC Valve has been eliminated, along with the cruise control hardware; it is all controlled by the ECU for the DBW system. A gas pedal cable runs into the engine compartment to an actuator. From there it's electronic.
� New intake manifold, intake support bracket, and injector cover
� Only one cam sensor
� New style map sensor
� IAT sensor has moved to the rubber intake tract
� Differential now has a breather box mounted behind it
� Fuel line at engine is now a quick-release type
� Air pump, associated lines and control valve, have been eliminated
� Weight/and or/position sensors mounted in the seats
� Fan switch in the radiator has been replaced with a second CTS, in turn the fans are now computer controlled
� HO2S in the header is now referred to as an Air fuel ratio sensor
� If you leave the gas cap loose, you'll get a "CHECK GAS CAP" warning, displayed in the outside temp display
� NOT SURE ON THIS: In Europe they are advertising a new three-part speedster cover. The cover fits over the folded hood and features a pair of raised domes that sweep back from the two headrests/rollover bars to provide a distinctive look reminiscent of many classic sports cars.
� HP is now stated at 237 - due to the auto industry wide change in how HP is calculated**

** New Horsepower Ratings to Level the Field in Performance
The Society of Automotive Engineers has standardized a horsepower measuring system, requiring several automakers to take a critical look at their more subjective output assertions. Toyota and Honda, in particular, have had to downgrade the horsepower ratings of some of their vehicles from the 2005 to 2006 model years as a result of this new system. Even though it features the same 3.0-liter V6 engine, the Toyota Camry has seen its output rating reduced in one model year from 210 to 190 horsepower. As the Detroit News notes, though, the new SAE horsepower standards have worked in favor of some companies � such as GM, which was able to boost the horsepower rating of the Northstar V8 in the Cadillac STS-V from 440 to 469 horsepower. All automakers are expected to eventually comply with these ratings, and American manufacturers, such as Ford and DaimlerChrysler, already have plans to incorporate the SAE standards into tests of vehicles scheduled to receive new powertrains. What this means to you: More accurate horsepower ratings mean more accurate comparisons between cars from all part of the world. The new rating is done with the accessories at load. Honda probably knew this in MY2004 and just under-rated the 2004 so it would not go down by much in 2006. That said, the S2000 loses less under the new rating compared to some other Hondas as it has a smaller AC compressor, has EPS, and a smaller alternator than most other Hondas to draw on the engine under load.

Model Year 2007

Early reports from Honda UNOFFICIAL sources claim:
Grand Prix White get's All Black or Red & Black Interior
Suzuka Blue Metallic and Sebring Silver Metallic goes bye-bye.
Everything else stays the same.

The Downfall of Honda

fieldysnuts8 — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:49:58 GMT

This is copied/pasted from my blog below so the formatting may be a little weird. Apologies in advance.

http://fast-carsandfreedom.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-downfall-of-honda.html

The Downfall of Honda

Honda...oh how the mighty have fallen. As many of you know, I often like to wax nostalgic about my car obsessed youth. Although I grew up during two great hypercar wars, I also grew up, and started driving, during the greatest tuner car war since the 1960's.

The late 90's and early 2000's witnessed the rebirth of the affordable, moderately sporty cars for all. While the cars weren't as fast, the formula remained the same as the 60's: Take a boring, slow, everyday car and beef up the engine and the suspension. Sometimes the factory did this for you, sometimes you did it yourself. In the late 90's and early 2000's, the GTO and Nova were replaced by "import tuners" such as the Honda Civic Si, Acura Integra GS-R, and Mitsubishi Eclipse GST/X.

Used cars such as the Toyota Supra, Nissan 300zx, Mazda RX-7 and Mitsubishi 3000gt or new or used Mustangs and Camaros were much faster. The Supra, 300zx, RX-7 and 3000gt were the true "import tuners" of the time. They were and are still proper sports cars, thus, I will refer to the lesser cars (such as those pictured above) as "economy tuners."

