Introduced as a lightweight convertible that takes the fight to both the Mazda Miata and Porsche Boxster in the early 2000s, the Honda S2000 sadly became the last RWD sports car the brand would ever make. The last S2000 left the factory in 2009, and enthusiasts have been quietly hoarding them since. The fact that the car has kept selling at or over its MSRP on the used market for the last quarter of a century is proof that buyers are desperate for a new S2000. In fact, rarer CR models — a simple $2k track-focused aero package available for '08 and '09 models — are now fetching Ferrari money. One sold for $200,000 in 2022. Enough said.Rumors about a successor have been circulating since 2019, when Honda announced it would be showcasing a new prototype of the S2000 at the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon. The car in question was based on the first-generation (AP1) S2000, packing the same 9,000-rpm 2.0-liter VTEC four-cylinder, but with a modern facelift and a revamped suspension. Since then, however, it's been pretty much crickets from Honda. Not that its engineers wouldn't love to make a new S2000.In late 2025, Tomoyuki Yamagami — Chief Engineer for the new Honda Prelude — told Drive that "every Honda employee loves S2000" and that he would love to "someday" build a new one. But unlike what Toyota did with the BMW-Z4-based Supra, Yamagami emphasized that the new S2000 would need to have Honda DNA, which of course, would make it extremely expensive to make. A new S2000 may still be in the cards, but if Honda really is working on a new S2000, they are being very cagey about it. Luckily, our render artists have gotten to work designing a vision of what a new Honda S2000 would look like if it hit the market in 2028, and Honda needs to make it a reality ASAP. This Is What Honda's New S2000 Should Be 2028 Honda S2000 HotCars render To keep development costs down, we assumed the 2028 Honda S2000 would be sharing platforms with the new Prelude, but that’s where the similarities end. This 2028 Honda S2000 is lighter, sleeker, wider, and more aggressive in every way. It keeps the same unmistakable straight body lines that made the original stand apart from its rivals — except for the convertible top, which made way for a new, lighter, carbon fiber hardtop in our version.2028 Honda S2000 HotCars render Our 2028 Honda S2000 sits even lower than its predecessor, with its new blacked out front splitter and larger, mesh grille helping it scoop more air while new side ducts keep all four brakes cooler. The new LED headlights up front are still unmistakably based on the original, but they look sharper and more menacing while helping to bring out the size of the fenders, which are filled by the new 19-inch black rims wrapped in 265-section Michelin Pilot Sport 5s.2028 Honda S2000 HotCars render The black mirror caps, roof, rims, and aero bits do a great job of contrasting the S2000's paint job and making it look sportier and more purposeful than the original — and cars like the Miata or Porsche Boxster, for that matter.2028 Honda S2000 HotCars render The rear is where it all comes together, however. It immediately dispels any doubts of this being a true purpose-built sports car. The diffuser looks like it was bolted off of a Huracan, and the dual exhaust tips in the center could probably each fit a baseball. The wing may seem oversized too, but AP2 CRs came with even bigger ones from the factory, so it’s perfect.In fact, Honda is famous for giving its hot hatches unnecessarily racy aero bits and wings, so a new S2000 would probably look exactly like this. Finally, the gorgeous LED lightbar — similar to the one on the Prelude — adds a perfect dose of refinement that Porsche buyers need in order to take this car seriously as a Boxster alternative.2028 Honda S2000 HotCars render Of course, our S2000 still houses its engine up front, giving it the same near-perfect, 50/50 weight distribution and playful rear end — albeit one notorious for snap oversteer. It features hood scoops for cooling and needs all the air the large meshed grille can provide, and for good reason. A New Honda S2000 Deserves A Proper Honda Engine 2028 Honda S2000 HotCars renderWe've mentioned that, if Honda were to make a new S2000, it would retain the brand's DNA. But while it has always been a naturally aspirated sports car sold alongside the NA Civic Type R, the hot hatch already adopted a turbo as of the FK2 generation in 2015. Still, most enthusiasts agree this has only made it better, and in fact, the FL5 is arguably the best Civic Type R ever. With emissions being a huge issue today, it makes perfect sense for the new S2000 to also have a turbo, and what better engine to use than the FL5 Type R's capable K20C1?HondaIt's a turbocharged 2.0-liter VTEC inline-4 that makes 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It helps the new Civic reach 60 mph in 5.1 seconds with a manual transmission. Of course, unlike the Prelude and the Civic, the S2000 would send its power only to the rear wheels, giving it superior traction off the line and likely shaving as much as a second off that 0-60 time. Perhaps more importantly, mating that engine with the notchy 6-speed manual from the Type R would make the new S2000 a proper analog sports car enthusiasts have been waiting for, and Honda has all the ingredients it needs to make one. The ball is in your court, Honda.Sources: Classic.com, Drive, Honda.