Those familiar with the Touge Showdown series know full-well how capable FEED’s gunmetal RX-7 is. Nothing, not even a 600-horsepower R34 GT-R, can match the Mazda’s combination of graceful cornering and single-turbo power. The heavier Skylines and Subarus can’t turn as cleanly through the Gunsai Touge’s slippery hairpins, and the S2000 – one of the few which is as precise – famously lacks power.

As the RX-7’s 13B engine is fed by a massive T04S turbo, it might not offer the most linear power delivery, but it does catapult the Mazda towards the horizon when it spools. The powerband is wide enough to be used for the corners, but crucially, it makes 460 horsepower at the wheels, and more than enough torque to spin the 265-section tires in third gear.

Grunt is not the S2000’s strong suit. The relatively weak F20C doesn’t make much power until VTEC territory, and to make matters worse, it’s been dubbed “the torqueless wonder.” To match the incredible thrust of the RX-7, tuning shop Arvou equipped their S2000’s engine with a supercharger. The F20C gets Toda internals, and HKS provides the GT Supercharger kit, which, when controlled with an HKS F-Con V Pro ECU, makes 412 horsepower. With a 2,380-pound weight – 200 pounds less than the RX-7 – and a set of massive AP Racing brakes, the S2000 might have what it takes to match the undefeated Mazda.

The nervousness of the chassis mixed with 412 supercharged horsepower require a capable driver. Photo credit: www.ra64freddy.com

Both are hyper-compliant and show just how a suspension setup should work on the street. Both show incredible corner speeds and stability under the brakes, and their willingness to change direction is enviable. However, the difference in power is what makes the difference. While Keiichi Tsuchiya struggles with putting the power down in the supercharged Honda, Nobuteru Taniguchi carries on in his seemingly-effortless style, and that allows him to put the throttle down earlier, and capitalize on his power advantage.