OK, first of all...please tell your very kind dad, "Shame on you sir, buying your 16 yr old new driver a $33K, S2000!" That's like teaching a private pilot to fly in a F16! Unfortunatley, statistically, teenage drivers have the highest accident rates, due mainly to inexperience & youthful folly. (Don't take this the wrong way, coming from a 52 yr old dad in the 'know' who speaks with a tone of parental 'love').That aside...The newer S2000 engine cranks the same 237 HP as the smaller one, but does so as you mentioned, from a lower RPM. The newer engine (theoretically) should produce more torque & also last longer since it will be stressed less than the 2.0 version. Honda aparently wanted to make their fine sports car more street 'drivable' w/o the need to push it into 9K RPMs of VTEC grunt when going WOT. Either engine can be modified with 'go fast parts'. (Yikes, don't even go there!)