I was just thinking about how this time last year I was driving a Civic Type-R. Since then Ive owned a MR2 Roadster and just over a week ago I bought a S2000. Im very lucky to have driven cars which are so sort after by many driving enthusiasts. Makes me wonder what will come next.

I was more than happy with the Type-R. Its pace on the road along with its driver involvement was fun and it was easy to keep up or surpass cars which had much higher specs or a higher price tag. The main problem was money, I was spending £500 a month and it was just abit too much, the car isn’t really that much to own, but the fault was my own by getting such a stupid finance deal.

That’s where the MR2 came in. First of all it was much cheaper. Second of all it had what I wanted in my next car.Rear wheel drive. A driver that wants that  true sporty feel needs a car which was designed from the begining to be a sports car, not a car which was adapted from a standard family car to be fast. The MR2 was direct, pretty fast for a 1.8, stopped instantly. The engine was in the middle and the whole character of the car was completely different from what I had before, and I loved it. It was a basic lightweight car which provided driving enthusiasts with a MR setup for a very reasonable price.

I got the MR2 in December of last year, which just turned out to be the worst winter for 30 years. The cold weather lasted ages which ultimately meant I was waiting and waiting for a dry day to drive properly. Maybe I was too hasty in going out to drive as one evening I was out and ended up skidding off the road. I failed to read just how icy the road was on a certain straight and when my car ran over a grate in the road the whole car got unsettled and started to spin. The steering wheel went floaty light and I was skating. The mass of the car which was about %60 rear bias took the lead straight off the road and into a double posted sign.

Eight months past by with no car to call my own. Driving my mums Zafira to work and back on the same bit of road was numbing. Insurance was taking the peeece charging me every month while still not helping me close the claim so everything in my driving life was becoming stressed. But once that was sorted I knew I wanted another sporty car, something once again unique and different. So either FR or AWD but with more power than the MR2 because going to a mere 140bhp was in the end abit disappointing.

That’s when it hit me. The S2000 was the car. Purpose built, front engined, rear wheel drive with all the poise and precision of the MR2 with the race engine and power I knew the Vtec could provide in the civic and then some. After test driving it I knew this was the car for me. It has for a long time been my favourite car since 1999 and the test drive was no let down. The high revs, the cockpit like interior, the electric roof all added to the excitement and I had to buy the car, and this is where i am now. A S2000 outside ready to drive whenever I like, and it feels great.

S2000 sitting beside the MR2 death place

Today was a awesome day. After 8 months of not driving, yesterday was a full day of driving galore. It started driving to buckstone, although wet and damp in places, the driving gods made the sun shine and the roads started to dry at a rapid rate. Luke came along for the drive and captured some nice footage but before the action got going we visited ground zero. The death place of the the MR2 Roadster. As we struggled to find the exact spot the MR2 went of the road the cloth roof of the S2000 was drying in the sun rays. The death spot of the MR2 is now covered in foliage and plants, obviously a monument from the car gods, there is no evident a MR2 even died there, how sad:(

We finally returned to the the S2000 which sat at the side of the road waiting for us. We climbed in, pushed the started button and the vtec engine sprung to live. Now the roof was dry I decided to show Luke the way it retracted back and after he was  pleasantly surprised, but more was to come. With the wind in our hair, and Luke has alot of hair, we drove along the road to approaching the pass. The sun really started to beat down and the way it lighted up the road and surrounded hilltops was so welcoming. Its moments like these that make the S2000 unbeatable.

The view, sound and the drive equaled a nice spirited drive to the bottom of the pass. There’s cambers and turns galore, the S2000 points where you want to go much more eagerly than the Civic Type-R and the engine seems to be much more willing to get you ahead. To be honest although the S2000 could be absolutely rapid, I was very mild and kept a reserve style of driving.  I’m sure many would not be able to keep up but as a driver I feel like if Im not using the full potential of the car then I  still have lots of work to do, regardless of if I was even the fastest in the world.

We turned around and made our way back up the pass, hills are the kryptonite to vtec engines with there low torque, but honnestly there not that badly affected and aslong as your in gear the speed is still pretty brisk. The gear ratios are quite high (which I love) and I think I could do the who uphill in second gear which revs up to second. But since this was my first run, I upshifted to 3rd at points just to keep the car alittle calmer. I did’nt want to just in the deep end, I usually jump in half way so my toes can just touch ;P

I was’nt home long, then it was a blast over to Wakefield to collect Chris. I could see the dark clouds over the horizon so did’nt bother putting the roof down and just as I predicted, when I got to Chris’s the heavens opened up. The pinging of rain drops on the fabric roof are so calming, although I made a note to get some new windscreen wipers since the current ones are abit shot. After a Mcdonalds the sun shoned down and before longer the roads was dry and the heat was warming the skin. Chris directed me towards some awesome roads, all newly laid, long and winding, connected with round abouts.

It wasn’t long until a Audi A4 (not sure which model) appeared in front. It was obvious he was aware of the S2000 and shot out off one round about where I decided to follow just to compare. He was going full throttle and so was I. The S2000 was quickly pulling him in and it was literally second until I had to let off. I thought he had just stopped accelerating, but then as the S2000 leveled its speed, I noticed the A4 was still full throttle. So I floored it and the Vtec shot us up behind the A4 again in a moments notice. This happened a few times and the realization came that he couldn’t get ahead, he was holding me up so I just let him go rather than just aimlessly follow. I lifted and the 9000rpm scream in 3rd receded its cry until we was cruising again and into 6th we went. You have to love that sound. You have to love the whole experience.

Also which I forgot to mention is the brakes which i gave the Fiesta ST the credit for for been the best brakes Ive experienced. Now that title has to go to the S2000. It isnt just the speed that is shredded super fast but also the feel and the fact the ABS does’nt kick in prematurely allowing me the driver to do all the work, which is what I like. We went from 70mph to just 10mph in an impressive momment of forward Gforce with a little squeel from the front tires. Well enjoy the video that shows abit of the drive me and Luke had at the Buckstones