RX-8 makes 10 best list along with...

Prius, G35, Accord, Focus, Vette, 3 series, S4, TSX, and S2K.

I'm amazed no one else has posted this yet, grats guys!

thanks ike for the news!

wow
the vette is a surprise to me

Originally posted by mikeb
wow
the vette is a surprise to me

Don't know why the vette would be a surprise...

Last years list:
Acura RSX
BMW 3-series/M3
Chevrolet Corvette
Ford Focus
Honda Accord
Infiniti G35
Mazda 6 s
Nissan 350Z
Porsche Boxster
Subaru Impreza WRX


The RSX and the WRX had their run and I thought they would probably fall off as well as the Z since the G35 has a coupe now. The S2K should have been there all along instead of the Boxster

Just for kicks this was my post from when there was a thread on whether or not the 8 would make the list a couple months ago with some captions added.







"As far as if the what car will drop of the list...


Acura RSX = Great car, I don't see it happening since it's still the best FWD sport compact out there. (WRONG! :p)
BMW 3-series/M3 = Possible since it's been losing comparisons including one to a WRX and the M3 finally lost a comparo to the S4. (Half right, they just added the S4)
Chevrolet Corvette = Would shock me if it did, this car embodies the great american sportscar. (you are correct sir!)
Ford Focus = Fills that econo category, but may drop off.
Honda Accord = No way in hell this is going anywhere, they improved it greatly. (correct)
Infiniti G35 = Seems this or the Z will drop since they are such similar cars. (correct)
Mazda 6 s = Still the best bang for the buck sedan out there. (so much for that)
Nissan 350Z = See G35
Porsche Boxster = I think this one is gone, there really isn't much special about this car anymore, and why the hell wasn't the S2K here in the first place. (couldn't have been more right, what were you thinking in the first place C&D)
Subaru Impreza WRX = It lost some of it's unique character with the addition of boring headlights, and the STi or Evo may take it's place on the list even though the WRX was picked most fun to drive 2 years running.


Just for kicks, my predictions...

WRX drops and is replaced by the Evo (half right)
350Z drops and is replaced by the RX-8 (ding ding ding!)
Boxster drops and is replaced by the FX45 or Touareg (still no SUV, I guess it's CAR of the year :D)
G35 is listed as the coupe for this years 10 best (C&D doesn't discriminate, see 3 series)


The SRT-4 may sneak onto the list though I doubt it, and maybe the Focus of BMW drops and the WRX stays. I think the only lock for staying on the list is the Accord.

Ike"

Where did you get this list?

Our RX-8 has made Car & Drivers Ten best list for 2004!

And here is the list:

1. Acura TSX
2. Audi S4 Quattro
3. BMW 3er/M3
4. Corvette
5. Ford Focus SVT
6. Honda Accord
7. Honda S2000
8. Infinity G35
9. Mazda RX-8
10. Toyota Prius

WHooo Hooo!

Originally posted by Magnesium
Where did you get this list?

From a magazine called Car and Driver :p

Awesome! I had my heart set on the Acura TSX myself. There is no way, however, that I would have enjoyed that car as much as I enjoy my RX-8.

The boys in my youth group joke that I'm not cool enough to have this car, but I say "if you can't be cool, buy cool."

I went to their website and didn't find the 2003 list. Find it online or paper mag out yet?

The paper mag is out for subscribers, it won't be online or on newstands for a bit.

Its not very impressive that the RX8 is 4 places below the Focus shopping trolley, and just one place above the battery hybrid Pruis milkfloat. What are those two doing in a list of anything?

That isn't a ranking 1-10 with 1 being the best. C&Ds 10 best is just a compilation of the cars they feel are the 10 best of the year. It wouldn't make sense to grade these cars against one another, they are not in the same category. They are saying in each respective area of car type, these 10 are the their favorite and recommended.

Where did you get this info? C&D doesn't even have it on their website yet. Do you have some connections or what?

Either way, makes me happy, and even more convinced that this is the car for me.

Happy Rotoring,

Kurt G.

