Well, my RX8 got noticed and then challenged today by a new Mustang Cobra. He pulled up along side of me on the freeway and wanted to race. Yeah right! No thanks, not against a 390 hp supercharged "tank on wheels."

I don't take part in much street racing, but part of me wishes I could've given him a run for his money. The 8 just isn't that type of car and it wouldn't have even been close, even starting out at 65 mph.

I hate to stereotype, but I've never cared much for "Mustang owners." I hate the cars, could never own one, and what they bring to the table just doesn't excite me (at all). The "certain" people that do own them tend to think that their car is a "gift from the car Gods." I'm led to believe this guy who challenged me was just that kind. He "dusted off" like a moron. I guess he wanted me to see how ugly his car was from behind.

I must say I'm a bit disappointed. If it had been a Z or an S2000, I would have at least given it a shot. Maybe after a turbo, and possibly a bottle, I could humble the dreaded "Mustang owner," who, by the way, I rank just above "Camaro/Firebird owner" on my list of annoying race challengers.

Part of me does wonder, starting off at 65 mph, my 8 (with Stage 1 of course) and his heap of junk... mmm... I mean his Cobra... How close would it have been? Sadly, not close. But, I do believe my car could get more chicks. :)

There is more to a car than just speed. If outright power was the only concern alot of people would have passed on the 8. Take pride in knowing you own the better car overall.

I got the same challenge from a red Viper last Friday night. And then from a green Cobra.

Originally posted by Xyntax
I got the same challenge from a red Viper last Friday night. And then from a green Cobra.

Now I can see a challenge from a Mustang being almost justifyable, but the guy with the Viper really needed to go "pick on someone his own size." He needed to find a 996 Turbo to race (and lose to).

65 roll race woulda came down to who had the bigger brass.Even if he pulled slightly away ill take a 8 at 140 more then a cobra.

Originally posted by mdw33333
Well, my RX8 got noticed and then challenged today by a new Mustang Cobra. He pulled up along side of me on the freeway and wanted to race. Yeah right! No thanks, not against a 390 hp supercharged "tank on wheels."

I don't take part in much street racing, but part of me wishes I could've given him a run for his money. The 8 just isn't that type of car and it wouldn't have even been close, even starting out at 65 mph.

I hate to stereotype, but I've never cared much for "Mustang owners." I hate the cars, could never own one, and what they bring to the table just doesn't excite me (at all). The "certain" people that do own them tend to think that their car is a "gift from the car Gods." I'm led to believe this guy who challenged me was just that kind. He "dusted off" like a moron. I guess he wanted me to see how ugly his car was from behind.

I must say I'm a bit disappointed. If it had been a Z or an S2000, I would have at least given it a shot. Maybe after a turbo, and possibly a bottle, I could humble the dreaded "Mustang owner," who, by the way, I rank just above "Camaro/Firebird owner" on my list of annoying race challengers.

Part of me does wonder, starting off at 65 mph, my 8 (with Stage 1 of course) and his heap of junk... mmm... I mean his Cobra... How close would it have been? Sadly, not close. But, I do believe my car could get more chicks. :)

I think you might be the one with the problem... You sound just as bad if not worse than the stereotypical Mustang/Camaro driver you describe. The Cobra is a better car for some people, the RX-8 is a better car for some people. You've clearly never been in one of the new Cobras, the thrust they have is addictive and is a ton of fun. Sure it's not as light and nimble feeling as the 8 in the turns, but that's not the kind of car it's supposed to be. Sounds like he challenged you and went on his way after you didn't want to race. I see no harm in that, and I don't see why it's so annoying. What's annoying is how you feel the need to stereotype and bash other cars.

FYI, even with a stage 1 he would have put multiple car lengths on you. The pre production car (that's maybe slightly slower than a car with Canzoomers mod) was 15 seconds behind the RX-8 up to 130 MPH. We're talking obscene amounts of carlengths with that considered.

Ike

Originally posted by WTF no turbo
65 roll race woulda came down to who had the bigger brass.Even if he pulled slightly away ill take a 8 at 140 more then a cobra.

See above, there is nothing slight about how much he would be pulling.

I had the same thing happen to me over the summer....exept a 350Z was the challenger.

The thing was......here comes this guy with his girlfriend down a 4 lane highway. I was in the 3rd lane cruising at around 70 mph. He rode beside me and kind of looked over. I smiled and nodded, as if to say.."hey nice car"...but he just looked away.