Although the Supra's, Camaro's and the like were much better than the "economy tuners", they didn't occupy the right niche for most 16 year-olds at that time. First of all, they were too expensive for a first car. Second, they were too fast for a first car. Economy tuners weren't actually fast, they were just a little faster and a lot louder than the normal economy cars of the time. Case in point, I once raced a friend in his 1999 Civic Si in my mom's V-8 Mercury Mountaineer...it wasn't even close, the Mountaineer destroyed the Civic. My dad's Buick would have done the same. It didn't matter though, perception was all that mattered. How losing races to basic SUV's didn't ruin our perception of these cars until much later in life is beyond me. I guess that's why 16 year-olds aren't allowed to vote. Anyway, back to Honda.

At the time, Honda was, by far, the king of the castle among us. For the record, when I say "us" or "we" I mean adolescent boys in Orange County California who turned 16 around 1999-2000. Also, when I say "Honda" I also mean "Acura." If you didn't know that Acura is Honda's luxury arm, then please stop reading this blog.

You may be asking yourself, why Honda? Why not Toyota? At the time, Toyota was far down the road to its current soulless, yet lucrative, existence (FR-S not included). Toyota did not produced only one exciting car at that time. The Supra had been out of production for a few years. Everything else was dull, ugly, boring, and usually beige. (As you will see later, Honda is on that road now) Their only sporty car was the Celica GTS, although it was faster than most of the Honda's at that time, it was ugly and had a reputation as a "chick car". Being known as a "chick car" is a fate worse than death for a 16 year old male. This is why we weren't all driving the worlds best driver's car at the time, the Mazda Miata. Once again, another reason why 16 year-olds shouldn't vote.

=

For reasons unknown to science, Honda's were not chick cars. Honda's were seen as being as reliable as Toyota's but they were for people who actually had souls. More of "us" wanted them which led to a much larger aftermarket for them. Let's look at Honda's sporty lineup in 2000:

Civic SI: 160hp, 8500rpm redline, plus a giant VTEC sticker on the side.
Prelude: 200hp, 8000rpm redline, plus a giant VTEC sticker on the side.
S2000: 240hp, 9000rpm redline, rear wheel drive.
Acura Integra GS-R: 175hp, 8000rpm redline.
Acura Integra Type R: 197hp, 8500rpm redline, giant TYPE R sticker on the side.
Acura NSX: 290hp, 8500rpm redline, an aging supercar at the time.
Acura 3.2 TL/CL Type S: 260hp, 6100rpm redline, an inferior Japanese alternative to the 3 Series, but an alternative nonetheless. Basically the only Japanese 3 Series alternative at that time.

While the numbers may seem modest to car enthusiasts, they are actually not far off from what is common in the class today, besides the NSX of course. What the numbers don't tell you is how special and exciting all these cars were. They all had personality and spunk. Their high revving nature made them extremely fun to drive, the sound of a small engine at 8000+ RPM's is music to a gearhead's ears. The Integra Type R is still considered to be the best handling FWD car ever made. They also had ample room under the hood (besides the NSX) which meant they were relatively easy to work on. The Civic Si and Integra GS-R were the bench-line against which all other economy tuners were judged. The Integra Type R was practically a super car as far as we were concerned. The Integra Type-R's 1.8 liter engine revved to a sky high 8500rpm's and produced 197hp. It also had an amazing suspension, a limited slip differential and was lighter than the base Integra because Honda stripped almost all the sound deadening insulation out of it. Outside of the premium brands, nobody has a lineup as sporty as this today. Honda has not sold a car as extreme as the Integra Type R for quite some time.

For enthusiasts, Honda's lineup was probably the best lineup outside of premium or high performance brands in the late 90's and early 2000's. Simply put, Honda's and Acura's were a sporty alternative to the sea of beige being produced by Toyota and the irrelevance coming from Nissan. This made sense considering Honda's rich motorcycle and automobile racing heritage. There was a view that the technology developed on the race track trickled down to the street cars. This was especially true for the VTEC system and the big stickers that came with it.

The RSX launched in 2002 as a replacement for the Integra. RSX was a stupid name. Just like TL was a stupid name compared to "Legend," the car it replaced. As a fanboy, I didn't see it at the time but Acura was essentially "emblem chasing" the German luxury brands. BMW, Mercedes and Audi used only numerical or alphabetical names, thus, all the pretenders had to do the same (I'm looking at you too Cadillac). However, this was the first step towards Honda losing its identity. More on this later, back to the RSX.

