Best Honda S2000 Performance Upgrades (AP1/AP2 Mods)

The best Honda S2000 performance upgrades take an already-brilliant chassis and sharpen every edge — more power, flatter body control, and stronger brakes for track days. Built from 2000 to 2009 across the AP1 (F20C, 2.0L, 240 hp, near-9,000 rpm redline) and AP2 (F22C1, 2.2L, 237 hp, 162 lb-ft) generations, the S2000 remains one of the purest rear-wheel-drive roadsters ever sold. At NLP Performance in Tampa, FL, we build these cars constantly, and the same handful of parts come up in every serious project. Below are the seven upgrades that deliver the biggest, most reliable gains — with real specs, real prices, and direct-fit fitment for AP1 and AP2.

Why the Honda S2000 Is Still a Tuning Icon

The Honda S2000 is a front-mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive roadster that pairs a 50:50 weight balance with one of the highest-revving production engines ever built. The AP1's F20C makes 240 hp from just 2.0 liters — a specific output of 120 hp per liter that rivaled Ferrari and F1-adjacent figures when it launched in 2000. It spins to a 9,000 rpm redline (roughly 8,800–8,900 rpm fuel cut), with VTEC crossover around 6,000 rpm. The 2004-and-up AP2 swapped to the 2.2L F22C1, trading a little top-end zing for a stronger 162 lb-ft of torque and a lower 8,000 rpm redline, making it easier to live with day to day.

That combination — light curb weight around 2,800 lbs, a stiff double-wishbone chassis, and a screaming naturally aspirated four — is exactly why the S2000 responds so well to modification. The factory left real performance on the table in suspension damping, braking capacity, and airflow. Address those, and the car transforms.

How We Chose These S2000 Upgrades

We selected parts that are proven on both street and track builds, ship with real fitment data for the AP1 and AP2, and come from manufacturers we stock and install in our Tampa shop — HKS, KW, EBC, Eagle, Exedy and Eibach. Every pick below is in stock at NLP Performance, links to its exact product page, and is ranked by the impact it makes per dollar. We prioritized bolt-on reliability: parts that make the car meaningfully faster without turning it into a fragile science project.

The 7 Best Honda S2000 Performance Upgrades

1. HKS GT2 Supercharger Pro Kit — Best Overall Power Upgrade

Nothing else on this list changes the S2000 as much as boost. The HKS GT2 Supercharger Pro Kit is a complete centrifugal blower system that, out of the box at roughly 10 psi, produced 310.33 whp and 212.77 lb-ft on a stock-internal F20C in HKS testing. That is a near-40% jump in wheel horsepower while preserving the linear, NA-like throttle response the S2000 is famous for. The Pro kit includes the supercharger, intercooler, piping, upgraded fuel components and management hardware, and fits both AP1 and AP2 cars. Drop to a smaller pulley (around 12.5 psi) and there is more on the table, provided your fueling keeps up.

2. KW Variant 3 Coilover Kit — Best Suspension Upgrade

The stock S2000 chassis is sharp but under-damped for aggressive driving. The KW Variant 3 is an inox-line stainless steel coilover with independently adjustable rebound and compression damping, plus a height-adjustable, corrosion-resistant strut body. That means you can dial in ride height for a proper corner balance and separately tune high-speed body control and low-speed comfort — something single-adjustable kits cannot do. It is the upgrade that best unlocks the S2000's double-wishbone geometry, and it carries KW's limited lifetime warranty.

3. EBC Racing Apollo-4 Big Brake Kit — Best Braking Upgrade

Add power and you must add stopping power. The EBC Racing Apollo-4 kit fits four-piston aluminum calipers over 330mm two-piece discs, a significant jump over the factory front brakes for repeated hard stops. The larger rotors add thermal mass to fight fade on track days, and the stiffer caliper improves pedal feel and modulation. EBC offers a matched AP1 (99–04) and AP2 (04–09) version, so it is a direct bolt-on for either generation. For a supercharged S2000 that now carries far more speed into every braking zone, this is the safety upgrade we recommend alongside the blower.