I heard him drop a gear and lurch forward a few times to egg me on into a race. First of all....I hate street racing....It would've never got out of hand, but I'm not opposed to a blast up to 110 or so (on a clear stretch of highway) to see who's faster.

He shot up ahead (ehaust sounded sweet .....track model), without me because honestly I didn't want him to have the joy of beating me.

With all that said....I pose the same question. How bad (or good) would the RX8 have faired. I dropped down a few gears and was revving right in the sweet spot........I always wonder if I could have hung with the 350z from a 70 mph rolling start.

I am aware that this is an RX-8 forum, however...

You know something that always disappoints me... Camaro owners who hate on Mustangs. Mustang owners that hate on Camaros. RX-8, Evo, etc. owners than hate on American anything. To me, a true car enthusiast can appreciate what each sports car brings to the table. Whether or not it is your "cup of tea" doesn't mean that there is nothing of value to the car.

I readily admit that I crack on Chryslers all the time. I'd never buy one... from the cheapest of cheap plastic dashes and interiors to the repeated horror stories I've seen and heard of, the only way I'd drive one is to be given one. Even given this opinion, I can appreciate the SRT-4 or the Viper as offering a lot of performance for the money.

I've been a long time Mustang fan and owner, and would buy one over a Camaro anyday. I don't like the F-body cars' styling, especially it's seating position, nor the fit and finish I've seen in the ones I've test driven or ridden in. But I can appreciate the performance package that GM had put together in that car.

The Mustang vs the RX-8.... some will compare them, as people here have the RX-8 to the S2000 or the 350Z. But I frankly that is the most stupid comparision. First everyone's favorites... the S2000 and 350Z are 2 door, 2 seater cars. Those two cars are fairly no compromise sports cars, that lack the comfort and daily convenience offer in the 8. I consider the 8 to be a sports sedan. When I think of the 8, I think of the BMW 3 series, or Audi A4. Taking this to the Mustang... particularly the Cobra.... well the fully loaded Cobra will cost you more than a fully loaded RX-8 to start with. The Mustang may have 4 seats, but that it definitely a 2+2... not meant to hold an adult in the back on a 2-3 hour trip. Whereas the S2000 and 350Z are more of an autocross car, the Mustang is more popular at the local drag strip. With some significant suspension mods, it has done decently in handling oriented races, but like I said... most people drag the car. That doesn't make it bad or worse... just tailors to a different crowd. That's not you... fine. No need to bash the car for that... buy an 8 then. That would be why there are many different types of cars... for cater to what each driver wants in a car. And being able to appreciate cars that may not be really want you like and would buy make a true hard core car enthusiast.

At those speeds he should have pulled on you pretty well. Hard to say how many cars exactly, but to give you an idea in that same C&D comparison there was a G35c. The 8 ran 0-130 6.7 seconds slower than than the G35c and 1.6 seconds slower 0-100, so the faster you go the more he would have pulled basicly. I know it's just magazine racing, but C&D is pretty good with this stuff. The Z would be slightly faster than the G35 and you 8 would be slightly slower than the pre production model to give you further of an idea how you would have done. This of course is elimination things like driver error.

Ike

Some people would choose to drive a shopping cart with a jet turbine for propulsion just because it's "fastar"

To each his own.

Man, this is too funny. I debated posting my run-in with a late 90's model Mustang Cobra just last night...I don't know the exact year. Anyway, I can't post the details knowing it'll get deleted (I don't want to promote street racing), but let's just say I was extremely impressed with my Stage I equipped RX-8 in the 80-120MPH zone.

Originally posted by rxtreme
Man, this is too funny. I debated posting my run-in with a late 90's model Mustang Cobra just last night...I don't know the exact year. Anyway, I can't post the details knowing it'll get deleted (I don't want to promote street racing), but let's just say I was extremely impressed with my Stage I equipped RX-8 in the 80-120MPH zone.

The 90s Cobras are laughable when stock compared to an 03 Cobra.

OK, I can see my comments "struck a nerve" with a few of you "enthusiasts." IkeWRX, for your information I work for an auto trim shop and I HAVE had the opportunity to "sit" in the new Mustang Cobra. Guess What?! It's just like every other Mustang I've ever sat in.

