Tag Archives: Honda

This LS-Swapped and Turbocharged Honda S2000 Is the King of Tuner Vehicles

What kind of modifications did Mason Whitlow added to his Honda S2000?

The upgrades are extensive, to say the least.

We’re not talking about your run-of-the-mill software tune; we’re talking a complete overhaul that includes, among other things, a staggering engine swap.

Remember the S2000’s 2.0-liter inline-four cylinder engine? Whitlow, with the help of his employer, ditched that in favor of a massive 6.2-liter L92 V-8 engine. Of course, a significant engine swap like that involves more than just an engine-for-engine replacement.

This LS-Swapped and Turbocharged Honda S2000 Is the King of Tuner Vehicles - image 927248

This LS-Swapped and Turbocharged Honda S2000 Is the King of Tuner Vehicles - image 927248


To get the desired results, Whitlow also added a Boostlab 7874 turbo, upgraded the car’s camshaft and valve train, and installed more sophisticated engine mounts. That’s on top of all the other additions to the S2000’s small engine bay. Take a peek a the completed engine swap and you’ll see Hooker exhaust headers, a Hi-Ram air intake system, and a 105-mm throttle body.

This LS-Swapped and Turbocharged Honda S2000 Is the King of Tuner Vehicles - image 927243

This LS-Swapped and Turbocharged Honda S2000 Is the King of Tuner Vehicles - image 927243


The result of all these changes is beyond belief.

From producing 248 horsepower out of the S2000’s original four-cylinder unit, Whitlow’s S2000 conversion now comes with the aforementioned V-8 that produces a walloping 707 horsepower and 691 pound-feet of torque.

How much assistance did Holley provide

This LS-Swapped and Turbocharged Honda S2000 Is the King of Tuner Vehicles - image 927244

This LS-Swapped and Turbocharged Honda S2000 Is the King of Tuner Vehicles - image 927244


A lot, presumably. Whitlow, after all, is a jack-of-all-trades employee who has access to just about every mechanical nook and crank that he needs to successfully make the conversion. He even managed to score a beefed up four-speed automatic gearbox, and Performance driveshaft, and an 8.8-inch Ford rear end that’s equipped with 3.37 gearing.

All the modifications put into this Honda S2000 is the stuff of awesomeness. It’s incredible enough that a Honda S2000 can be modified to this extent; it’s more amazing when you see the completed transformation. Go big or go home, right, Mr. Whitlow?

Another Takata Airbag Tragedy

Takata

American Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed that a defective Takata airbag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2002 Honda Accord on January 9th in Lancaster County, South Carolina. The ruptured inflator led to the driver’s death.

There have been 16 U.S. deaths and more than 200 injuries due to ruptured Takata airbag driver’s inflators. Two other automakers have had three Takata airbag inflator fatalities, for a total of 19 in the U.S.

According to Honda, the vehicle involved had been under a recall since April 2011 for replacement of the Takata driver’s frontal airbag inflator. Honda sent mailers, and made phone calls, emails, and in-person visits, but completed no repairs.  The driver killed in the accident was not the owner. It is unclear if the driver knew of the vehicle recall.

Honda has sufficient replacement inflators now to complete free repairs for any recalled Hondas and Acuras in the United States. They urge all owners of any Honda or Acura affected by the Takata airbag inflator recall to get their vehicles to an authorized dealer immediately. Older vehicles, particularly 2001-2003 model year vehicles, have an increased risk of an airbag inflator rupture, and they pose the greatest safety hazard. Owners can check their vehicles’ recall status at www.recalls.honda.com or www.recalls.acura.com.

From my experience with a Ford Ranger equipped with a Takata airbag, it took six months and two Ford dealerships to get a replacement inflator. I wondered if I was driving a time bomb, and the notion that the inflator could explode at any time was unsettling. The first dealer was unconcerned, but the second dealer, Vancouver Ford in Washington, gave me a loaner vehicle for two weeks until the repair was completed. The service manager told me Ford had authorized him to provide loaners to avoid this from occurring.

If two other automakers have had a total of three deaths, and Honda has had 16, what does that tell you about its — and/or its dealers — efforts to get all of these vehicles repaired without further injury or loss of life?

[Image: Honda]

Honda Gets Approval for Level 3 Driving in Japan

Honda just received approval to implement Level 3 autonomous technology in Japan.

Much of the focus on autonomous driving has been on Tesla, Waymo and, perhaps to a lesser extent, General Motors. However, it may be time to shine the spotlight on Honda as it passed a new milestone: Level 3 autonomy.

The automaker just received approval from Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to use its new technology to drive vehicles under certain conditions on roads in the country, in this case during congested highway traffic.

The new tech, which it calls Traffic Jam Pilot, will be made available on its Honda Legend before March 31, 2021, which is the end of its fiscal year, according to the automaker. It’s not currently in use in the United States.

(Honda adds new tech, tweaks styling to keep 2021 Accord fresh.)

In order to use Traffic Jam Pilot, Honda drivers must display this sticker.

The system has to meet some minimum requirements to be used, including its use doesn’t compromise the safety of the vehicle’s occupants or other road users, adopt cyber security measures to prevent unauthorized access by hackers, a driver monitoring function, an operating recording device and a sticker on the back of the vehicle indicating it’s an automated vehicle.

Honda’s the first automaker to take advantage of changes to an amendment to Japan’s Road Vehicle Act allowing Level 3 autonomous vehicles on the road, however, the company said it had no plans to stop there.

“Honda will remain dedicated to the further development of safety technologies while striving to serve people worldwide with the joy and freedom of mobility, providing people with peace of mind and inspire their feeling of curiosity,” the company said in its release.

(Honda quitting F1, shifting resources to EV development.)

The MILT, which keeps tabs on all of the efforts by automakers in this arena, views this technology playing an important role in road safety in the future.

“Self-driving cars are expected to play a big role in helping reduce traffic accidents, provide transportation for the elderly and improve logistics,” said Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Autonomous vehicles come with six levels, ranging from 0 to 5. For example, Level 2 cars can control their own speed and steering but must have an alert driver able to take control at all times. Tesla’s Autopilot and GM’s Super Cruise would be examples of Level 2 autonomous, which is typically described as semi-autonomous.

(Tesla Autopilot slammed as Consumer Reports gives top rating to Cadillac Super Cruise.)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has repeated said the company’s full-service driving function will be operational by the end of this year, but it’s unlikely to be able to be used at that point, pending U.S. government (and other foreign governments) approval. The company plans to charge as much as $10,000 for the technology.

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