| The 30-mile stretch from Willits to Ft. Bragg | | | | |
| along Highway 20 in | | | | test. The tight, conforming seats, small, |
| | | | rigid steering wheel and short- |
| Northern California is an ideal place to | | | | |
| drive a sports car. The two-lane | | | | throw gearbox afford plenty of excitement. |
| | | | The vehicle maneuvers well |
| road offers tight switchbacks, extended flat | | | | |
| stretches and plenty of | | | | through traffic and despite its small size, |
| | | | has great balance and little |
| climbs and descents.On a warm, spring day | | | | |
| and with a convertible top down, anyone who | | | | body lean or wavering in the proximity of |
| | | | 18-wheelers.The convertible top works easily. |
| enjoys the combination of shifting gears, | | | | The routine includes unhooking or |
| fresh air and the open road will | | | | |
| | | | hooking two side top latches and engaging |
| thrive on the route. It's a drivers' nirvana | | | | one electric console switch. |
| tucked among forests of | | | | |
| | | | The top seals tightly and folds well.The |
| Redwood trees and rolling hills.And so it | | | | S2000's standard interior and exterior |
| was recently when my wife and I spent a | | | | features include: leather- |
| getaway weekend. | | | | |
| | | | trimmed seats, AM/FM/CD stereo system, |
| We drove the segment twice en route and | | | | air-conditioning, cruise |
| returning from the Mendocino/ | | | | |
| | | | control, power window and door locks, remote |
| Ft. Bragg coastline to Sacramento in a 2005 | | | | mounted audio controls, |
| Honda S2000.The two-seat convertible, | | | | |
| unchanged from its 2004 debut, is Honda's | | | | aluminum pedals, dual exhaust and Xenon HID |
| | | | headlights.The console is nicely appointed. |
| only sports car, and it adds a pure-fun | | | | It's tight on space, but there's a small, |
| component to the popular | | | | |
| | | | lockable vertical glove box between the seat |
| manufacturers' line of efficient, | | | | backs and another push- |
| well-designed sedans, SUVs, vans and | | | | |
| | | | button storage area between the front |
| hybrid vehicles.For my weekly drive, I had | | | | seats.The trunk will hold two medium, |
| 4-cyclinder, 240-horsepower, 2.2-liter, 16- | | | | soft-side duffel bags and a few other |
| | | | |
| valve, six-speed model that includes a power | | | | small items like a purse and small backpack. |
| soft top and 17-inch alloy | | | | But the trunk won't hold |
| | | | |
| wheels. With its bright (Rio Yellow Pearl) | | | | much of anything unless the trunk cover is |
| paint, black top, black interior | | | | left behind.Just like the 2004 model, the |
| | | | current S2000 has a few overt drawbacks. |
| and sleekly contoured exterior, the vehicle | | | | |
| immediately attracted | | | | There's very little interior room, the |
| | | | seating material is less than |
| attention.Two fellow gas station patrons | | | | |
| offered compliments. The driver of the | | | | comfortable and the car's quietness or lack |
| | | | of quietness is perplexing.The S2000 is |
| identical car and his passenger offered an | | | | considerably more noisy with the top up than |
| enthusiastic wave when I | | | | it is with the |
| | | | |
| passed them on one afternoon's solo | | | | top down. And with the top up, there are |
| oceanfront drive. And several | | | | driver's corner blind spots. |
| | | | |
| other pedestrians and drivers offered | | | | Further, the car's suspension absorbs |
| praises.Yet the S2000, while offering a | | | | little; every road bump and can be |
| wonderful appearance, also presents a | | | | |
| | | | felt by driver and passenger. Entering and |
| varying mix of sports-car niceties and | | | | exiting the S2000 defines |
| disappointments as a practical | | | | |
| | | | well the "crouch-and-crawl" method.Still, |
| vehicle.The positives are numerous: The | | | | the S2000 is a formidable offering. Its good |
| six-speed transmission shifts nicely | | | | looks are eye-catching, |
| | | | |
| through gears. Acceleration tests for this | | | | and its shortcomings can be overlooked if |
| year weren't available, but the | | | | their buyer's desire is sports- |
| | | | |
| 2.0-liter model from 2004 was given a | | | | car fun, not vehicle practicality. |
| 6.7-second mark in its 0-60 mph | | | | |