Honda is rumored to be developing a successor to its S2000 roadster that will compete with the Mazda MX-5 and the upcoming Fiat 124 Spider. The Honda S2000 was a popular two-seat roadster in production from 1999 to 2009.

According to Autocar, Honda is in the process of developing a successor to the S2000 roadster. The British website claims that Honda engineers had recently attended a S2000 owner's club event to gather information about the sports car. Honda representatives was said to be looking for feedback from owners that it can incorporate in the rumored S2000 in development.

The rumored technical specs of the third-generation S2000 roadster include a front-mounted engine and a rear-wheel drive system.

For powertrain, the base S2000 may be powered by Honda's 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine that produces 150 horsepower. However, the engine may be re-tuned so that it will produce up to 180 horsepower.

Honda may also release a more powerful and sportier S2000 powered by the Civic Type R's 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that churns out 306 horsepower. This S2000 variant will also come with an upgraded suspension and chassis including a rear limited-slip differential.

Both powertrains will be mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

The upcoming Honda S2000 may run faster than the Mazda MX-5 and performance may be at par with the upcoming Fiat 124 Spider.

Honda's main issue at this point is that the company doesn't have a suitable platform to underpin the S2000. Honda is developing a new global architecture for front-wheel-drive vehicles but lacks a rear-wheel drive chassis. Thus, if the Honda S2000 is to be developed, it may be more costly than its competitors.

Honda has yet to release an official statement regarding the Honda S2000. Thus, the development of the S2000 is still purely speculation. On the other hand, there is a possibility that Honda will bring the S660 into other international markets. The tiny roadster is currently being sold in Japan. "If there is strong demand from a region then we will always consider possibilities," Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo said.