Stock for stock it should be a pretty good run. The new srt-4 against the new s2000, I think with all things being equal the new s2000 would probably come out on top, but a pre 2004 would probably lose. It’s hard for me to say that because of how much I love my s2k and how much I dislike srt-4s. Ill explain why in at the end for those who care. I have tried a few times to run a friend in his srt-4, But he declines every time even though he always talks of how fast his car is. I’m fairly sure that I would be able to come out on top (if nothing else just because of driving skill) but it would be very close. Also the fact that he has an older one, the one with 215hp and w/out LSD. So I just think that the idea of a N/A 2.0L beating his turbocharged 2.4 and the ridicule of such an event happening is a little too much for him to risk. Plus he paid more for his srt-4 than I paid for my s2000. But he did buy his brand new and I did buy mine “pre-owned”. (a.k.a. used)
Why I dislike the SRT-4.
The first reason is everyone always talks about how great and fast they are but any one can slap a turbo on a big displacement engine and call it a day, hell it doesn’t even have to be a big displacement. Look at the RSX-S, put a turbo kit on it and it makes more whp at 7psi than the srt-4 does at 14psi. The car is cheaply made in the fit and Finnish (but then again what do you expect for under 20K). It lacks the refinement and forethought that most honda/acuras have. Yes it makes great power and it shows in the dyno numbers but honestly, take the engine out of it and what you have is a regular neon that most sport compact tuners wouldn’t take a second glance at. In my humble opinion the s2000 and the neon cant even be compared. They are two totally different cars, built for two totally different reasons, and made to appeal to two totally different types of people.