Convenient storage

There is a vertical, lockable storage area with cubbies between the seats which takes the place of a conventional glovebox. Lifting its top lid reveals a deep bin to the rear and a shallower one to the front, while below these is another compartment accessed from the front by a bottom-hinged cover. The cover itself has an elastic strap for the retention of items such as tickets or papers, while within the cubby is the boot release button and a 12 V power outlet. A stretchy mesh pocket - suitable for storing a map or mobile phone - is located on the passenger side of the centre tunnel. A pair of hooks is provided on the rear bulkhead behind each seat.


Open-air motoring in seconds

In shaping the windscreen and proportions of the cabin, the HONDA S2000 was subjected to extensive wind tunnel testing to ensure an exhilarating top-down experience, allowing occupants to enjoy sun and fresh air without any of the discomfort from buffeting often experienced in convertible cars. An optional transparent plastic shield approximately 12 cm tall sits between the roll hoops acting as a wind deflector, and cutting turbulence. There's even an additional heater setting designed to encourage open top motoring when the weather turns that little bit cooler: in 'open mode', the system pumps heated air to the centre console vents above the audio unit, so warming occupants from hip to toe.

While an essential element of the design philosophy for the HONDA S2000 has been to minimise weight wherever possible, the company elected to fit an electric hood, since it considered convenience and ease of use to be overriding factors. The mechanism weighs in at just 6 kg.

The hood is retracted by releasing the two over-centre catches on the windscreen header rail and then pushing the rocker switch located on the centre console. Once unfurled, a soft hood cover can be snapped in place to protect the top. Raising the hood is simply the reverse procedure and the complete operation in either direction takes just six seconds. The hood has a plastic rear screen. An optional factory hard top will be available in the near future.


Luggage for two

With practical dimensions and a volume of 160 litres (VDA), the HONDA S2000's boot is capacious enough to swallow the luggage of two on a weekend away. The fully-lined trunk is notably deep, and can, for example, hold two large soft bags. A space-saver spare tyre is stored horizontally on the right and inset into the forward boot panel, while the boot floor is recessed and is sufficient to accommodate the full-size punctured tyre and wheel. The floor of the recess, when lifted, reveals a small storage area containing the stowed jack and tools.

An immobiliser anti-theft system is standard on the HONDA S2000. The ignition key has a built-in transponder, which, when removed, immobilises the engine fuel injection and ignition so the engine cannot be started. When the key is inserted, a radio signal from the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) interrogates the transponder. If the code in the key and the code in the ECU agree, then the ECU allows the engine to be started.

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