Honda S2000 LM vs the Subaru BR-Z R&D GT300
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Both 2 litre race cars with 4 cylinders... but...
The S2000 is a flight of fantasy PD version of the acclaimed soft top -
The Subaru has a Turbo bolted on
*** Honesty Hut ***
Firstly I loved the Honda del sol LM in the Original GT. The pocket rocket MR was my preferred car as It let me race on a level with my pals who all loved the FTO LM.
The S2000 has the same sort of look to it - The same chunky boxy wheel arches and Honda flavour.
The BRZ is a car that I like as a Road car but as a racer? Have to admit I'd stump up for a Garaiya or an Amemiya RX7 before I chose the GT86 the FRS... which one is this... oh yes the BRZ
(Isn't that an Old Toyota code?).
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Okay out of the gate I can see this is a seesaw match up. The S2000LM is a quarter of the price and is 25pp down and again it crosses a threshold number (500pp) - The BRZ looks like it should smoke the S2000LM for the price and PP disparity.
So lets look at a few things that are not regulated by price.
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Engine.
Both are two litre, four cylinders but they are not identical.
Honda S2000LM
This has a race version of the inline 4 pot VTEC that sits in the road car it is set up to run at much higher revs. The car is naturally aspirated. The engine note is very "Motorbike" 12,000 revs makes the car seem way faster to the ears on the first few miles before you get used to it... Then it is a bit of a disappointment to drive a different car afterwards that only just gets up to 7000 or so.
The Subaru BRZ
This has a racy version of the turbocharged EJ20 4 Cylinder boxer. It generates 30 more peak horses than the Honda but... it has a whopping 22 more torques than the Honda which only squeezes out 23. Yes the BRZ has an engine which pours out twice as much torque. On paper it should be a fearsome beast out of slow corners.
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Aerodynamics
This is a bit of a snag as the BRZ has more of it and stock it is set with more aero than the S2000.
BRZ R&D -
150-350 Front adjustable Downforce and
300-600 at the Rear (Stock 200F/450R)
S2000LM -
100-200 Front adjustable Downforce and
200-500 at the Rear (Stock 150F/400R)
The best compromise I had, was to split the difference and run at the same aero level for both cars - mid way between both cars stock numbers... 175 front and 425 rear.
This could hurt both of them in terms of handling next to stock levels - but at least it is a bit more of an even playing field for both cars.
Tyres
Subaru uses - Yokohama Advan Race Hard
Honda uses - Michelin Pilot Race Hard
*** Round 1 - PRICE ***
S2000LM - 125,000 kazulas
BRZ R&D - 500,000 kazulas
Four times the price... Or Quarter of the outlay. Either one is ferociously over priced or the other is the Bargain of Bargains! Time will see if it goes four times as fast? Or four times as slow...
S2000LM 10(10) - BRZ R&D 6(6)
All tests save this one was run at a Catch weight level of Aerodynamic downforce -
*** Round 2 - Ultimate Speed ***
A Long, long run on the Route X track - Neither car had a lot of oomph to it. But the Cheaper Honda was clearly the faster car in its purest form.
I Ran both cars at the S2000LM level of Aero (150F/400R) ...
The BRZ was 4 seconds slower than that with its own stock level of aero.(200F/450R)
S2000LM 163 unaided (7m02.770)
BRZ R&D 159 unaided (7m11.458)
All tests after this will be at the mid point - 175/425 Aero.
S2000LM 10(20) - BRZ R&D 9(15)
*** Round 3 - Looks ***
The S2000 looks quite nice as a hard top and the tea tray rear wing is quite pleasing. Uncluttered.
The BRZ is ruthless to the GT300 dimensional rule book, and is choc full of vents and slats to channel air to provide as much downforce and as little drag while still being able to cool the low slung Boxer engine. Lots of vents in the bonnet that if you are a bit sneaky with a camera you can see a bit of uncensored Japanese engine intake manifold... pure filth!
On pure shape I'd give this one to the BRZ.
S2000LM 9(29) - BRZ R&D 10(25)
*** Round 4 - Looks - "In the Dark" Bonus round ***
At night though the S2000LM looks very tight. Those embedded quad nose lamps just ooze class. Twin side exhausts spitting fire too.
The BRZ is nice enough but even fancy LED lamps can't compete with 4 Fog lamps!
S2000LM 10(39) - BRZ R&D 9(34)
*** Round 5 - Livery ***
Neither are amazing. The BRZ has a simple single colour and a scattering of fonts and colours over it. I think the BRZ wouldbe better if the Denso and Motul logo's were pure white.
