Drove an RX-8 yesterday

[Wadula]

So there i was, in front of the mazda dealer around the corner looking at that red Renesis monster. sitting there, looking at me asking to buy it...endless revs, and 230 horses....hm...okay buddy, i´ll give it a try. I went to the sales guy and asked when we could arrange a test drive. A second later I had the keys (note: very good treatment in my eyes)

interiour:
nice. really nice. good looking and all in place. the car fits like a glove. i really liked it and i felt good. leather was okay, two colored red-black, nice dash, felt like a sportscar.

exteriour:
waht´s your taste??

driving:
and here starts the sad part. i had the 190 hp version only. anyhow gave it a shot. and that shot was not amazing at all. the car is very agil and quick. great contact to the street and you only have to think of cornering, the car already changes direction. transmission was great. short shifts and clean. the engine....well exactly here is the sadness...i know that a rotary engine needs revs to deliver power, but that there is so little torque and power was noit expected. the car went well in higher revs, no doubt. but it was no fun. i missed this punch, this feeling that when you hit the gaz the neck bends back and you feel the car exploding in acceleration....there was literally no "kick" in it. the enigne was very agil too and sensitive at the gaz, but just not "powerfull" and fun enough.

Result:
For me no RX-8

 

[MrElussive]

Too bad you didn't like it. I like how you referred to i as a "Renesis monser"...only a baby 1.3 liter engine under there...my jetski engine is bigger than that. So you drove the automatic version, right? Because the auto transmission takes away 40hp. You should have driven the stick, I bet it would have been a world of difference...an additional 40hp is very signfiicant.

 

[Bryan330i]

I would agree, no RX-8 for me.

At first I thought it was going to be a spectacular car but I was also disappointed when it came out.

I would take the G35 in a second over the RX8 if I were buying a coupe and I think when you get the RX-8 to the "real" price range with needed options they are in the same price range.

 

[jnyost]

Although I haven't driven the new car, I had high expectations for it. The RX-7's were always a hell of a car for the money. There were some third generations pushing 600HP out of a 1.3. That's huge. How many other 80ci engines can say that? My 87 RX-7 was pushing 200hp and it was fun to drive. Got into a lot of trouble though. Never raced any Bimmers but ate a lot of modern v8's (mustangs, etc) and some other sports cars. Raced a 300zx one and "kept' up with it.

I guess it really doesn't matter, I don't see one in my future anyways.

 

[mrferg]

I'd take any RX7 any day, but the RX8 just has no appeal to me.

 

[Tom]

The auto is way under powered, I test drove the manual before and that thing is pretty quick for a 1.3. The suspension setup is a little soft for my taste but overall it was a good car.

 

[jrt67ss350]

I'm not a fan of it. I don't like the styling - it looks very strange to me, especially the rear quarter view. To me, it looks like a sports car from the front, but it doesn't from the back. I have no idea what the exhaust sounds like in the car while driving, but I heard one of the 230 horse ones start up at the local Mazda dealer, and the exhaust sounded like crap to me as well.

 

[GetFresh.]

So you KNEW you were driving the 190 hp and automatic version... and you are suprised that it's slow? Well duh! That's like stepping in mud and being suprised your foot got dirty.

 

[Rukus]

So you KNEW you were driving the 190 hp and automatic version... and you are suprised that it's slow? Well duh! That's like stepping in mud and being suprised your foot got dirty.

haha. Thats funny GetFresh. (also makes sense)

 

[Dinan55]

The thing I love about those cars is that whenever you see them driving in the parking lots, the engine is so quiet and sound's so smooth... I just want to drive one to feel how smooth the acceleration is.

 

[MrElussive]

I just don't understand why Mazda punishes you if you get the RX-8 in automatic. I mean, I love stick shift, and I think it would be silly to get the RX-8 in auto. But with US traffic the way it is, LOTS of people opt for automatic tansmission (even Porsche 911 drivers ) so Mazda shouldn't take away horsepower for those who prefer the convenience and practicality of an auto !!!

 

[Dinan55]

I don't understand why driving a manual in traffic bothers people, I have no problem with it.

 

[Rukus]

If you were to look at a dyno graph of a renesis engine, you will find that HP is linear and the torque cirve is very flat. I couldn't find a dyno to show both, but there is one of the torque curve.

 

[MrElussive]

I don't understand why driving a manual in traffic bothers people, I have no problem with it.

Ditto. I sit in traffic a couple times a week and it no longer makes any difference to me. Whether I am sitting in traffic with an auto or with a stick, I am still equally as pissed off.

 

[GetFresh.]

Although the dyno graph posted by Rukus is drawn and not an actual scanned one, the figures on it are accurate. Most people wouldn't realise that at only 3250 rpm, 90% of the RX-8's torque is available. (Just too bad it's not more torque).
But no big deal, rotary engines are known for being able to pump out insane power numbers without too much modification, it's just with a new car like the RX-8 it will take a bit of research and effort by people to determine just what modifications can be made and how much punishment the engine's internals can handle.
Sure it's engine won't be able to pump out over 500 rwhp @ 20psi like the 7's 13B can, but it sure will (and does) respond well to modifications still. Nothing like bolting an exhaust and intake on a car to gain 30-60 rwhp!!!

 

[Tom]

I don't understand why driving a manual in traffic bothers people, I have no problem with it.

I dont know how bad traffic gets on in DC, but here in CA you'll appreciate an auto after about 1 year of commuting for two hours(one-way) on a daily basis.

 

[MrElussive]

Good call, Tom. I usually get stuck in traffic on Tuesday and Thursday (once each day) so that's only two times a week. That doesn't phaise me at all, but perhaps sitting on my ass in traffic twice a day, five days a week, I may get tired of stick shift.

Personally, I think traffic is the worst thing ever. Not only is it terribly annoying for the driver, I bet it's not all that great for the car.

 

[Wadula]

aahhmmm....you said i drove an auto? of course it was manual! and still it was slow!