2008 S2000 CR Roadster -- is this a race car or a street car? By ALAN GELL Automotive Journalist The S2000 CR was unveiled at the New York Auto Show a few weeks ago and I was there. Honda didn't have too much hoopla with bells and whistles -- they mostly let this beautiful new car do the talking. Honda engineers and exec's were on hand to answer questions from the media.

The Honda S2000 CR that was shown off is actually a Prototype. It is being touted as having a higher level of track-worthiness and much more performance. John Mendel, Executive Vice-President of Honda, said, "The S2000 CR is the closest thing you can get to a Honda built race car with license plate holders and a horn." There are a lot of weekend racing clubs across the United States and these weekend club enthusiasts have actually been the inspiration behind this S2000. There are a lot of features and equipment added that are definitely designed to appeal to these "weekend racers."

This great looking roadster is scheduled to go on sale this fall with an entirely new trim level. The design is more aggressive and the CR is engineered to be lighter and stiffer, so that the chassis balance is improved. This all adds to improving track times. The S2000 CR is factory tuned, has highly aggressive suspension settings, and an advanced aerodynamic body kit. The convertible soft top on the regular S2000 has been replaced with an aluminum hardtop as standard equipment on this CR model. That aluminum top takes off about 90 pounds in the overall weight compared to the soft top with all the mechanisms.

Reduced lift is gained by the addition of very large and highly tuned spoilers on the front and the rear of the car. The tires are wider. The springs are firmer. The stabilizer bars are bigger. The S2000 has already been considered the quintessential roadster sports car for the Honda brand. This new CR model will continue to reinforce the S2000 as the performance icon for Honda. There is no doubt that is is made for everyday suability, but has uncompromising racetrack-ready performance.

The S2000 CR is powered by a 2.2 liter, 16 valve VTEC four cylinder engine, matched with a short throw 6 speed manual transmission. This high-revving engine delivers 237 horses. That short throw manual shift features a direct linkage for quick throws and precise shifting.

So what do those CR initials stand for? I didn't get the answer to that question, but I have heard it stands for CLUB RACER, named after those weekend racing enthusiasts.

The end result of all this is that Honda has delivered the S2000 CR as a complete package -- racing performance for the weekend club enthusiasts and a no compromise driving experience for the everyday driver.. Check out the new S2000 CR at www.HONDA.com or visit a Honda dealer to see all their other products being offered.