Originally posted by druck
Its not very impressive that the RX8 is 4 places below the Focus shopping trolley, and just one place above the battery hybrid Pruis milkfloat.

I know, it's terrible, but that's what happens when you list things alphabetically. :p

Car and Driver picks the 10 best, not the best, then second best, etc. Within the 10, there is no ranking.

Regards,
Gordon

True about the ranknigs. I just listed them in order of appearence in the article.

I just recieved my issue in the mail today. It also has a write up on the new Mazda 3.

Wow. How could an enthusiast publication leave off all of the recent best bang-for-the-buck performance cars - SRT4, WRX, EVO and STI?:confused:

Originally posted by Gord96BRG
I know, it's terrible, but that's what happens when you list things alphabetically. :p



:D stop, you are killing me with that one hahahahha :D

The WRX was on the list 2 years running so I guess they had their run, the SRT-4 (maybe the EVO) was a candidate last year and didn't make it. I think they purposely make sure to get some american cars on the list as well so some die hard amercian consumers don't all up and cancel their subscription. I still don't get the Focus' high ratings in C&D and consumer reports, it never wins comparisons in C&D, yet is on the list 2 years in a row now.

What no Z or the wonderful WRX???????I am shocked(not).

According to this ranking the Z350 would finish last! :p

Originally posted by klegg
What no Z or the wonderful WRX???????I am shocked(not).

Get back to me when you win it 3 years in a row and then you can talk smack.

Originally posted by IkeWRX
Get back to me when you win it 3 years in a row and then you can talk smack.

Wow where is the 350Z you always talk about IKE? No WRX either? I guess after 3 years it just lost its edge eh? ;)

Originally posted by IkeWRX
Get back to me when you win it 3 years in a row and then you can talk smack.

Actually I could talk smack now, since it seems the mag is not as concerned over the HP issue as you are! Even with all the "problems" it still won...I guess they are a little less biased...or perhaps they know cars better then you...But you are right, the 8 will have its run, as will the G35, and eventually they will be replace with something else..like the new 7. :)

I don't get why Ike is on this forum.. I thought this is the rx-8 forum, not the rx-8 haters forum. Why don't you bitch about the rx-8 on the wrx forum, I'm sure those guys will appreciate your participation more than we do!

Originally posted by Rx8Past
I don't get why Ike is on this forum.I don't get why people feel the need to bait Ike. He started this thread with "'grats guys", and his only riposte to the baiting has been to point out that although the WRX has dropped out this year, it has been in for the previous three years, yet folks still seem to feel the need to yank his chain.

Can't we all just get along?

My opinion is that the RX8 is much more desireble in terms of style and interior setup. The WRX is faster...big deal. I bet the RX can do something in the performance area better. Even if it cant, it doesn't look like a box. I equate the WRX to a Volvo in terms of style. Furthermore, I assume no one on this site is really looking for a truly powerful car or they would get something with real muscle. Bottom line is that the RX8 is sporty, great looking, and brand new in terms of technology design etc. It can only get better with the next couple of years. However, I bet it too will drop of the list after it has its initial peak. But, it is a great car, and to some folks the WRX is too...just not me. The only car that will truly stay on the list forever or get back on after falling off time and time again is the Corvette. By the way the EVO is just as box like. I think I was drawing exact pictures of those cars with my set of crayons in the 3rd grade.

Originally posted by JSTARS PILOT
My opinion is that the RX8 is much more desireble in terms of style and interior setup. The WRX is faster...big deal. I bet the RX can do something in the performance area better. Even if it cant, it doesn't look like a box. I equate the WRX to a Volvo in terms of style. Furthermore, I assume no one on this site is really looking for a truly powerful car or they would get something with real muscle. Bottom line is that the RX8 is sporty, great looking, and brand new in terms of technology design etc. It can only get better with the next couple of years. However, I bet it too will drop of the list after it has its initial peak. But, it is a great car, and to some folks the WRX is too...just not me. The only car that will truly stay on the list forever or get back on after falling off time and time again is the Corvette. By the way the EVO is just as box like. I think I was drawing exact pictures of those cars with my set of crayons in the 3rd grade.


