Honda’s S2000 has been celebrated in dramatic style by Japanese specialist tuner Bulletproof Automotive, which presented its own, wide-bodied, heavily supercharged version of the legendary roadster at this week’s SEMA Show. Dubbed ‘BP25’ in reference to both its creator and the tuner’s 25 years in business, the heavily-modded Honda features a power hike more than double that of its original factory muse, and a brand-new Varis Dark Panther Widebody aerokit that makes its North American debut this week.
Purists may wish to look away, for while the S2000’s original 2.0-liter displacement (for the first-gen AP1, at least) remains intact, Honda’s high-revving four-cylinder has been discarded for a new, redline crate engine. Said unit – most likely a V8, though Bulletproof has not confirmed either way – packs an extraordinary 580-wheel-horsepower, thanks to the inclusion of a V2-Si Trim Supercharger from Vortech, new performance-focused injectors, and a more robust engine management system from AEM among many other upgrades.
For context, that 580whp output is 333 hp higher than the original S2000 managed in 1999, 30 hp more than Dodge’s Charger Scat Pack, 80 hp higher than a Ford Mustang Dark Horse, and 85 hp more than a Corvette Stingray. Peak power (torque has similarly not yet been revealed) occurs at an extraordinary 9,300 rpm, while the redline is a piston-snapping 10,000 rpm, on par with the turbo five-rotor-powered, flame-spitting Mazzei Formula 5.
Interestingly, the AP2-generation’s transmission has been preserved for the RP25 build –Bulletproof founder Ben Schaffer explains that the team wished to preserve the “original characteristics of the S2000 driving experience, high RPM thrills and a power band that builds-and-builds” – albeit now heavily braced, and mated with a new short shifter and a limited slip diff from ASM x Drexler. We’re not yet sure what the performance figures are, but we’re guessing the BP25 would comfortably the AP2 S2000’s 5.4-second 0-60 MPH sprint time into the weeds.
Engine
2.0-liter Redline Crate Engine
V2-Si Trim Supercharger with Custom Pulley
Power
580whp @ 9300 RPM
Drivetrain
AP2 transmission
ASM x Drexler limited slip differential
Tracy Sports driveshaft spacer
C’s short shifter
ACT flywheel
Comp 6 Puck clutch
Suspension
Super Damper Coilover Kit 16k/14k (Top Secret)
Cup Kit Front/Rear lifter (Roberuta)
Brakes
Brembo Pista, 6-piston (front), 4-piston and EPB (rear)
Wheels
UP Forged 19 x 11×27 BP-RW Evolutuon ‘Tsuchime’
Tires
Toyo Tires Proxes, 29530 R19 R888R
A volcanic new powertrain is far from the only talking point for BP25. Honda’s double wishbones/multi-link suspension, for example, have been revitalized with aftermarket ‘super’ dampers from Top Secret/Aragosta, a track-focused Cup Kit from Roberuta, and new tie rods and control arms from J’s Racing. Enormous Brembo Pista brakes have been fitted front and rear, and the package now rides on bespoke, 19-inch UP Forged ‘Tsuchime’ alloys, clad with “super sticky” R888R rubber from Toyo Tires. To ensure the new Redline crate can be heard in Tokyo from LA, Bulletproof has also fitted an enlarged Dual Euro Titanium Exhaust.
Bulletproof’s “visceral high-thrill package” is completed by Bulletproof’s new Varis Dark Panther Widebody kit. All new carbon fiber panels from Varis, specifically the hood, the wings, trunk lid and the front fender cooling veins, have been specifically designed “for higher downforce and better grip,” hence also the whopping great rear spoiler, diffuser, front air dam, and splitter. Peer beneath the graphics package, and BP enthusiasts might also recognize the Lamborghini Balloon White paint, a staple of the Bulletproof Automotive Concept One – a rehash of the Scion FR-S – that also debuted at SEMA in 2013.
Source: Bulletproof Automotive
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