Legendary S2000 Debuts At Toyo Tires Treadpass For Bulletproof’s 25th Anniversary

Return To The Roots By The Pioneer Of Japanese Tuning In America

Known for bringing Japan’s high end tuner scene to America and beyond in the early 2000s, Bulletproof Automotive has brought a automotive statement to Las Vegas in 2025 with the debut of “BP25” a new S2000 build meshing the classic principles of Japanese tuning, brand new parts with top-shelf technology, and a connoisseurs vision to mesh the best of the best into one useable grin-inducing driving experience.

Bulletproof Automotive was born to focus on high-end Japanese performance vehicles and leverage the ultimate suite of parts heretofore unavailable and unknown outside of Japan. By utilizing and popularizing these famous brands, such as Top Secret, Amuse, Aragosta, Varis, Mine’s, and more.  Ben Schaffer, the founder of Bulletproof Automotive, also wrote a widely read monthly column, The Real JDM,  on Japanese tuning trends to further popularize the vehicle modification approach in English-speaking markets.  To celebrate 25 years of car building, the BP25 S2000 build carries contributions from many of Japan’s biggest names, paired with some of the newest high-performance technology of today.

In a callback to the history of Bulletproof Automotive, the BP25 S2000 is repainted in the same Lamborghini Balloon White as the acclaimed Bulletproof Automotive Concept One that ran Tsukuba Circuit, graced many magazine covers, and was at the Petersen Museum. In fact, the S2000 was strategically refinished in the same color and applied at Bulletproof Auto Spa with the same gold graphic accents to connect the lineage of these two iconic Bulletproof demo cars.

Any high-performance JDM build starts with the heart of the beast, and the BP25 project is no different.  Unique Bulletproof spec 2.0L motor tuned for high-rpm output produces over 580 supercharged horsepower at a heart-thumping 9300 RPM.  It was important to Ben to preserve the original characteristics of the S2000 driving experience, including high RPM thrills and a power band that builds and builds, encouraging the driver to utilize all those RPMs whenever possible.  Modern tuning through AEM engine management with the top quality internals and fine attention to detail makes for a reliable high high-performance, and high-thrill package.

New and vintage S2000 elements blend seamlessly to complement the timeless Honda S2000 platform, which maintains its popularity 25 years on.  The BP25 features a brand new North American Debut of the Varis Dark Panther Widebody kit, featuring an all-new reskinning of the vehicle with improved carbon fiber aerodynamics for higher downforce and better grip.  The vehicle also debuts all-new Brembo Pista front and rear big brake kit, which features ultra-lightweight fully forged construction, anodized finish, and massive stopping power to keep the S2000 working well through the heat of a West Coast summer trackday.  

The S2000’s wheels are meant to blend old and new in a connoisseur’s delight, debuting a brand new forged wheel fresh off the 5-axis CNC machining.   The BP-RW Evolution in 19×11+27 sizing. The wheel’s new design is inspired by Japanese Tsuchime, a hammered metal technique often found in kitchenware and knives. The BP-RW borrows from the ultra-high strength and highly efficient UP-RW from Bulletproof Automotive’s sister company Unplugged Performance. However, the similarities stop with the addition of spoke-side cuts, deep concavity, tsuchime detailing, and custom finishes, which enable the one-off BP-RW to be suitable for this S2000 as well as appropriate on Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and other performance vehicles.  The pinnacle of modern aerodynamics meets classical Japanese knife-making aesthetics to produce a wheel that is strong, light, aerodynamic, modern, and vintage all in one ultra-durable package.

As technology advances, there’s always a yearning for a pure analog, lightweight, high-revving experience that elicits pure emotion. Within that belief is the goal of this S2000. The power delivery sounds incredible as well, flowing through a rare vintage Amuse titanium header and Amuse 70mm Euro Dual titanium exhaust. The extreme power is in balance with the S2000’s naturally lightweight chassis, and is supported by Varis high downforce aerodynamics, ultimately mating with ultra-sticky 295/30ZR19 Toyo Tires Proxes R888R tires, and host of suspension and drivetrain modifications that include Top Secret/Aragosta Super Dampers, ASM x Drexler LSD, and accompanying mods by J’s Racing, Spoon, EVS, and others.

“Pure driving pleasure never goes out of style. The S2000 is timeless, and for our 25th anniversary, we had to go back to the source,” said Ben Schaffer, Founder of Bulletproof Automotive.  “The BP25 is the result: a celebration of our love for JDM performance. We took that core high-revving, analogue purity and amplified it with 580 supercharged horsepower and the finest modern tech. This is its final form, delivering an ultimate, visceral high-thrill package that reminds everyone why they fell in love with driving and distills the appeal of Japanese sports cars into one intense package”.

Sponsors:

Aero: Varis Black Panther Widebody

Tires: Toyo Tires Proxes R888R 295/30ZR19
Brakes: Brembo Pista Front/Rear Big Brake Kit With Dual Rear Caliper

Battery: Antigravity Lithium Ion

Mirrors, Door Cards, Front Camber Joint: EVS Tuning

Design: Edwin Reyes / Prime NYC

Mod List

BP25 is on display at the Toyo Tires Treadpass at the SEMA SHOW until November 7th.