I didn't mean to rub anyone the wrong way, but I just get more excited about cars that I don't see "every" time I drive a block down the street to get a burgar. For God's sake, someone in this forum has to understand that. Seriously, my intentions are not really to "rag on" Mustang/Camaro owners, but to state that it's a bit annoying that they think there cars are so special. Let me put it this way, if you can find every mod for your car at Autozone, then, guess what? It's not that cool.

As said above, "to each his own." Again I didn't want to rub any of you "true car enthusiasts" the wrong way.

Originally posted by mdw33333
IkeWRX, for your information I work for an auto trim shop and I HAVE had the opportunity to "sit" in the new Mustang Cobra. Guess What?! It's just like every other Mustang I've ever sat in.


I wasn't talking about the interior :p As for the autozone comment, just more hate from someone that doesn't know what they're talking about. The only person in this thread that seems to think his car is "so special" is you. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

Originally posted by IkeWRX
I wasn't talking about the interior :p As for the autozone comment, just more hate from someone that doesn't know what they're talking about. The only person in this thread that seems to think his car is "so special" is you. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

Well, I knew you were not referring to the interior, "Mr. Know It All." First of all my original comments above were not directed toward "the people in this thread." They were directed towards the Mustang/Camaro owners in general that I've had dealings with. Further more, I don't feel my car is "so special." In all seriousness, my comments above weren't meant to offend anyone in or outside of this forum. They were me just being silly, discussing experiences.

I manage the largest auto trim shop in N.E. Ohio and have been doing so for ten years. I deal face to face with all types of automotive owners/enthusiasts on a daily basis. From that experience I've been able to make a generalization of what i called the Mustang/Camaro owners. Just like the old "motorheads" of the 60's and 70's crack on the guys tuning imports, it's all in good spirit. But since you take everything so serious, try another thread. This one is for people with a sense of humor. And, by the way, Mr. IkeWRX, meet Mr. Middle Finger.


:p

Mr. Middle Finger

Originally posted by mdw33333
OK, I can see my comments "struck a nerve" with a few of you "enthusiasts." IkeWRX, for your information I work for an auto trim shop and I HAVE had the opportunity to "sit" in the new Mustang Cobra. Guess What?! It's just like every other Mustang I've ever sat in.

I didn't mean to rub anyone the wrong way, but I just get more excited about cars that I don't see "every" time I drive a block down the street to get a burgar. For God's sake, someone in this forum has to understand that. Seriously, my intentions are not really to "rag on" Mustang/Camaro owners, but to state that it's a bit annoying that they think there cars are so special. Let me put it this way, if you can find every mod for your car at Autozone, then, guess what? It's not that cool.

As said above, "to each his own." Again I didn't want to rub any of you "true car enthusiasts" the wrong way.

And that really is another part of the 8's appeal. Part of why some people will buy a Ford GT over a Ferrari... you'll simply see even less of them... and it's faster and handles better.

In all seriousness though... there are many threads that popup where the foreign car crowd goes on a mustang/american sports car bashing trip... and don't you as an overal enthusiast find that troubling?

I like the Mustang (and Camaro, Firebird, Corvette etc) just fine. But I bought an RX-8. I've had my share of the others too, and they all have merit. But people who drive them do have an attitude too... as do Porche drivers... as do RX-8 drivers... :D

Remember guys, no street racing stories and keep things civil.

I don't think any one group of enthusiasts should be stereotyped. There are always a few bad apples that often make everyone look bad.

The SVT Cobra seems pretty badass for its purpose. I haven't had the chance to drive the Cobra, but my friend has a GT and I do enjoy driving it once in a while. Refined it may not be, but it sure sounds great and the kick in the ass is pretty fun. But it isn't something I would want to drive daily.

(Moving this to the lounge as it is not RX8 related)

Sorry, I'll have to agree with mdw33333.

I have had my 1994 Rx-7 for over 2 years now. I have NEVER been challenged on the street or reved at by any mustang. I don't street race anyway. So when I was test driving the rx-8 I had a GT on the highway pull along side of me and rev and try to get me to race. They only rev at you when they think they can win.

BTW, at the race track I'm 12-0 against GT's, Cobras and 5.0's.

I drove all the cars in the C+D comparo. http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=4346

I needed four seats, and wanted a sportscar. I agreed with just about the whole article after driving them. I loved the pull of the Cobra, the exhaust note, the ragtop. The problem was, it just did not FEEL as good to drive. The shifter was too far forward, and the throws were too long. The interior was not anywhere near the same class. I was afraid I would regret my purchase forever.