The S2000 has an attempt at a livery, Very simple colour on Black which enhances the taught lines of the car.
The S2000 takes this by not only having a bit of a scheme but also getting most of its logos to work with the colour scheme. AND you get the choice of
(Count them!) three colours
(Red, Blue and... Magenta? Pink? Fuchsia?)
Yes, the premium Subaru loses because it has a Red font on a Blue car! -
S2000LM 10(49) - BRZ R&D 9(43)
*** Round 6 - Race test 1 - GT All-Stars Race 5 - Grand Valley Speedway (5laps) ***
(ABS=0 - TCS=0 SRF=0 Stock settings (Equalized Aerodynamic Downforce of 175/425)
1m54.716 (9m46.927) S2000LM Huarya '13 9m47.269
1m54.451 (9m44.269) BRZ R&D McLaren F1'94 9m44.172
Numbers don't lie the BRZ took this round, But you can see the Honda won its race. the Subaru only got second so maybe it was benefiting from a slip stream? Still the round goes to the BRZ
S2000LM 9(58) - BRZ R&D 10(53)
*** Round 7 - Handling ***
(Stock settings - Catchweight Aero)
The S2000LM is a spunky little car the engine screaming at you. Handling is pretty solid, light nimble responsive - All those good things you get with Slick tyres. But it retains some naughty aspects. It can break away out of corners and lock ups into corners are refreshingly frequent to keep me on my toes and enjoying the drive. Maybe lacks a smidge of turn in grip at the front. (I Tend to enjoy "pointy" cars) The lack of punch form the engine was apparent when I hit the hill at GVS.
The BRZ R&D is a nice neat car - It has a really enjoyable power oversteer quality though corners if you get the car on the edge of the friction circle. Very controlable oversteer that you play with on corner exits ... Seems I enjoy this "pointy" car!
S2000LM 9(67) - BRZ R&D 10(63)
°°° Round 8/9/10/11/12+13 - GT All-Stars Championship rounds °°°
(ABS=0 - TCS=0 SRF=0 Stock settings (Equalized Aerodynamic Downforce of 175/425)
As a test race at Grand Valley was so close I'll run these race cars at all five tracks for a total of 25 laps
The BRZ drew a grid with a Veyron and an Enzo and a Murceilargo SV
The S2000LM got a Veyron, McLaren F1 and the Enzo
*** Round 8 GT All-Stars Race 1 - High Speed Ring (5 laps x 2.49 miles) ***
1m09.127 (5m54.843)(1st) BRZ R&D - (Enzo 5m56.890)
1m10.262 (6m00.867)(3rd) S2000LM - (Enzo 5m56.894)
BRZ hit its rev limited top speed of 169mph while it was in a cheeky slipstream. One factor is that these cars are not the fastest but the BRZ managed to hold onto the Enzo and make enough of a lead to keep it over the line. Overall very happy with the balance of the car - The Aero gives the car a good bite of the road on the fast sweeps.
S2000LM - Car was okay - but the lack of beef in the engine bay told heavily on this power circuit and many times I was smothered by other cars regaining a place I had taken a corner before. Didn't feel as grippy as the BRZ and the tyre scrabble noise seemed to remind me this.
S2000LM 9(76) - BRZ R&D 10(73)
*** Round 9 GT All-Stars Race 2 - Apricot Hill Raceway (5 laps x 2.4 miles) ***
1m24.005 (7m03.549)(1st) BRZ R&D - (Enzo 7m09.784)
1m24.091 (7m04.780)(1st) S2000LM - (F1 7m10.114)
BRZ was in the groove here. Lots of grip from the slick tyres mated with a low weight and reasonable power made the car very high on the fun threshold. Corners I usually curse at due to understeer and the car unable to put the power down, as it won't rotate were mostly forgotten. Very stable car and it made the final corner flat out with ease.
S2000LM - Wow Car felt good as I passed the grid in short order the McLaren 11 seconds ahead of the 3rd placed car, but it seems the BRZ *just* edged this round.
Thankfully closer than the HSR event.
