Larry H

car and driver must seriously value their mazda advertising money. how else can they explain the RX8 winning its most recent comparison against a mustang, 350Z, and audi TT?

it's great that mazda has decided to keep the legacy of the rotary going after all these years, but they seriously need to add another rotor or bolt some turbos to that thing before it gets any more embarassing. I just can't help but wonder how much better the car would have been with a high-tech 4 or a small, high-revving 6. with some real power, I would definitely have considered one.

there are a couple of these in my garage. the other day as I was leaving and the gate was opening, an RX8 on the way in revved at me. I was in the S but I think even the maxima would have been a driver's race.

can anyone speak up in defense of these things?

GrandMasterKhan

if your looking at 0-60 for your basis of a cars performance then your looking in the wrong direction.

I wouldnt doubt the RX8 would out perform the Mustang or 350z on the tight twisties. Thats what the RX8 is really about. I mean hell your on an S2000 forum. Handling IS where its at.

Take an RX8 and that maxima to a road like the Dragon and tell me how many buslengths the RX8 puts on it withen just a mile.

Saint_Spinner

WTF? Isn't that comparison from like 3 years ago or something?

Filthy Beast

C&D has gone downhill for the last several years, although i still get it. It would seem whoever pays the most for advertising gets the best numbers. Money talks bullshit walks.

erik

So who here has driven all 4 vehicles (or at least the 3 that are really driveable at this point)? Hell, who has sat in all 4 vehicles?

If you haven't sat or driven the vehicles, how do you know what's best? I've driven a 2005 350Z vert. Unimpressed. Buzzy engine, not punchy for a v6, didn't feel that much more power than an S, cheap interior, just ok shifter. I test drove an 8. And had one on order when they were first coming out. Good car, ok interior, very smooth engine, nice shifter (even though I could do without the rotary). Can't really speak to the handling because I was in a short test drive. With the extra passenger room though, I'd rather have the 8 over the Z. I drove an old model TT vert. I hated it.

I've been in enough Mustangs (even though not a new model one) to know I probably wouldn't like it. So when I read the article, I was a little surprised the 8 won (thought the Z would win) but not stunned.

I do agree though, the 8 would be an absolute steal with a more powerful, fuel effiient engine.

Nate4635

no this was the June issue, i just got it yesterday...
the RX-8 had the worst track time....... Audi TT and the Z were 1:29.XX, the rx8 was 1.32.XX.

I like the RX-8, but sometimes its hard to tell what C&D is looking for. They dinged the Z for not being refined? In a sports car comparo who cares? See the points difference between the TT and the Z?? wow.. I owned an 01 TT and i liked it but it was not near the sports car I prefer. I sat in a new TT and i did like it but......


I looked at the cover and kinda laughed when i saw the RX-8 up against all these - i kinda cried when it won!

Nate

rai

+1 on the the idea that a piston engine would probably be better. Imagine a S2000 engine in or a MS3 engine.

That being said, that is one of the slowest times for a RX-8 I've seen.

Larry H

the comparison is in the June 07 C&D and features the second gen Audi TT as well as the freshened-for-07 350Z.

of course it's not all about 0-60. but I do think there's something to be said for being well-rounded. no one buys the S because it's a straight line monster but I will say that if it was a high 14/low 15 second car out of the box, I wouldn't be on this forum. being competitive with an EVO VIII or 350Z in a straight line is a lot different than being competitive with an RSX-S or SE-R.

in no way do I think the maxima would be competitive on the dragon, but I was revved on, not called out to an autocross in the parking lot across the street.

my friend has a G35 coupe and I've driven it a few times. I wasn't in love with it but I would still take one over an RX8 anyday.

I guess I'm a bit disappointed b/c the FD3 RX-7 was like a dream car to me. .99 g's and 0-60 in the low 5's. it had great styling and the light weight made it quick with only 255hp. others may disagree, but to me the S is the closest thing to that overall package on the market today (even though it is a 'vert).

rai

Did you notice the 'as tested' price of the Shelby GT?


---------->>>>.$38,970



If that doesn't put you on or near a Corvette (or 335i) I don't know what.

Saki GT

I've been in all four vehicles, (the old fwd TT and 350Z, not the just released ones) and I can say the RX-8 is the most fun to drive, but I'm into lighter cars and handling vs brute power. Would I own one? No, not reliable enough and the mpg isn't good enough for me.

Having owned an RX-7, I won't buy another rotary engine unless I can get it in a two-door, convertible car. Why Mazda doesn't sell a higher-end convertible than a Miata is beyond me - has Mazda never heard of upselling to loyal customers?