Looks are such a tough thing to argue, I didn't like the Camaros looks along with a lot of other people. But I wouldn't use my personal opinion to argue against it. And I think you can add the Accord to most likely never falling off that list, and at least getting back on it if it ever does.

Originally posted by druck
Its not very impressive that the RX8 is 4 places below the Focus shopping trolley, and just one place above the battery hybrid Pruis milkfloat. What are those two doing in a list of anything?

Take a close look. It's in alpha order, not a ranking among the list. I have the magazine and that's a fact!:D

Originally posted by TybeeRX-8
Take a close look. It's in alpha order, not a ranking among the list. I have the magazine and that's a fact!:D
Ok, now I understand why Honda decided to call themselves Accura!

Originally posted by eccles
I don't get why people feel the need to bait Ike. He started this thread with "'grats guys", and his only riposte to the baiting has been to point out that although the WRX has dropped out this year, it has been in for the previous three years, yet folks still seem to feel the need to yank his chain.

Can't we all just get along?

I have to second your opinion. Why can we just ALL get along for a change? I am absolutely positive Ike's intentions were to prop us for the inclusion on the 10Best list. Why do we have to bash on him or a couple cars?? Seeing every thread gone spoiled is frustrating....

EVERY SINGLE ROTARY CAR, THAT MAZDA HAS MADE WAS ON CAR AND DRIVER BEST LIST.

FC BEING 4 YEARS
FD BEING 3 YEARS 93,94,95
FE(RX-8) BEING 04... and so ON... the legend continues.

The R-100, RX-2, RX-3, RX-4, RX-5, RE-PU and Cosmo all made C&D's 10 Best?

Originally posted by eccles
The R-100, RX-2, RX-3, RX-4, RX-5, RE-PU and Cosmo all made C&D's 10 Best?

;)

How about "Every single rotary car in production since C+D started the 10 Best lists" has made the 10 Best list? :D (C+D's 10 Best Cars list was only started around 1983)

Regards,
Gordon

so the 1st gen RX-7s (SA22C/FB) also made it to the list?? :D

The more interesting ranking actually comes from the CAR magazine from UK, which they rank the Best Performance Car of '03. RX-8 was in the final round of 11 cars among some 40 cars in the running for this year's title. From the best of my memory, the finalalists are

Vauxhall VX220 Turbo
Mitsubshi EVO VIII FQ300
Farrari 550
Porsche GT3
BMW Z4
BMW M3 CSL
Bentley GT
Mini Cooper S Works
Nissan 350Z

The other two are VW Golf and Jaguar (forget which models)

In case you're wondering, the winner for the '03 title goes to Vauxhall VX220 Turbo.

Cheers,
Pete

Originally posted by pete325is
In case you're wondering, the winner for the '03 title goes to Vauxhall VX220 Turbo.

Excuse my ignorance with your cars in the UK, but what is a "Vauxhall", who makes it, and why did it win?

I assume it goes fast being a turbo, but is it a sports car or simply a powerful sedan?

Originally posted by Spin9k
Excuse my ignorance with your cars in the UK, but what is a "Vauxhall", who makes it, and why did it win?

I assume it goes fast being a turbo, but is it a sports car or simply a powerful sedan?

A Vauxhall is most definitely a "sports car".:D

First off, I'm not from UK. I'm just another car nut like most guys in here do. From my understanding, the Vauxhall VX220 is a GM product under the european Opel arm. To be precise, its a joint product of Open/Vauxhall and the Lotus. It uses the Lotus Elise body frame so its about the same size and look as the Lotus. I'm not quite sure who made the engine, probably from the GM/Opel parts bin. If you want to know more about the car, go to

http://www.vx220london.com/

And I do apologize for some mistakes I made on my previous post regarding the finalists. Go to the following links for an excerpt of the Performance Car of the Year 2003.

http://buypower.vauxhall.co.uk/features/vx220.jhtml


Cheers,
Pete

Originally posted by revhappy
A Vauxhall is most definitely a "sports car".:D

Its a re-badged Lotus Elise.