S2000LM 9(85) - BRZ R&D 10(83)
*** Round 10 GT All-Stars Race 3 - MPMRC aka "Bathurst" (5 laps x 3.86 miles) ***
2m18.028 (11m45.320)(3rd) BRZ R&D - (Enzo 11m36.480)
2m15.318 (11m27.461)(2nd) S2000LM - (F1 11m23.708)
BRZ R&D - felt good but the Enzo and Veyron were a fari old chunk up the narrow road where passing isn't easy - I was reeling them in but alas I had a moment at the Cutting and ended up facing the inside of the wall... how embarassing! -
S2000LM - I had forgotten about the BRZ's spin here but the S2000LM was just as much fun as the BRZ. In my head I think the BRZ has more grip yet I was able to thread the needle without as much houligan opposite lock out of the corners. In the end after a tight four way fight at the front. The F1 just edged the lead after my pass into the Chase ended with a bit of off road grass cutting as I made my way back to the track with the local drongos hurling abuse at me from the stands.
S2000LM 10(95) - BRZ R&D 9(92)
*** Round 11 GT All-Stars Race 4 - Brands Hatch (5 laps x 2.43 miles) ***
1m??.??? (7m41.740)(1st) BRZ R&D - (Veyron 7m45.828)
1m29.738 (7m41.227)(1st) S2000LM - (F1 7m44.984)
BRZ R&D - back on the top step and the Bugatti helped the championship by splitting the BRZ and the Enzo of Kikuchi-san. BRZ felt pretty tight. (I deleted the fastest lap time here due to being a dork on the keyboard!)
S2000LM - Doesn't get much closer than that! Shame I lost the BRZ's best lap time. Car felt good, I am thinking the only loser will me be when I stop driving either of the cars.
S2000LM 10(105) - BRZ R&D 9(101)
*** Round 12 GT All-Stars Race 5 - Grand Valley Speedway (5 laps x 3.07 miles) ***
1m53.744 (9m39.204)(1st) BRZ R&D - (Veyron 9m42.728)
1m54.441 (9m41.853)(1st) S2000LM - (F1 9m46.470)
BRZ R&D - Car was on rails. The car could handle the Cresting Esses flat out
(Obviously without touching the white lines!) The weak point was Collonades
(After the Bridge) - that long flat rightanded loop.
S2000LM - That was tough. The F1 was only just behind in the championship and had pulled a healthy lead after 3 laps but then I reeled it in... I think he eased off the throttle near the end. Again a car that can handle the cresting esses at full chat. The slow esses prior to the The Bridge (I Call it "Hardcastle" as Marshall Point "19" is on the exit on the left) is a troublesome point as the car doesn't chase the corner well.
S2000LM 9(114) - BRZ R&D 10(111)
*** Round 13 GT All-Stars Total Championship results ***
BRZ R&D - 4 wins + a 3rd place and the Championship -
S2000LM - 3 wins + a 2nd and a 3rd place and the Championship
S2000LM was 8.4 seconds faster after the championship.
I know I should give this to the S2000LM in terms of actual numbers After nearly three quarters of an hour of track time the difference was under 10 seconds - but I was the one that dropped the ball at MPMRC - and when I was pedalling them they were very evenly matched - The BRZ maybe faster, but the S2000LM was slightly easier to push hard with.
S2000LM 10(124) - BRZ R&D 10(121)
*** Round 14 - Aerodynamic diversity ***
This is a very simple way of saying that the BRZ has more potential Aerodynamically induced downforce and so it should be better able to adapt to different circuits just down to the greater range and depth of wing angles you can employ.
S2000LM 9(133) BRZ R&D 10(131)
*** Round 15 - Engine Note ***
The High pitched scream of the VTEC or the slurping turbo of the four pot Boxer? The Boxer engine has more depth to it, But when you get that Honda up in the big numbers it is a real treat. I think I have to edge this to the Subaru as the engine just seems a bit more busy and alive over the rev range and when you swap gears. the Honda is a bit ... quiet at times. I Enjoyed both though.
S2000LM 9(142) BRZ R&D 10(141)
BRZ R&D - 133.9 miles
S2000LM - 126.3 miles
(I repeated the High Speed test at Route X in the Subaru as it was running more wing - It didn't help it it was still much slower.)
So 260 miles driven in these two cars in total?
Which car would I jump into if it was a race... which ever was closest, probably.
But which car is the best? I imagine the Honda will have edged it due to it being very cheap and My usual bias towards the lower PP rated car. (I'm English I always support the underdog.)
Final score
S2000LM 142
BRZ R&D 141
So I guess the
Honda wins. But this one was closer, If Iwas forced to use the Subaru I'd not be upset so a very close second place. (Thanks for this combo as I had not even bought the BRZ R&D.
(Neither come in British Racing Green... Balderdash and Piffle!)