While it may not seem like much now, the RSX Type-S was a truly great car when it came out. It had all the things that made the Integra special, it was affordable, sporty, relatively practical, economical, high revving, smooth shifting and it handled well. It also had a unique interior and a certain level of class that was missing from the Integra. The key to the RSX was the driving experience,which was anchored by its engine. The 2.0 liter four cylinder produced 200 horsepower and redlined at a silky smooth 8000rpm.

More importantly, it occupied a unique niche that even the Germans have tried and failed to fill: sporty entry level luxury. With the exception of the BMW 1 Series (and this is debatable due to its price), no car has filed the sporty entry level luxury niche like the RSX Type-S did. BMW tried with the 318ti and Mercedes tried with the C230 hatchback. They both failed. Miserably. Acura did not.

Failures.

In my opinion, 2002 represents both the peak and the beginning of Honda's decline as a reputable performance brand. The RSX Type-S was launched and the NSX received a major face lift. The S2000 was still a high strung performer and the TL/CL Type-S were still reasonable performance alternatives to the 3 Series. Yet, 2002 was the beginning of the end. Since 2002, Honda has not produced a single redesigned performance model that is significantly better than the cars in its lineup between 1999-2000. From an enthusiast standpoint, Honda's new models have in fact become worse or been stagnant since 2002.

Honda's design department must be blind.

The Prelude ceased production in 2001 and the 2002 Civic SI (left) was overweight, under-powered, and had styling only a mother could love. Also, the US lineup lacked any car with the phrase "Type-R" affixed to the end of it. But this is merely the time of the iceberg.

The 2002 Civic SI provides a nice example of Honda's problems which started in 2002 and continue to this day. The 2000 Civic Si produced 160 horsepower, redlined at 8500rpms, did 0-60 in 7.2 and ran the 1/4 mile in 15.7 seconds. Source. The 2002 Si, despite gaining 150lbs, still produced 160hp but it did 0-60 in 7.6 and ran the quarter in 15.9. Not only was it slower it was far less dramatic and exciting. Although it produced more torque and had a more usable powerband, it revved to a lowly 6500rpms. Thus, it didn't make much power and it made even less drama. Source. Why Honda thought it was good to follow up a sporty car with a model that makes the same horsepower is beyond me, but this lack of pushing the envelope became a recurring theme.

In 2006, Honda eventually put the sweet and high revving 200 horsepower (actually 197 but what's 2 horsepower between friends?) engine from the RSX Type S in the Civic Si. Then, as part of what seems to be a company wide sleep induction campaign, the 2012 Si got a shocking 200 horsepower, but out of a 2.4 liter engine that revved to 7400rpm's. From an objective standpoint, the new engine was probably "better" but from a subjective standpoint, it was a step down. The car's soul had been removed. I don't know what Honda's engineers were doing during those 6 years, but they surely weren't working on the Civic Si's powertrain considering that some of Honda's competitors made over 240 horsepower at the time. Thus, the Si now not only makes less power than its rivals, it also has less soul. Not a good combination.

Another Honda great, the S2000, suffered a similar fate until it was discontinued in 2009. When the S2000 howled its way onto the scene in 1999 it squeezed 240 horsepower from a 2.0 liter engine at a stratospheric 9000rpm's. The engine made no torque but the horsepower and redline made it an

extremely exciting and unique car. In 2004 Honda replaced the 2.0 liter with a 2.2 litre that made the same horsepower but produced more torque. Seemingly, this was a good thing, but once again, like with the SI, the S2000 lost its soul.

Honda killed the S2000 in 2009, by then, it was Honda's only sports car besides the Civic Si, which, let's be honest, isn't a real sports car.

This lack of pushing the performance envelope was endemic throughout Honda. The RSX was killed in 2006. Acura has not had a 2 door model since. The best and saddest example of this performance neglect can be seen in the slow and steady death of the NSX.

