Inevitable evolution for my S2000

The S2000 is already about 10 years past the last date of production and despite model year updates, it has by and large has been similar to its launch back in 1999 which puts it about 20 years old in terms of technology. Current day competitors like the Toyota/Subaru/Scion GT86/BRZ/FR-S and the ND model Mazda Miata MX5 have updated technology incorporated into their construction and this has reflected in their superior performance numbers despite having lower absolute engine output.

Is the S2000 due for a new lease of life? Probably but I won't be selling my S2000 for any upcoming newer models considering I've already spent a fair bit of time and money on the car as it is and prices of cars in Singapore are the highest in the entire world! The following areas have been pretty much the same since I began upgrading my ride since way back in 2011:

1. Suspension: I got myself a set of Tein Super Racing coilovers which had only been used for a couple of months and have been running them for daily and track since then. I've serviced them roughly every 18 months at an authorized Tein dealer to keep them running in good condition.

2. Cooling: I've been running my Koyo aluminum radiator and Greddy oil cooler even before tuning my ride. A pretty lasting setup that has endured debris from highway and even the odd unscheduled excursion into the gravel at the track.

With these considerations in mind I got my hands on these two items that I felt would be a welcome update to my current setup staying true to my focus on highlighting the strengths of the S2000 namely, its outstanding handling and the rock solid reliability of the car.

My new SakeBomb Garage (SBG) custom long stroke Ohlins DFV with Swift springs

 

CSF dual pass radiator

 

I made my decisions based on the following areas I determined might yield some benefits that I could enjoy over the years without too massive a cost:

A) Rear suspension stroke:

Performance upgrades for coilovers would commonly run out of stroke and bottom out on compression unless they ran very stiff spring rates or damping. The lack of droop travel was also an issue that has come up pretty often but was never really addressed in most of the aftermarket options available.

My experience with this facet of the shortcoming on the circuit I usually run at was that at points where I needed to run over the curbing , the car would not be particularly stable mid corner which tended to delay the point I could get on the loud pedal. The only way to get around this would be to stay on the tarmac but I didn't feel I could continue sidestepping the issue and would rather address the problem directly.

Modifications to the circuit I usually ply resulted in a large change in elevation for the corner leading onto the front pit straight. From my layman point of view, this penalizes suspension setups which aren't able to have sufficient droop travel to pick a line that allows the driver to get to full throttle at the earliest point and thus lose a whole bunch of acceleration momentum on the long pit straight. This is especially a problem for a car like the S2000 which isn't great in the acceleration department and has a very peaky torque curve.

With that in mind, I opted for the long stroke version of the Ohlins DFV by SBG to maximize bump and droop travel while taking the opportunity to upgrade to floating top hats and spherical bearings. The great thing about getting this kit outside of the hardware would be the consultation done with SBG to identify key areas of performance one seeks from their setup. Being an enthusiast, time and expertise is always in short supply so this is a welcome value add to a modification.

Pic of the floating top hat

Swift springs catered to my requirements

Billet lower mount to get that longer stroke

Suspension consultation form to ensure the setup matches the usage 

 

Heading to the track on this suspension, I immediately noticed an immediacy in response especially over uneven sections like curbing and the car seemed much more planted when I had wheels over the curbing. The car seemed much more stable post curbing allowing me to get on the throttle confidently. Although my track session o try them out was cut short, the difference in handling was abundantly clear compared to my previous setup. Heath and his team are super responsive and helpful even for aftersales service which is pretty confidence inspiring for me as an overseas customer.

B) Enhanced cooling requirements

I thought it prudent to get the cooling sorted since I had been running a Koyo down-flow radiator for quite some years and cross flow or dual pass radiators were now delivering increased cooling so I thought it would be time to get this added longevity mod done.

CSF has been well known the market for their performance radiators and through RockStar Garage, I purchased the S2000 specific setup with 12 and 10 inch Spal Fans. This setup comes with an aluminium shroud to enhance flow through the core. 

Fresh and shiny out of the box

Back view with Spal fans and shroud 

 

Comparison with the outgoing Koyo

 

In it goes! Plenty of clearance

 

I'm looking forward to the proving of this radiator on the track though the quality of the kit was pretty impressive so I have no doubts this would be a great insurance policy against the searing temperatures of the Sepang circuit.

A word of appreciation to SakeBomb Garage and RockStar Garage for the great pricing and customer service!

Thanks to:

LTM Performance for the trusted support for all the work done to my ride