An S2000 automatic does not exist as a factory car. Honda built every single S2000 with a six-speed manual gearbox, from the first AP1 in 1999 to the last car in 2009, and never offered an automatic option in any market . That is not an oversight or a regional quirk. It was a deliberate decision for a car designed around a high-revving engine and a precise manual shift. This guide explains why there is no automatic S2000, what the aftermarket conversion options actually involve, and what to do if you want the S2000 experience without a clutch pedal.
The Definitive Answer: No Automatic Was Ever Built
Multiple sources confirm this without ambiguity. Jalopnik states plainly that “the S2000 was never available with an automatic” and that the only transmission option was a six-speed manual . Carjam’s model database, which covers the full production run, states that “no automatic transmission was ever offered on any S2000 worldwide” . EveryAuto’s review of the model notes simply: “No automatic transmission was available in any S2000” .
Honda produced 110,673 S2000s between April 1999 and August 2009, all with the same close-ratio six-speed manual . The car was built as a tribute to Honda’s 50th anniversary, and the manual gearbox was central to its identity. The engine, the F20C in early cars and the F22C in later ones, was designed to rev to 9,000rpm, and the gearbox was engineered to keep it in the power band. An automatic would have undermined the entire premise.
Why Honda Did Not Offer an Automatic
The reason is mechanical and philosophical. The S2000’s engine makes very little torque at low revs. It is a high-revving, naturally aspirated unit that only comes alive above 6,000rpm. A conventional automatic gearbox of the era would have struggled to keep the engine in its narrow power band, and the result would have been a car that felt sluggish and unresponsive.
A Japanese owner review on CarSensor makes exactly this point, noting that offering an automatic might have increased sales and extended the model’s lifespan, but it would have compromised the character of the car . The S2000 was not designed to be a comfortable cruiser. It was designed to reward a driver who wanted to work the gearbox.
What About Aftermarket Conversions?
If you want an automatic S2000, the only route is a custom conversion. There is no bolt-in automatic gearbox from Honda that fits, and the aftermarket options are complex and expensive.
A JustAnswer response from a mechanic addresses a 2005 S2000 owner asking about converting to automatic. The answer is blunt: “there isn’t an automatic transmission that can be installed (without a highly costly custom modification) in an S2000.” The estimated cost is in the region of $4,000 to $5,000, and that is a rough figure. The transmission tunnel would likely need modification because automatic gearboxes are larger than the compact manual unit, which could affect the centre console and even the seats .
The more sophisticated option is a dual-clutch transmission (DCT) swap. HPR Tuning sells a DCT kit for the S2000 that is designed to work with a BMW F8X M2/M3/M4 transmission. The kit includes an adapter plate, a balanced flywheel, transmission mounts and a crossmember. But the small print is important: “Minor modifications of chassis tunnel and transmission webbing is required in most cases,” and the kit is a custom order that “cannot be refunded” . A Grassroots Motorsports forum thread discusses a K-swapped S2000 with a DCT, and the participants describe the work as significant, with one noting that a DCT swap is “not for the faint of heart” .
The practical summary is this: an automatic S2000 conversion is possible, but it is a specialist engineering project, not a straightforward swap. It costs thousands, it requires cutting and fabrication, and it will not feel like a factory car.
What to Do If You Want an S2000 Without a Manual
If the manual gearbox is the obstacle, there are three realistic options.
Buy the manual and learn. The S2000’s gearbox is one of the best in any sports car. It is precise, mechanical and deeply satisfying once you are used to it. If you are physically able to drive a manual, this is the option that preserves the car as Honda intended.
Buy a different car. The S2000’s closest rivals in the used sports car market offer automatic options. The BMW Z4, the Mercedes SLK and the Mazda MX-5 all have automatic variants. They are not the same car, but they deliver a similar roadster experience without the clutch pedal.
Accept the conversion cost. If you are determined to have an automatic S2000 and you have a specialist workshop you trust, the DCT route is the most technically sound. Budget for the kit, the transmission, the labour and the fabrication, and expect the process to take time. Do not expect it to be cheap or simple.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Honda ever make an automatic S2000?
No. Honda never offered an automatic transmission on any S2000, in any market, at any point during its production from 1999 to 2009. Every car left the factory with a six-speed manual gearbox .
Can you convert an S2000 to automatic?
Yes, but only with significant custom work. A conventional automatic conversion is estimated at $4,000 to $5,000 and requires modifying the transmission tunnel. A dual-clutch transmission swap is also possible using a kit from HPR Tuning, but it requires chassis modifications and is a custom, non-refundable order .
Why did Honda not offer an automatic S2000?
The S2000’s engine is a high-revving, low-torque unit that needs a manual gearbox to stay in its power band. An automatic would have compromised the car’s performance and character. Honda built the S2000 as a pure driver’s car, and the manual transmission was central to that design .
Is there an automatic S2000 for sale in the UK?
No factory automatic S2000 exists, so any listing claiming to be one is either a conversion or a mistake. CarGurus UK listings for the S2000 show manual cars only; the automatic listings that appear alongside them are for other models such as the BMW Z4 .
