WASHINGTON (CBS MW) -- You can brew up a first-class argument that will be hot enough to melt any winter snow with the following question: Is the Honda S2000 a poor man's Porsche Boxster?

The improvements on the 2004 S2000 (see slide show) will be enough to inflame that battle still further.

We really don't have enough space to list all of the changes. But we love the added low- and mid-range grunt that improves passing times on the back country roads where the S2000 really shines.

The dual overhead cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine still churns out 240 horsepower -- but does it at lower revs. Sprints from, say, 50 miles an hour to 70 are much improved, and the rev-happy four (redline at 8,000 rpm) never fails to deliver smiles as it enters the upper stratosphere of its range. The EPA says it will return 20 to 25 miles per gallon.

And that brings us to the best feature on the car -- the six-speed manual transmission. It is an absolute delight. Snick, snick, snick and you remember with just a slight flick of the wrist just how much fun driving can be. We wish all carmakers would spend a little time with this six-speed and take copious notes.

Back-road handling is flat and the steering is sports-car sharp. We really could not fully stretch out the car due to an early arrival of Old Man Winter, but we are dead certain that it will meet the demands of the most ardent sports-car driver. It is nothing but gangs of fun to drive.

Downsides? Not many. You will hear lots of road noise, but hey, it's a sports car. An inch or three taken off the rather wide center console would make the inside less of an almost-too-tight fit. Interior storage space is at a premium and some minor buttons or knobs are poorly placed behind other controls. And that's it.

So let us consider the original question. The S2000 is a bit quicker accelerating to 60 mph than the Boxster S, and they are virtually identical to 100. ("But, officer, it was only in the realm of scientific research.") Their top speeds are virtually identical, panic stops from 60 mph are within a foot of one another, and the Boxster beats the S2000 on the skidpad.

Our test Honda (HMC: news, chart, profile) listed at $33,260 and the Boxster lists at about $51,000. The Honda lacks the legendary Porsche name badge (which is no small thing), but you could also take the wife to a very, very nice warm island in January for the difference in price. Which is our way of pointing out what a great deal the S2000 is. Your passions and your bank account, plus your wife's love (or hatred of winter), will probably settle the question.