>Its a re-badged Lotus Elise.

I don't think it simply use a turbo version of the old Rover engine as found in the european Elise.

Originally posted by pete325is
>Its a re-badged Lotus Elise.

I don't think it simply use a turbo version of the old Rover engine as found in the european Elise.

http://www.monorep.co.uk/vauxhall/sales/vx220.htm
Engine and performance
The heart, quite literally, of the VX220 Turbo is the familiar transverse two-litre, sixteen valve, turbocharged engine being used to good effect in the new Astra GSi. In the VX220 Turbo however, it is installed just in front of the rear axle.

OK, another dead alley: it's definitely not the Rover engine used on the UKSpec Elise. If it was, they would be saying so left and right. Its probably a GM engine (Ecotec or something like that, could it be?? or Ecotec is Ford's?)

I believe the engine code is Z20SE (2.0 litres) & Z22SE (2.2 litres)

The Vauxhall VX220 is the exact same car as the Opel Speedster; GM of Europe markets the same cars as Vauxhalls in the UK and Opels in Ireland and continental Europe.

The VX220/Speedster does use the 2.2 GM Ecotec engine, the Turbo version of the VX220 is a turbo version of the Ecotec. The car is largely based on the Lotus Elise, and is built for GM by Lotus in the same assembly facility as the Elise. The body is quite different, and the suspension/handling tuning is a bit different as well.

Regards,
Gordon

Originally posted by druck
Its not very impressive that the RX8 is 4 places below the Focus shopping trolley, and just one place above the battery hybrid Pruis milkfloat. What are those two doing in a list of anything?
While I'm glad to see the RX8 on the list, I have to say I view these type of lists "with a grain of salt" (if you will). Didn't the Focus have several recalls and other build-quality issues? Yet, it still ranked as a 10Best? Anybody get the feeling Ford "bought" its way onto the list? Granted though that C&D folks do test drive a ton of cars, so they should be somewhat qualified to judge the value of a car, but when a big company drops tons o' $$ on the press junkets and stuff, can the objectivity of a magazine really exist? Why bite the hand that feeds you?
As for the Prius, I can see it's making the 10Best because it's technological advances without (so far) too many performance compromises...
Perhaps the Focus is ranked as a 10Best because of it's success overseas?

Originally posted by Gord96BRG
The Vauxhall VX220 is the exact same car as the Opel Speedster; GM of Europe markets the same cars as Vauxhalls in the UK and Opels in Ireland and continental Europe.

The VX220/Speedster does use the 2.2 GM Ecotec engine, the Turbo version of the VX220 is a turbo version of the Ecotec. The car is largely based on the Lotus Elise, and is built for GM by Lotus in the same assembly facility as the Elise. The body is quite different, and the suspension/handling tuning is a bit different as well.


Vauxhall who are known for making the most boring cars in the UK, actually made quite a cleaver move by taking the very well renounded Lotus Elise, and improved on its engine, and adding luxaries such as carpets and a radio. It has different body styling, which I don't particularly like, but is a very potent tiny roadster, and should have sold very well...

However they completely ruined all this effort in the UK advertising campaigne. They took Griff Reece Jones (a middle aged UK comiedian well past his prime) who had been doing ads for the other models as a ginger beared mind numbing boring scientist (which suited their other models completely), and had him standing next to the VX220 dressed only in his y-front umderpants. It didn't matter how good the car was, once you had that image in your mind, nothing on earth would get you to buy it. :eek:

Cheers
---Dave

Originally posted by druck
had him standing next to the VX220 dressed only in his y-front umderpants. It didn't matter how good the car was, once you had that image in your mind, nothing on earth would get you to buy it. :eek:

I saw those ads, and I agree - I thought they destroyed any interest I had in the car! Their later ads about earthmoving equipment (yellow and black car featured) were equally puzzling...