Why do some of us tear ourselves up about these things? If you want a Cobra, buy one. The 8 will NEVER beat that car in a race, at least not in a straight line.

Love the one you're with.

Originally posted by mdw33333
In all seriousness, my comments above weren't meant to offend anyone in or outside of this forum. They were me just being silly, discussing experiences.
...
But since you take everything so serious, try another thread. This one is for people with a sense of humor. And, by the way, Mr. IkeWRX, meet Mr. Middle Finger.


:p

pardon me for interrupting but this is your comment on "Mustang owners":

Originally posted by mdw33333
I hate to stereotype, but I've never cared much for "Mustang owners." I hate the cars, could never own one, and what they bring to the table just doesn't excite me (at all). The "certain" people that do own them tend to think that their car is a "gift from the car Gods." I'm led to believe this guy who challenged me was just that kind. He "dusted off" like a moron. I guess he wanted me to see how ugly his car was from behind.

from reading that, i can't seem to find where the humor is...and if i was a Mustang owner and read your post, i'm sure i'd be pretty offended...

for the record, i don't care much for most American automobiles...but i do love sports cars and the Mustang and Camaro are 2 of the most respectable American sports cars there ever will be...

Hey Guys, I have read all the posts, and it is true the RX-8 is a challange magnet. I owned BMW's for the past 15 years, and not even once got challanged, but for the past months I have been challanged over dozen times. Mainly they are younger crowd with souped up civic's, VW's, Mustang's and oh yes few 350Z's. To tell you the truth I have avoided all with the exception of one last night. First of all I am not really into street racing, challanging teen agers is a turn off, and lastly I am so scared to embarass my little baby 8. Last night though it was an older guy with 350Z and he approached me on a 3 lane hwy while I am going 55, the traffic was light, but the road was badly grooved (really a bad road). I do not know what got into me, and I decided to do it we slowed down to 50, then I put it in 2nd gear and I floored it, by the time we approached 100mph (i was on 4th) we were very close, him ahead by a half car length, but then few cars were ahead, and then where my baby 8 shined, going around the traffic was a breeze, and he really was falling behind... I can see his car wondering allover the lanes as he was changing lanes. In about 2 minutes he was a quite a bit behind me. I decided to slow down and take the 1st exit and gas up. I stop at the gas station and to my surprise he pulled in the same station to do the same thing. He approached me to say hello, and let me know that was great race. He was very nice guy. I asked him what happened, as I was so much ahead once we started switching lanes, and he said everytime he switched lanes the road was so bad it pulled his car to the side that he really needed to slow down so to control the drifts. He asked me if I had the same problem, and honestly these grooves it did not upset my baby 8 at all. I recall my 2002 325i was difficult to drive above 70 mph on the same road, but my 8 was doing 110 was no trouble. Although I know I beat him due to the excellent road manner my 8 has, it really goes to your point that there is more to a car than just speed. At the end of the day it still won the race....

Mark

At least they arent Tiburons:-d jk. They're becoming more respectable for the price. If you bought the car you drive be happy with it:-D

speaking of mustangs, are the new body style mustangs out?

I enjoy these stories as much as anyone, but I also understand the forum guidelines and why they have them.

That is the type of story the leaders of the forum do not want on here, racing another car at 100 mph on public roads.

Let's respect the forum.

Speed...I do appologize you are absloulty correct....

Mark

First of all I love my 8. I had a friend that bought a 1988 Saleen Mustang new and it was amazing how quick it was. Never thought much about Mustangs since until Fri night I saw a new Mach 1 (?? I am going off what he called it for I have no idea) at the gas station with the scoop coming out the top of the hood. Was an older guy in his 50's and was nice enough to pop the hood. The engine was sweet and sounded great. Then he wanted to see my 8 and did nothing but rave about it and the revving ability of a rotary motor (the interior and yellow color also). I agree with some of the posts above that most people are respectful and only the few trying to boost their testosterone can't look at a great car and appreciate what it brings to the table. To each their own, but for me it's my 8.
Just my $.02 worth.

