The magazine numbers for both cars may favor the S2000 a bit, but in most cases, WRX drivers will trounce the S2000. The S2000 is very inconsistent from driver to driver. Just look at the engine's characteristics. It has just about no torque, at even its peak torque (at a rather high rpm I might add) is mediocre. Sure, there is a lot of hp at the top end, but the powerband is in the upper regions of the tach that are past most regular cars' redlines. And you MUST shift at redline to get the best times; any early shifting will result in significantly slower quarter-mile times. So unless your friend has mastered his S2000 driving techniques, he probably won't pull anything better than high-14s.

 

You will smoke the s2000. I raced one and he couldn't keep up. Yes it comes down to driver skill but i'm pretty sure that the s2000 can't launch too good. My buddy works at a honda dealer he said that if you try to dump the clutch on them the ecu shuts down and it will bog out. I may be wrong but, some cool guy pulled up next to me when i first got my wrx and i smoked him.