2005 Honda S2000

Tan Nguyen's AP2 S2000
Flip through the usual tuner magazines, spot a Honda S2000 and it'll likely have an outrageous widebody kit with some sort of over-the-top dragon graphic scheme or engine setup rendering it practically impossible to drive. Make no mistake, there's love to go around when it comes to wild S2Ks, in fact Honda Tuning has even featured its fair share, but those are the type of cars only seen at track events or within the show circuit. So the task of finding something with a subtle flare is put forth, something that possesses the ideal collection of rare parts yet can still be seen on the road daily-a car that makes you say: "Yeah, that thing is badass. I see it drive through my neighborhood on my way to work everyday." Such journeys do not take long before coming to a head with Tan Nguyen of Fountain Valley, Calif.

An owner of two previous S2000s and a stunning '00 Monaco Blue NSX-T, Tan had the experience and the know-how to build what many see as the S2K for the masses. "I first purchased my current Silverstone S2000 in 2006 from a fellow www.s2ki.com forum member," Tan says. "I wanted to set it apart from other S2000s that I see around my area as well as others I see posted on the forums. I knew it would take both dedication and money. My current S2000 features the most alterations I've ever done to any car I've owned due to the abundance of aftermarket parts available as well as how friendly the car is to modifications."

"My original plan was to alter the exterior styling so I started my research there but began to delve into performance enhancements as well, little by little." Modifications to the exterior began with an ASM vented hood and dry carbon front bumper acquired from Super Autobacs in Stanton, Calif. An ASM front lip spoiler and dry carbon air splitter, also from Autobacs, soon followed.

"ASM, upon my research, was top-notch in its dedication to JDM original design and manufacturing," Tan says. "I am currently looking into getting the ASM rear dry carbon bumper as well as their dry carbon rear diffuser and rear over fenders."

With the beautifully crafted front pieces in place and the rest around the corner, Tan decided to add the finishing touches to the outside of the roadster by adding a Backyard Special rear wing and ultra-sexy Mugen carbon-fiber hardtop, courtesy of Ben Schaffer at Bulletproof Automotive. The crew at Apex Auto Body was then called on for final installation and paint-matching services.