Regards,
Gordon

Originally posted by med_mx6
While I'm glad to see the RX8 on the list, I have to say I view these type of lists "with a grain of salt" (if you will). Didn't the Focus have several recalls and other build-quality issues? Yet, it still ranked as a 10Best? Anybody get the feeling Ford "bought" its way onto the list? Granted though that C&D folks do test drive a ton of cars, so they should be somewhat qualified to judge the value of a car, but when a big company drops tons o' $$ on the press junkets and stuff, can the objectivity of a magazine really exist? Why bite the hand that feeds you?
As for the Prius, I can see it's making the 10Best because it's technological advances without (so far) too many performance compromises...
Perhaps the Focus is ranked as a 10Best because of it's success overseas?

The Focus did have a few problems, but the BMW X5 had more recalls for defects! So, that shouldn't be a factor unless you are a CU reader. The Focus has long been considered one of the best handling cars available in this country for the buck...by most of the automotive mag folks, not just C&D. And that has to do with the fact that its european handling wasn't compromised with its introduction here. But, I suppose you may have a point...guess Corvette bought their way in too! Poor ole Subie ( a partner with GM) didn't have the bucks. The list is the list! The reasons given for inclusion of the RX-8 were on point...handling, not straight line acceleration.

Originally posted by TybeeRX-8
The Focus did have a few problems, but the BMW X5 had more recalls for defects! So, that shouldn't be a factor unless you are a CU reader. The Focus has long been considered one of the best handling cars available in this country for the buck...by most of the automotive mag folks, not just C&D. And that has to do with the fact that its european handling wasn't compromised with its introduction here. But, I suppose you may have a point...guess Corvette bought their way in too! Poor ole Subie ( a partner with GM) didn't have the bucks. The list is the list! The reasons given for inclusion of the RX-8 were on point...handling, not straight line acceleration.

Also, keep in mind it doesn't seem C&D really takes reliability into account much. Just about every car you can buy today is reliable for the most part compared to years past, whether it be a Ford, Hyundai, or Jaguar. I'd love to see ford introduce the Focus RS in the states, but I don't think it's happening any time soon since they are pulling the plug on their SVT productions for a bit.

what the hell... off topic i was signed in as jungsoo... someone hacked in... and changed it or something. i am rx-7~rx-8 ... not jungsoo... what the fu*k

350Z... i read in automobile mag newest issue (with a evo on the front)... 25,414 mile update said "the weight, the bulk starting to feel opressive". i think 350Z looks like a potato... some like potato... i do .. sometimes ...

Originally posted by rx-7~rx-8
350Z... i read in automobile mag newest issue (with a evo on the front)... 25,414 mile update said "the weight, the bulk starting to feel opressive". i think 350Z looks like a potato... some like potato... i do .. sometimes ...

Sometimes I think AMC pacer when I look at the back, but I still think they look great.

GUYS....

We drove the TSX after driving the RX-8..... No comparison... RX-8 sits better in the turns, more get up and go.... and better looking.

The Focus deserves to be on the 10Best list.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15878

Originally posted by Supercharger
The Focus deserves to be on the 10Best list.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15878

Do you really think butchering a family hatchback to put in a ridicously large engine, suddenly makes it a good car?

Maybe the RS Focus could be included in the list to bring up last place with its unforgiving twitchy handling on normal roads, but thats just a pointless engineering exercise.

Cheers
---Dave

Originally posted by druck
Do you really think butchering a family hatchback to put in a ridicously large engine, suddenly makes it a good car?

Maybe the RS Focus could be included in the list to bring up last place with its unforgiving twitchy handling on normal roads, but thats just a pointless engineering exercise.

Cheers
---Dave

No RS Focus in the states, only a less impressive SVT model.

The 350Z is a very strong (read: good) exterior design. Even though one of the more controversial elements might be the taillights, they do follow existing body lines. So the shape and placement aren't totally arbitrary.

What's arbitrary are those damn rectangular white lights underneath the taillights (what do you call those?). The placement seems totally arbitrary. Reminds me of those on the dreadful and pointless Q45 that was just before the current dreadful and pointless Q45.

I was visualizing alternative locations for those lights. I think a better location would be underneath and adjacent to the taillights. Maybe stretch them wider, possibly even wrap them around the sides a little to complement the taillights.