Honda built a stunning 100% transparent S2000 so it could show off its world class engineering that's hidden underneath
Published on May 16, 2026 at 4:08 AM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 16, 2026 at 4:08 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Honda once built a completely transparent S2000 for the Tokyo Motor Show, and then stored it away forever.
It was a one-off prototype, obviously, partly because it wouldn’t be safe to turn it into a production car, and also because it would definitely be illegal.
But there are two questions people are still asking about it.
And only one of these two questions has an answer.
When automakers build stuff just because they can, the results are weird
We, as consumers, sometimes look at automakers as companies and therefore assume they only build stuff they need.
But that’s not necessarily the case.
Sometimes, automakers build things just because they can, even when they’re clearly absurd and unusable.
Saab was a star when it came to this.
The now-defunct company tried a bit of everything, including a car with no steering wheel.
Then there’s Mazda, which once built a suitcase that was also a car.
Believe it or not, it actually worked.
And then there’s the transparent Honda.
Honda once built a see-through S2000
In 1999, for the Tokyo Motor Show, Honda built a transparent S2000.
The car was basically the same as any other S2000, but it had clear body panels (made from acrylic) that allowed you to see everything underneath them.
The suspension, the engine, the chassis – everything was on display for the world to see.
It disappeared for a few years and then, much later, it resurfaced at the S2000 owners meeting at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan — still owned by Honda and still completely transparent.
And now this one-off concept is gone again.
There are two questions about it.
The first one has an easy answer: yes, it still belongs to Honda, as far as the world knows.
But the second question is unanswered: no one knows where it is now.
Presumably hidden somewhere in a facility owned by the company.
Still, it’s another fine example of automakers building things simply because they can – and we’re all for it.
After beginning his automotive writing career at DriveTribe, Alessandro has been with Supercar Blondie since the launch of the website in 2022. In fact, he penned the very first article published on supercarblondie.com. He’s covered subjects from cars to aircraft, watches, and luxury yachts - and even crypto. He can largely be found heading up the site’s new-supercar and SBX coverage and being the first to bring our readers the news that they’re hungry for.
