I was doing some thinking the other day about the various Car Magazines and the tools they use to evaluate cars. It seemed to me that the only Car Magazine that gives a "bam" summary is Car and Driver's "Verdict."

So, with what we all know about the RX-8, and what we expect it, does anybody have any guesses about what kind of verdict the RX-8 will get?

Highs: rotary smoothness and revs, great handling, great braking, striking styling

Lows: could use more grunt, tacky interior color schemes, striking styling

Verdict: if you are a sports car enthusiast who needs 4 seats your car has arrived.

holy crap Kris, do you work for C&D??? ;) heh heh...
that sounds about what i'd expect, but i think that unless they said the "needs more grunt" about the S2000 as well, maybe the 8 will escape that big bad stigma of "low torque"... i can only hope ( i want a new 7... ;) someday, when they're used and bruised enough for me to afford them)

you honestly think the interiors are tacky?? i don't know about TACK, but i'd agree with wild... i like it though. it's fun, like the car is suppost to be. my guess is the review will reflect the personal conceptions of the tester, so it depends on what sort of car the reviewer will fancy, and what others he/she'll compare it to.

I agree with KrisA in regard to the "tacky" interior color scheme. The two tone stuff is ok in a concept for attracting attention but looks kinda over-the-top for a production car.

Oh yeah..."IMHO"

Originally posted by jbebernes
I agree with KrisA in regard to the "tacky" interior color scheme. The two tone stuff is ok in a concept for attracting attention but looks kinda over-the-top for a production car.

Oh yeah..."IMHO"

The two tone interior is a option. You do not like? Do not order it! At least they give you the option.

I do agree with the current generation of high HP cars coming out... That closer to 300HP would be more in line with its peers. But, it will be a very unique car. That is what turns me on. I love my boxster because of the unique design.

There will be faster cars, but very few that have a unique engine, design, and styling.

Roachman

Originally posted by KrisA
Highs: rotary smoothness and revs, great handling, great braking, striking styling

Lows: could use more grunt, tacky interior color schemes, striking styling

Verdict: if you are a sports car enthusiast who needs 4 seats your car has arrived. Sounds fairly accurate but it seems to be missing the C/D wit. :p

Originally posted by roachman


The two tone interior is a option. You do not like? Do not order it! At least they give you the option.

Roachman

I didn't know that...thanks!

I'll take solid black leather please...

I personally don't care for the interior color schemes, and I know you can get the car without them, but I think it is something C&D will complain about. The better the car is, the more they sweat the little things.

what was the "verdic" for the 6?

Would R&T do a review as well? Would they both do a perspective on the '8? I can contemplate the differences in reviews...
Consumer Reports would hate it though. CR is crappy.
They'll go on about the bumpy ride, but they might still say the cabin is tight, we'll have to wait and see. CR is not a magazine for a sport enthusiast, but more for someone looking for a practical in every shape, and form. While the 8 is very much practical, it's still a sports car, and CR will boo it for that.
*Goes off and plans CR's death and demise*

Here (http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/previews/2003/january/0301_preview_rx8.xml?&page=1) is the link for the C&D article.

Hmmm.. curiously identical to the Sport Compact Car review.
Or am I just nuts due to the Silly Season?

I'll agree that CR used to be that way, but I think they have gotten much better recently. They have reviewed some decent performing cars. In fact, I believe they got an S2000 to do a 5.6 in the 0-60 (better than a lot of the car mags) and a low- mid 14s in the 1/4 mile. In fact they gave the S2000, the highest quantitative rating in the roadster category (at least when it came out), but ended up prefering the boxter (dont remember if it was the S or not) because it was a better daily driver. Either way, they gave a hardcore impractical car a stellar review. They just need to make their reviews longer and more detailed...especially for the enthusiast (hmmm...sounds like a premium service for their web site!)

One thing about CR, is their reviews are hell of a lot more objective than the car mags since they don't have advertisements.

I like the interior. My honda is like that =X .. i enjoy seeing more than 1 color in a car's interior.

but who really cares about the interior if the car can do 5 secs ... mazda really needs to pump on the horses... i dont care what kind of handles it has.. i want it to be able to kick a Z 's butt =X

i know they can do it... just dont want too =X lame mazda again.

r&d C&D both can kiss my rear end.. their opinions are so influenced by car companys and their "donations" to them. only use they are is for the pictures and some stats about the car.

Originally posted by TheSaCK
I like the interior. My honda is like that =X .. i enjoy seeing more than 1 color in a car's interior.

but who really cares about the interior if the car can do 5 secs ... mazda really needs to pump on the horses... i dont care what kind of handles it has.. i want it to be able to kick a Z 's butt =X

i know they can do it... just dont want too =X lame mazda again.

r&d C&D both can kiss my rear end.. their opinions are so influenced by car companys and their "donations" to them. only use they are is for the pictures and some stats about the car. I think you need to wait for the MPS RX-8 or the RX-7.

This is about a real-world sports car with the emphasis on real-world. You don't have to beat everybody on the street as long as you can have fun on the track. That's why I want the 8.

Hercules-

I salute you, for it is you who pick up the flag of handling and driving enjoyment wherever it is needed. :)

TheSaCK- I would listen to Hercules. His points are valid and his research is flawless (maybe a tad behind Buger's ;) ). He is merely telling you to get one of the higher performance variants of the RX-8 which will soon be available on the market. Happy car hunting though.

On a more concerning note though-
I am beginning to sense a rift in the RX-8 Forums. There is a tension, and to reduce it to its lowest factor, it seems that the two groups are power vs. handling. There are other groups mind you, such as feuds on price, but whenever power is mentioned, it seems that the insults fly. Can't we all just get along? The RX-8's numbers are in drying concrete as we speak. And, i dont mean to deflate some other power hungry members, but the 250 hp number may not even be reached (247-hp). Just remember this, Mazda makes light, good-handling, and fast cars, and I see no need for Mazda to abandon this in what might be its last rotary hour.