4. Eagle F20C 4340 Billet Crankshaft — Best Foundation for Big Power

When your goals climb past what stock internals can safely hold, the rotating assembly is where you start. The Eagle billet crankshaft is machined from 4340 chromoly steel for far greater fatigue strength than the cast factory crank, making it the backbone of a built F20C that can survive high boost or a stroker combination. This is not a bolt-on for a weekend cruiser — it is the part that separates a 310 whp street car from a fully built, high-boost S2000 that lives at the track. If you plan to chase serious numbers, buy the foundation first.

5. HKS F20C 750cc Injector Upgrade Kit — Best Fueling Support

Boost is only safe if the fuel system can keep up. The factory injectors run out of headroom quickly once you add a supercharger and start turning the pulley down, and a lean condition under boost is how F-series engines die. This HKS 750cc injector kit gives the F20C the flow it needs to support the higher-boost side of the GT2 supercharger with a healthy safety margin. It is the natural companion purchase to the blower — pair the two and you have the airflow and the fuel to match, tuned properly on a stock or built bottom end.

6. HKS Hi-Power Racing Catback Exhaust — Best Sound and Flow

The S2000's high-revving engine deserves an exhaust that lets it breathe and sing. The HKS Hi-Power Racing Version is a lightweight SUS304 stainless catback with a titanium tip, tuned to free up top-end flow and deliver the sharp, motorsport-style rasp that suits a 9,000 rpm four-cylinder. It is the most cost-effective bolt-on here at $990, drops meaningful weight over the factory system, and covers all 2000–2009 cars. On a naturally aspirated build it wakes up the character; on a supercharged car it helps evacuate the extra flow.

7. Eibach Anti-Roll Sway Bar Kit — Best Value Handling Mod

For the money, nothing sharpens the S2000's turn-in like a matched sway bar kit. Eibach's 32mm front and 29mm rear anti-roll bars increase roll stiffness and let you fine-tune balance — the S2000 can be tail-happy at the limit, and a properly sized bar set tames the snap without killing the car's playful rotation. At $568 it is the best value handling upgrade on this list, and it pairs perfectly with the KW coilovers for a complete suspension package on 2000–2009 cars.

Honda S2000 Upgrades Compared at a Glance

Here is how the seven best Honda S2000 performance upgrades stack up by category, headline benefit and price. Every part links to its exact product page and is in stock at NLP Performance.

AP1 vs AP2: Does It Change Your Build?

For most of these upgrades, no — the KW coilovers, EBC brakes, HKS exhaust, Eibach bars and HKS supercharger all offer AP1 and AP2 fitment. The differences matter most on the engine side. The 2000–2003 AP1's 2.0L F20C loves to rev to 9,000 rpm and rewards top-end mods and forced induction, while the 2004–2009 AP2's 2.2L F22C1 makes 162 lb-ft and pulls harder in the mid-range, so it feels stronger with a supercharger's low-end boost. If you are chasing a high-boost, built-engine combination, note that internals like the Eagle F20C crank are engine-code specific — always match the part to your exact block. When in doubt, our team in Tampa can confirm fitment before you buy.

Building for Power: Where to Start and Where to Stop

The smart S2000 build follows a simple order: handling and braking first, then power. A car that stops and turns lets you use every one of those 240 (or 237) horses, and it keeps you safe when you add the supercharger. Start with the KW coilovers and Eibach bars, add the EBC big brakes, then fit the HKS Hi-Power exhaust. When you are ready for the big jump, the HKS GT2 supercharger delivers 310 whp on stock internals — and if you want to push the pulley harder, back it up with the HKS 750cc injectors. Only chase a built bottom end with the Eagle crankshaft when your power goals genuinely exceed what a stock F-series block can hold. Build in that order and every dollar works.