The NSX was, at one time, an amazing car. It launched in 1990 with a sweet, smooth and high revving 3.0 liter v6 that produced 270hp and featured a healthy dose of Honda racing technology.

It did 0-60 in about 5.5 seconds. At the time, these were impressive numbers. More importantly, the car didn't break every three hundred feet like other supercars at the time. However, by the mid-90's the NSX was falling behind in the power department. The NSX's competition such as the Dodge Viper and Porsche 911 Turbo produced over 400 horsepower each and were finally reliable. The 911 Turbo was a true "every day supercar." The NSX remained essentially unchanged until 1997 when it received a new engine and 2002 when it received new headlights and tail lights.

The new engine was a step in the right direction. It was a 3.2 liter and produced 290hp. The 2002 NSX did 0-60 in approximately 5 seconds. Unfortunately, 12 years is an eternity in the world of high performance cars. By 2002, the NSX's competition had left it far behind (literally and figuratively). For example, a 2002 BMW M3, made 320 horsepower from a 3.2 liter engine. Keep in mind than an M3 is not a "supercar" and the NSX cost approximately twice as much. The NSX was not even in spitting distance of the supercars at the time. Due to neglect, the NSX went from hero to bottom of the barrel. The NSX fell so far that in 2001, the S2000 accelerated just as actually just as quickly as the NSX and was nearly as fast around a track. Source. The NSX was mercifully put out of its misery in 2005.

As shown by Toyota's success, a low volume supercar and sports cars may not matter to most, especially the mainstream media. However, the importance of so called performance and "halo" cars and should not be forgotten or ignored. I can not sum it up any better than Zora Arkus-Duntov, the "father" of the Corvette:

�THOUGHTS PERTAINING TO YOUTH, HOT RODDERS, AND CHEVROLET�

The Hot Rod movement and interest in things connected with hop-up and speed is still growing. As an indication: the publications devoted to hot rodding and hop-upping, of which some half dozen have a very large circulation and are distributed nationally, did not exist some six years ago.

From cover to cover, they are full of Fords. This is not surprising that the majority of hot rodders are eating, sleeping, and dreaming modified Fords. They know Ford parts from stern to stern better than Ford people themselves.

A young man buying a magazine for the first time immediatly becomes introduced to Ford. It is reasonable to assume that when hot rodders or hot rod-influenced persons buy transportation, they buy Fords. As they progress in age and income, they graduate from jalopies to second-hand Fords, then to new Fords.

Should we consider that it would be desirable to make these youths Chevrolet-minded? I think that we are in a position to carry out a successful attempt. However, there are many factors againt us:

Loyalty and experience with Ford.
Hop-up industry is geared with Ford.
Law of number-thousands are and will be working on Fords for active competition.
Appearance of Ford�s overhead V8, now one year ahead of us.

When a superior line of GM V8�s appeared, there where remarkably few attempts to develop these, and none too successful. Also, the appearance of the V8�s Chrysler was met with reluctance even though the success of Ardun-Fords conditioned them to the acceptance of Firepower.

This year is the first one in which isolated Chrysler development met with succsess. The Bonneville records are divided between Ardun-Fords and Chryslers.

Like all people, hot rodders are attracted by novelty. However, bitter experience has taught them that new development is costly and long, and therefore they are extremely conservative. From my observation, it takes an advanced hot rodder some three years to stumble toward the successful development of a new design. Overhead Fords will be in this stable between 1956 and 1957.

The slide rule potential of our RPO V8 engine is extremely high, but to let things run their natural course will put us one year behind-and then not too many hot rodders will pick Chevrolet for development. One factor which can largely overcome this handicap would be the availability of ready-enginered parts for higher output:

If the use of the Chevrolet engine would be made easy and the very first attempts would be crowned with succsess, the appeal of the new RPO V8 engine will take hold and not have the stigma of expensiveness like the Cadillac or Chrysler, and a swing to Chevrolet may be anticipated.This means the development of a range of special parts-camshafts, valves, springs, manifolds, pistons, and such-should be made available to the public.

