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S2King by Ken Nord, Dan Frio
It pops off more than 220hp to the wheels, jumps off the line better and looks just mean. It's the King Motorsports/Mugen S2000 and it ain't for big mac munchers.
Anyone who's driven an S2000 knows it's a hell o a fast car, a machine that can be docile when putting across town but always ready for a good open road flogging. Improving the car's performance while maintaining Honda reliability has been a challenge for the aftermarket, though. Many S2k tuners openly admit that the car arrives from the factory in such ass-kicking form that basic bolt-ons - even big-ticket valvetrain enhancements - add only a minor measure of performance value.
When it comes to meshing improved performance with factory reliability, Mugen is one of the tops in class. Mugen engineers research and test parts to the point of exhaustion. This may sound like a standard P.R. line, but when we recently had the opportunity to peek behind the curtains, we witnessed the seriousness with which Mugen designers regard their bolt-on parts (and was tempted to take a further peek at the three binders of S2000 test data we saw on one desk).
King Motorsports is Mugen's official North American distributor and the architects behind this S2000. Built first for display in Honda's booth at the 2003 SEMA show, the car has since been put on the road and in the hands of several journalists - of dubious driving skill, we might add. We were fortunate enough to spend a couple of weeks with the car and found that while it's rough around the edges for everyday driving, it's an amazing performer when you get it in the twisties and open on-ramps.
What a body
The quality of Mugen aero kits is without peer. Just look to the many copy kits on the market for evidence. A key difference is that most imitators don't test their kits in a wind tunnel. The bumper's wide mouth opening routes a steady stream of air over the radiator, while splitters near the edges divert airflow to the brakes. A slit left of where the Honda badge would be delivers a nice, full charge to the carbon-fiber intake.
Working in tandem with the front bumper is the carbon-fiber hood, fitted with vents to pull heat from the radiator, as well as reduce front-end lift. Mugen has even integrated water channels into the hood to ensure that acid rain drops to the road with minimal contact with engine components.
More carbon fiber comes via the piece coveted by many S2k owners: the hardtop. Although it's retail price is around $5,000 (USD ;)), it's a good deal compared with the cost for a Honda factory hardtop (Mugen also offers an unpainted fiberglass hardtop for substantially less). The hardtop does allow in a bit more road noise, a trade-off some will need to consider when thinking about buying. But we can vouch for the integrity of its seals, as it handily kept out the rain during an unusual So. Cal. winter deluge.
Less Bounce To The Ounce
The suspension uses a set of NZ adjustable coil-overs at all four corners to control the 17x7.5 (52mm offset) front and 17x8.5 (59mm offset) rear MF10 bronze wheels. As delivered to us, the suspension takes some getting used to on city roads in various states of disrepair. Simply put, it's a rough-and-tumble, skittery setup - stiff, with minimal rebound. The setup is made more trying by the S-1 bucket seats, that in the words of aditor Bob, "are not made for Big Mac-eatin' furrners like ourselves." These seats are designed for lithe, fit Japanese drivers of athletic build and wispy waistline.
That said, once you've shoehorned yourself into the S-1's, the feeling is one of safet, comfort and control. There's a certain confidence these seats instill, as if nothing bad can happen while you're enveloped within them. Some of our editors - Frio and Hernandez, specifically - felt so confident that they both ended up turning the end around during their tenures with the car (it was raining - DF).
Of course, what's rough in the street often means refined on the track. And this car loves the track. The NZ stiffness on the street is pure buttah on the Streets of Willow Springs road course. It's still an S2K and still exhibits understeer when pushed hard in a corner. But the NZs - and Bridgestones - bite harder into the curbs, offering the driver more confidence that the back isn't going to come around suddenly (unless it's raining - DF).
The King Motorsports/Mugen S2000 isn't the answer for everyone. Unless you are one of those skinny Euro model-type guys who like a good kidney shake during the morning commute to work, this setup is rough for everyday friendliness. But there is no denying its ontoxicating blend of torque and neck-snapping, high-end acceleration.
The 2.2-liter piwerplant mated with a Mugen intake (rated 5 pounds lighter than the stock unit), header and exhaust, made 222.6 hp and 161 lb-ft of torque at the wheels on the dyno at one of our local haunts, Autowave. In stock trim, the 2.2-liter hits about 210 hp and 145 lb-ft torque at the wheels. The Mugen bolt-ons admittedly do not offer significant increase in power, particularly in the context of its $4,100 package prce ($1,300 airbox, $1,300 header, $1,500 exhaust).
These are the results on paper, but they only tell half of the story. From the driver's seat, the Mugen S2K offers insta-snap throttle response and plenty of squirelly backside torque. It's fierce, smooth, predictable and surprising all in the space of a couple of thousand rpm. It's hard to quantify in dollars a driving experience that makes you grin like a loon and keep coming back for more.
S2K owners simply looking for no-joke acceleration could stick with the I/H/E mods. Those looking to get serious on the track could add the NZ coil-overs and S-1 seats. To do it all in style, add the front and rear bumpers and wheels. Any and all routes lead to the same destination: ass-kicking increases to an already incredible car.
