Well according to Jeremy Clarkson in today's Sunday Times. Anyone know the background to this?

Maybe that's why the test got pulled from last week's show?!?!

Here's (http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14252) the relevant quote.

..been ok for me so far...!

perhaps we have found out what REALLY happened to the first stig! He stacked the RX-8 on their Guildford course and couldn't liev down the shame?! :)

Well mine handles ok! Just had the back end stepping out. It's just like any RWD in the wet.

Drive carefully, we don't know the limits yet!

Sounds like Jeremy Clarkson must learn how to drive a RWD :p

Just wondered whether the RX8 was in the original speed trial with the Boxster, S2000 and Z4 ... did the RX-8 really do that badly or am I just being paranoid?

Mazda, you'll need to quash this one ASAP ...

So do you think that he wrote the car off, and that's why its taking 3 weeks for them to include the review in the program as they had to source another car ?

Originally posted by jimbobjoe
So do you think that he wrote the car off, and that's why its taking 3 weeks for them to include the review in the program as they had to source another car ?

Hey, whoa there gentlemen. Too much surmise based on FAR too few facts.

hehehehe - 4 cars, 3 drivers - ermmm I dont think so. And wheres the soft top on the Rx-8, and where did those extra seats come from - those 3 cars were at least competition!!!! Agree with Lens!!!

oh dear another one these pointless threads

We'll all find out for ourselves.

It's a Rear Wheel Drive car and should be driven as such in wet conditions.

What do you think all the electronic gadgetry is for then?

Drove mine through a big puddle at the weekend - no problems at all handling was spot on.

Well I bet it's not as "suspect" as Clarkson's favorite sports car the S2000. I know someone at work who has one. He says he just drives very slowly whenever it rains.

Anyway, unlike the S2000 we have TCS/DSC. Why would you switch them off in the rain?

Drove in wet last night and back end slipped out very slightly when I gave it a bit too much power coming off a wet roundabout. It did however snap back into line perfectly with a little lift and just a touch of opposite lock.

Apart from that which was driver induced it behaved perfectly.

It feels like a car that will be great fun to drift under right circumstances.

Dave

I don't think you should be slagging off the RX8 for bad road handling when there is no proof. The RX8 is the best road handling car that was ever made, for wet or dry conditions. Why do you think Mazda spent billions of dollars on research for this car, it's not JUST that it has the best engine that has ever been made, but it also has the best traction control, best driver comfort and best steering (it is electronically controlled you know)!!

Originally posted by ED0
The RX8 is the best road handling car that was ever made, for wet or dry conditions.

Apart from the Lotus Elise, the Lotus 7 (Caterham), the Ford GT, the Pagani Zonda, the Ferrari 360, the Porsche 911, the Vauxhall VX220, the Honda S2000, the BMW M3,M5 and .... so on.

The Lotus is a bit basic, the Ford is too expensive, as is the Zonda, Ferari and Porsche; the S2000 is liked by Jeremy Clarkson, and we all know that 7ossers drive BMW's. The RX-8 is fantastic, I won't have it slagged off.

Originally posted by ED0
I don't think you should be slagging off the RX8 for bad road handling when there is no proof. The RX8 is the best road handling car that was ever made, for wet or dry conditions. Why do you think Mazda spent billions of dollars on research for this car, it's not JUST that it has the best engine that has ever been made, but it also has the best traction control, best driver comfort and best steering (it is electronically controlled you know)!!

Lets be realistic, the RX8 is a fantastic car but it has flaws just like any other car, most people know these and are happy to live with them (myself included). To say it has the best this and the best that is just unfounded.

PLEASE NOTE. We have an imposter EDO has just been created. I suspect it is our friend from OZ...

They just sent me a message asking me to change my user.
Profile says that they are in Swansea, but message to me says Bradford. Bit confused on Geography there.

Signed, the REAL Edo

See below for Mazda's clarification of Clarkson's comments:

http://www.rx8ownersclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=181&highlight=

I read a reply from another chap regarding my comparison of the RX-8 with the Morano. He was quite right, you all love RX-8's so much that you can't take any form of criticism. The "arguments" I posted are quite valid, they all contribute to an open forum, where (hopefully) everyone can learn something. Disappointinly this thread appears to have been removed. If I had fgollowed the rest of you and said "...the RX-8 is brilliant at everything", then what an uninteresting forum this would be. Lighten up chaps, and invite challenges to your own opinions.