To make good in this field, the RPO parts must pertain not only to the engine but to the chassis coponents as well. In fact, the use of light alloys and brake development, such as composite drums and discs, are already on the agenda of the Research and Development group.

These thoughts are offered for what they are worth-one man�s thinking aloud on the subject.

Signed: Z. Arkus-Duntov

dated: 12/16/53

With the death of the NSX, Honda has one "sport" model in its lineup. The Civic Si. Honda's traditional lineup is still made of good, competitive, cars (besides the Ridgeline of course). Acura's lineup, while good, is arguably not competitive. Acura, while ostensibly a "luxury" brand, does not offer an engine with much over 300 horsepower, a V-8 or RWD. The majority of Acura's lineup is simply rebadged Honda's. Luxury consumers are not stupid, for the most part, especially on the high end, they know a pretender when they see one.

I'm sure Honda's sales are fine. As Zora explained above, there are probably lots of buyers from my generation who purchased an Accord, CR-V or Pilot due to their positive experiences with the CRX's, Si's and GS-R's of their youth. The question is, in a few years, when the children of my generation go car shopping for the first time what will they want?

Nobody wants the car their parents drove. Buick and Cadillac learned this the hard way. BMW and Mercedes haven't had to learn this because they, especially BMW, continue to make very exciting performance and performance oriented cars.

I don't think its too late for Honda. Only time will tell, but Honda should should develop more sporty cars and try to regain its reputation as a fun, reliable, and sporty alternative before it is completely lost. It is a lot easier to repair an image (Ford) than it is to rebuild one (Cadillac/Buick).

Honda S2000 turbo kit dynos, prices, and recommendations? F20C/F22C

Sticky — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:29:27 GMT

Just what it says in the thread, anyone know anything about turbo kits for the S2000?

Would like to see dynos and pricing info as well.

VIDEO: New stock shortblock STi world record: 9.926 @ 139.3mph

whoosh — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 03:26:18 GMT

This car is reported as the first STi into the 9's with a stock shortblock. Even more impressive is that they are using the '08 block that is generally considered to be fragile.

Quote:

Innovative Tuning's time attack car was built for handling performance more than straight line speed. Nevertheless, we took it to Empire Dragway in Leicester, NY for opening day (April 21, 2013) with the wing and front splitter off, drag tires on, to prove a point. Built and tuned properly, on decent fuel, with the proper supporting modifications, stock Subaru STI shortblocks are stronger than many people think. It's not power that's killing most of them, but poor or aggressive tuning, poor build quality, lack of/poor maintenance, and a slew of other issues. After multiple lapping days last fall and a race weekend with NARRA at Watkins Glen, this shortblock was far from new, but it got the job done.The previous Subaru stock shortblock 1/4 mile world record was 10.49 at 129 miles per hour. We achieved a 9.9 second 1/4 mile pass at 139 miles per hour, shattering the previous record. With more time or a willingness to risk blowing the stock shortblock, we know we can do even better. We've since tested the engine and it's in good shape so this stock shortblock is being kept as a backup for time attack season. We will be running a built shortblock for time attack because the stock shortblock does of course have its limits and we'll be running upwards of 600 wheel HP sustained on road courses.
The 08+ spec STI OEM shortblock used for this world record pass was purchased from Subaru via our local dealer and comes pre-assembled. It wasn't measured/inspected or modified in any way. We used a stock engine gasket set including head gaskets with aftermarket head studs, head work/cams, and this car (1996 Subaru Impreza) has a stock 2006 spec STI stock transmission/transfer case.
You'll notice the delayed reaction at the light. This was on purpose as the drag truck in the left lane was so loud that I couldn't hear my engine and would have missed my shift points if I didn't let him take off first.
For more info on this build and tune, check out InnovativeTuning.com and facebook.com/InnovativeTuning
Thank you to our sponsors: The Driveshaft Shop, MSI, Kartboy, Boostcontroller.com
This car has:
Driveshaft Shop stage 5 front axles, pro level rear axle/hubs
MSI trailing arms, lateral links, rear subframe

Kartboy pitch stopper, front and rear shifter bushings, tranny crossmember bushings, short shifter, and front/rear endlinks