IKE, you keep posting these 0-130 numbers ??? What the hell....and comapring it to the G35. Show me a link with that number. Both cars in all the mags I have looked at show almost identical 0-100 times, yet you keep referring to the 0-130. I have never seen any numbers like that, but I forgot, your the car expert right??:mad:

Originally posted by Broker73
IKE, you keep posting these 0-130 numbers ??? What the hell....and comapring it to the G35. Show me a link with that number. Both cars in all the mags I have looked at show almost identical 0-100 times, yet you keep referring to the 0-130. I have never seen any numbers like that, but I forgot, your the car expert right??:mad:

Yeah, I was a bit curious about those 0-130 numbers myself. I've read those reviews and never seen them either. I have a hard time believing the G35 is 6 secs. faster 0-130. Give me a break, and get some more reliable numbers.

This was the article.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=4346&page_number=1

They don't list all the numbers on their website, but the numbers in the mag were...

1/4 Mile

G35 14.2
RX-8 14.5
Cobra 12.9


0-100

G35 14.2
RX-8 15.8
Cobra 10.6

0-130

G35 26.8
RX-8 33.5
Cobra 18.4

If you want better numbers than C&Ds test results, I can't help you there.

Stevie Wonder must have been driving the 8 for that test.

Waiting on the MazdaSpeed RX-8, I have a 93 FD, but the '98 SVT Cobra is my daily driver. Best of both worlds, IMHO.
:)

I think we need to accept the facts here. The Rx8 cannot compete in speed with these other cars such as g35, 350z, wrx, sti, srt-4, S200, ect. . It is meant to enjoy as it is, and just be happy with a great combo of performance, luxury and looks.
I do admit, the only thing that upsets me about the rx8 is it's not as fast as it looks. I have only owned the car for a week, and I have gotten challenged several times on highway by various cars that I know would pummel this 8 on highway. The looks to speed ratio on this car is bad, but I just pretend I don't see them and ignore the elements, and enjoy this fine machine for what it is. It simply looks faster then it is, and in many people's minds, they expect it to be faster then it is. It's a let down to me at times I admit when I think about performance, but I can enjoy this car as my daily driver, and just ignore people who want to race. I do admit though, a part of me ls longing for a nice supercharger to slap on do add serious torque and hp to this thing. :)

Originally posted by VikingDJ
I think we need to accept the facts here. The Rx8 cannot compete in speed with these other cars such as g35, 350z, wrx, sti, srt-4, S200, ect. . It is meant to enjoy as it is, and just be happy with a great combo of performance, luxury and looks.
I do admit, the only thing that upsets me about the rx8 is it's not as fast as it looks. I have only owned the car for a week, and I have gotten challenged several times on highway by various cars that I know would pummel this 8 on highway. The looks to speed ratio on this car is bad, but I just pretend I don't see them and ignore the elements, and enjoy this fine machine for what it is. It simply looks faster then it is, and in many people's minds, they expect it to be faster then it is. It's a let down to me at times I admit when I think about performance, but I can enjoy this car as my daily driver, and just ignore people who want to race. I do admit though, a part of me ls longing for a nice supercharger to slap on do add serious torque and hp to this thing. :)

I agree this car needs more power, but when driven in the high rpm range it's not too shabby. I believe the gap in performance between the 8 and some of the cars you mentioned isn't as big as most people think. The 350Z, the S2000, and the G35 are all within range of being beat by an 8. A couple of mods is enough to make it close with these cars (Stage 1 for example). Now a WRX sti or and Evo are a different story.

Everyone seems to have this "bug" about how the 8 isn't as fast a sit should be. I think it'll be fine as soon as we have more experience in tuning it. Ask owners of any of the cars mentioned above and they'll probably have the same gripe, "My car isn't as fast a s it should be." Are they ever?

Originally posted by mdw33333
"My car isn't as fast a s it should be." Are they ever?

Isn't that what drives the aftermarket & tunning economy?

Originally posted by RX8-TX
Isn't that what drives the aftermarket & tunning economy?

Yep, and that's how I make my living.

I had to put this in here. The most pathetic challenge I've ever seen was today. A Jetta POS with exhaust was admiring my 8 and revved his pseudo-racecar (puhlease). It was too funny, I had to laugh at him and went on driving normally as he raced away. We got back at another stop and he looked ashamed. He kinda got pissed that he transferred a lane away from me and drove the Jetta the way it was made.

I did not want to risk my 8 for a POS Jetta. Aside from that, it was raining and knowing my 8 doesn't have DSC/TCS to support my safety, it just wasn't worth it.

If it was dry, an Integra, WRX, Z3, or an RX-7 would have been at least embarassing to chicken out on.