247hp with ~2850 lbs sounds great to me!

Originally posted by Quick_lude
247hp with ~2850 lbs sounds great to me! For the power, that's sufficient for me.

But I am worried about handling :)

Btw, TallGuy, thanks for the kudos :)

the top speed of the rx-8 is 150mph (drag limited) wat does drag limited mean?

Drag is the amount of resistance a car meets as it cuts through the air.

A drag-limited top speed means the car can go no faster due to 'natural' causes, i.e. the motor can no longer overcome the aerodynamic drag over the body.

Lots of cars today have electronically limted (or 'goverened') top speeds. Nice to hear the RX-8 has no such nanny device.

Why is it so hard to get a beefed up rx8 ... probably only take a few tweaking of the engine anyway. I understand rx8 is supposed to be handles...but why cant there be both?

I dont wanna wait for the beefed up version.. im kidna getting impatient.. i want it now ~!!!!.. yes i sound like a 12 year old.. but im narrowing down my car slection .. .. escalade, rx8, e500 ... =X e500 has power and handles.. =X

Originally posted by TheSaCK
Why is it so hard to get a beefed up rx8 ... probably only take a few tweaking of the engine anyway. I understand rx8 is supposed to be handles...but why cant there be both?

I dont wanna wait for the beefed up version.. im kidna getting impatient.. i want it now ~!!!!.. yes i sound like a 12 year old.. but im narrowing down my car slection .. .. escalade, rx8, e500 ... =X e500 has power and handles.. =X I doubt it will be easy to get the engine 'tweaked' since most people don't know a thing about rotary engines.

If you don't want to wait, I see your list of cars is so varied, that the RX-8 is probably there for you because you like the way it looks.

If you have an E500 in your list then I don't know why the hell you'd be looking at an RX-8. Even I wouldn't.

Originally posted by Hercules
If you have an E500 in your list then I don't know why the hell you'd be looking at an RX-8. Even I wouldn't.

I agree w/ Hercules.

Escalade, RX-8, E500?...gotta impress the neighbors I guess.

Have you always wanted something..when you were a kid (high school) and you always wanted to drive a sports car. Back in the day, i wanted a supra or a rx8 ... and i remember driving rx7 when it first came out.. and thinking.. HOT DAMN~!!!!!!!!!

Now i can get a rx series.. and i want it to be kick @ss ... I could get the new e500 but thats about 9k above the dinero i have on me. that means i have to make payments =X .. Anyway... I would love that Rx8 to be 300 hp and actually do a 5 sec.

Just turbo that sucker =X i dont care about the durability .. good 50k out of it be fine, good think about being in the auto movtive industry.. u find alot of people who can tweek the car or redo the engine cheap =X

Mazda on the other hand, DOES care about durability.

They want the rotary to replace the piston engine in many of their cars because in many ways, it's a superior design. It just needs to be proven.

The way this rotary is designed, it's been said a few times, that putting a turbo into it will be extremely difficult. Until the RX-8 has been out for a while, you won't see the car you want. So either get over it, or get another car.

thesack is not amused

so lthe rx8 goes faster than 150mph?

Dear god, it's a pimpmobile.

okay..see i want it to look like that =X

Originally posted by unemployedpimp
so lthe rx8 goes faster than 150mph? Not looking like that, causing more air drag it will actually have a lower top speed.

There are VERY few aero kits that cut wing drag on the car... which is why I'll keep my RX-8 stock body, maybe a few interior upgrades like my Valentine1 Radar hardwired :)

Originally posted by Hercules
...maybe a few interior upgrades like my Valentine1 Radar hardwired :)

lol, i have a feeling Herc uses that a lot! i could use one myself, r those things reliable?

Originally posted by chenpin


lol, i have a feeling Herc uses that a lot! i could use one myself, r those things reliable? If you practice common sense it's a godsend. But cops often 'ping', so they click the radar on to see one car, which the V1 will chirp at and then go off immediately. It's mostly on the highway where cops ping...

In the suburbs/city the cops usually just leave it on all day, so you see them from 2 miles+ away hehe (depending on curve of street, hills etc). But ample warning time. It also tells you where to be wary from, because of the arrow indicators.

Personally I think it's an excellent thing to have because it saves you when you don't look at the speedometer... If you are going maybe 75 (which isn't fast), the radar chirps at you to give you that heads-up that a cop is around. Honestly, I have it hardwired into my Millenia and I never look at the thing, I drive like I always do, regular speed (which is still above the limit hehe). But when you hear that beep then you know to slow down from your normal speed, and that there is why it's worth every penny.

Sure it's the most expensive one on the market, but when you buy something like this, it's better to get the one that's going to save you instead of work 2/3s of the time. Besides, it's got an upgrade feature so if the V1 is outdated they can upgrade your current one for $30, so it keeps itself useful forever!

Actually, thats almost a ricer...just put the MazdaSpeed stickers on the body kits, and you're set!

Originally posted by ilovepotatos
Actually, thats almost a ricer...just put the MazdaSpeed stickers on the body kits, and you're set! Yeck.

Everyone knows thats what Hercules secretly wants to build...an 8 ricer!

Oil changes on Rotor engines are still the same? take off filter, drain the oil...but how much qt of oil does a 1.3 liter engine take..just curious...

and YES I WILL RICE OUT MY RX8 WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

TheSaCK:

We don't know yet: things may be different because of the shallow oil pan. (I think my '86 took about 5 qts?)

Lets all bask in the infinite pool of knowledge that does not exist in my nonexistant car!

wats a ricer!

I don't really understand. I don't think you had your pimpjuice.