OK, OK, the RX-8 is a fantastic looking car, I don't dispute that, but wouldn't it have been that much "better" if it had a V6 engine (or a flat four Boxer to maintain that low bonnet line), coupled with 4-wheel drive? It would be more expensive, more exclusive, and more likely to last. The Apex and Coolant seals are still an issue on this one, time will tell.

Also, any comments about those hideous front "mudguards"? Looks a bit like an 'al VW Beetle to me.

Originally posted by ED0
I read a reply from another chap regarding my comparison of the RX-8 with the Morano. He was quite right, you all love RX-8's so much that you can't take any form of criticism. The "arguments" I posted are quite valid, they all contribute to an open forum, where (hopefully) everyone can learn something. Disappointinly this thread appears to have been removed. If I had fgollowed the rest of you and said "...the RX-8 is brilliant at everything", then what an uninteresting forum this would be. Lighten up chaps, and invite challenges to your own opinions.

ED0, you are a new member and couldn't possibly have posted in the RX-8 vs Monaro thread. So you are admitting that you are rxate-sucks then ?

Just how many of the T&Cs do you want to break?

As to inviting and accepting well argued criticism of the RX-8, I will gladly have that discussion with anyone who is willing to abide by the very generous T&Cs.

You are not.

You have already been banned. You are not allowed to reregister. Your IP address will be logged and if necessary your ISP will be informed.

Goodbye again.

hmm, the Elise is a great DRY weather handling car.

Bloody lethal in the wet, the RX-8 will be a zillion times safer than an elise in the wet.

I've had my RX-8 for three months now, and I haven't had any problems driving in wet weather. The stock tires have good grip in the wet (Bridgestone RE040; I'm not sure if you get the same ones over there) and handling is fine. Stability control really helps if you push a bit too hard. If you turn DSC off you can get the rear end to snap around on dry ground, and of course there's less traction when it's wet, but if you don't drive like an idiot you'll be fine.

BTW, is this the same Clarkson who had to get lessons from a pudgy nerd on how to drive the Elise?

Len..............Yip it's the very same Clarkson!

I wouldn't read too much into this.
I have an S2000 and am looking to get an RX8. The S2000 isn't at its best in the wet but driven well it is seriously impressive. The problem is that it isn't an easy car to drive well. This is one of the reasons that opinions are divided on it. That and the need to rev it.
From what I've read the RX8 handles very well indeed.

The S2000 is tricky on off camber corners at low speed <30 due to the really stiff rear anti-roll bar. Essentially, with lots of lock on, one of the rear wheels lifts and the rear differential can't do its job so the car gets accelerated around much quicker than expected.
The front grip is immense so when turning into the slide it works really well, but then both rears make contact and the front wheels are pointing off the road and everything grips causing the famous snap back oversteer.

At speed this is less of a problem due to the rears not lifting so much and the fronts have proportionately less grip.

I'm unsure what the RX8 setup is like. The reviews I've read say it is pretty neutral which sounds good to me.
The main thing is to understand how your car handles so you can get the most out of it. For me, I like the snappy nature of the S2000 but it isn't the safest set-up so it might be nice to have a more neutral handling car especially with the kids in the back....

Roll on my Rx8 test drives....

Right, I'm no race driver but I went for a 2 hour spin in the 8 last night. It was pi55ing down all night. I have to say the 8 did not disappoint. I had bags more confident throwing it around the B roads which were wet through. I never once had any scary moments which I could attribute to bad handling and I was averaging close to 60mph on most bends.

The handling is simply superb.

I don't think this wet weather thing is really anything to worry about.

Trust me.

Originally posted by Len
BTW, is this the same Clarkson who had to get lessons from a pudgy nerd on how to drive the Elise?

Yes, but the so called nerd happens to be Lotus' chief test driver which should make you think...

Well, driven two commutes with wet roads, no problem whatsoever.

Originally posted by Lensman
Yes, but the so called nerd happens to be Lotus' chief test driver which should make you think...
Yeah, it makes me think that giving someone his own TV show doesn't necessarily make him an expert. :)