I really like the Rx-8. Havent driven one yet though and this is where my question comes from. Can you really feel the car accelerating? This will be my first "real" car and I don't care if it has blazing 0 - 60 times or monstrous torque. I just want to know if I will be able to feel the acceleration. My previous vehicles have been a weak 87 fiero, an old dodge colt, and a beater F-150. Each one has been a good car in its own way, but none of them are even remotely close to the level of the Rx-8. I allready know the interiour, handling, and style blows these out of the water. Coming from these cars how will the acceleration compare? Any info you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

-JiM

Originally posted by j1mb0x99
I really like the Rx-8. Can you really feel the car accelerating? This will be my first "real" car and I don't care if it has blazing 0 - 60 times or monstrous torque. I just want to know if I will be able to feel the acceleration. My previous vehicles have been a weak 87 fiero, an old dodge colt, and a beater F-150.
-JiM

You'll think you are on a rocket ship comparitively to your previous cars... never fear... the acceleration is there for those who want it. :D :D

It feels like a rocket compared to a 2000 Tiburon! I agree it should feel like a rocket.

Although that is hard to say in one sense, until you get use to it, it FEELS slow but one look at the speedo and you realize you are going faster than you thought.

There is this light I hit almost everyday and I use to floor it in the tib and I NEVER made the green, I tried it in the RX8 and I had to slow for the corner and take my time, I hit it with ease.

Once you realize that this car REVS you won't ask about feeling the power. Use your gears and rpms effectively and the RX-8 will definitely throw you back when you step on the peddle. Just don't expect to be cruising in 6th gear @ 3k rpms -- step on the peddle and feel a big power rush. Shift down to 3rd (while giving it a little rev match) and hold on to your hat while you pass like a rocket with four doors :D

Now that I'm at 1680mi, I have had the luxury of opening her up. I have not however hit redline. Not yet.. all my shifts are made juuuuuuust before it.

I must say the acceleration on the 8 is unique. It's not a WHAM.. BAM.. neck snapper, that's for sure. Although depending on the gear and RPM you take off at, it can be. (NOTE: if done right, meaning right gear, right RPM, you can get the pull that most measure a car by)

However, from 0 to XX, the acceleration just kinda sorta pulls you along. It climbs pretty quick and you really dont know how fast you are going until you look down. It's kind of different. I can suppose most would call it slow for doing this. Honestly, I suppose this is the linear delivery that it's touted for.

It doesnt pick you up as quick as you like, or may be used to, but to me, that's typical of a rotary. You need be in the high rpm range to really feel pulled. I'm sure this sort of power delivery is what makes the RX-8 unique, but it could also be seen as it's downfall (as a "sports" car). I think we've seen this in action during the best motoring clip where everyone blew past the 8 on that straight.

My two bits.

The mark of a great chassis is that you dont feel like youre going that fast. My X5 at 85 feels like 50 as does the RX8. I have only 300miles and have yet to exeed 5000rpm or so and I am amazed at the acceleration and I still have 4000rpm to go. The test car I drove was past the break in period and it was spectacular running it to 8000rpm . Car and Drivers only complaint was at 4000rpm in sixth gear it was "slow" . That is what fourth gear is for you idiots! The so called low torque is only on paper, I can pull a steep hill in 6th gear at 50mph without having to downshift!






04 RX8 Velocity Red, r/b, 6spd, GT, 6disc. Fender strakes soon
94 Jeep Grand Cherokee (winter RX8)
02 BMW X5
former toys 80 Citroen CX Diesel
92 Alfa 164 L,

I was out playing in the car today and decided to run it up close to redline in 2nd gear. I eased it up to around 7000 -- not wide open throttle, just easing it up there -- and then decided to floor it. I tell you, I felt some acceleration then. Unfortunately, it was time to shift pretty quick. :)

we were out driving around yesterday and wife started to complain about her head getting thrown back into the seat at the lights and when i passed someone :D and then she said "i love this car and you love this car we are not selling it back!" i love my wife!!!!:D :D :cool:

I floored it the other day and my g/f said, could you warn me when you are going to do that, so I can put my head in the head rest, rather than have it whiped back!

Wow... thanks for all the feedback everyone.

Now I really can't wait to drive it. I'm really excited about it since it will be my first nice car. It is going to be my graduation gift from myself to myself. A nice reward for finishing college.

-JiM

Originally posted by RX-Nut


I must say the acceleration on the 8 is unique. It's not a WHAM.. BAM.. neck snapper, that's for sure. Although depending on the gear and RPM you take off at, it can be. (NOTE: if done right, meaning right gear, right RPM, you can get the pull that most measure a car by)

However, from 0 to XX, the acceleration just kinda sorta pulls you along. It climbs pretty quick and you really dont know how fast you are going until you look down. It's kind of different. I can suppose most would call it slow for doing this. Honestly, I suppose this is the linear delivery that it's touted for.



I haven't driven the car yet, my wife has and she made a similiar comment, "sorta pulls you along. It climbs pretty quick and you really dont know how fast you are going until you look down.". This happened to her many times on the interstate, & on-ramps. She said she had to be very careful and told me, "you may have to be careful not to get a speeding ticket in this car".

I believe there could be some cars out there with legitimate problems. However do you think maybe some people's perception (ones who say there is a lack of performance via their "butt-dyno") is being effective by either, previous comparing this car to a high-torque car, or previously driving another rotary that had turbo?

Many, not all, that seem to think that that car is performing well, are those that is stepping up from a less performance vehicle.

Originally posted by Mark
The mark of a great chassis is that you dont feel like youre going that fast. My X5 at 85 feels like 50 as does the RX8.


that's true but I tend to think of that when you're at steady velocity. acceleration's acceleration, and you FEEL it no matter what you're in.

floor a mach 1 or e46 and you better hang on to the steering wheel and be ready to reach for the shifter. floor the rx8, and it's wait, wait, ok here we go, ah that's better.

not bashing the rx. it's a great well-rounded car. just doesn't have the torque and power of other engines.

floor a mach 1 or e46 and you better hang on to the steering wheel and be ready to reach for the shifter. floor the rx8, and it's wait, wait, ok here we go, ah that's better.

However, I will most likely never get to drive either of those cars so the point of this thread was not to compare the Rx-8 to cars of that stature.

I will never race my Rx-8 so I have no need for it to be faster than it is. I'm just trying to get an idea of what it will be like when I finally get to drive one.

-JiM

Ever been in one of those modern elevators (lifts we call them in the UK) that goes from the ground floor to the 20th in next to no time ? .....

That's what the RX-8's acceleration is like :)

With low torque and high rpm engine, my S2000 has similar acceleration characteristic as the RX8. However, the thing that makes RX8 unique, and what I like most about RX8, is how smooth the power delivery is. My F20C may make more power and rev to the same 9000rpm redline as the Renesis, but it's still a piston engine with many more moving parts and it shows. I do miss the turbine like smoothness of the Rotary engine, but it isn't enough to make me switch, just yet;)

I'll be keeping my eyes on the future refinements and improvements to Renesis and Rotary technology in general. It is just so much more elegant in design than the piston engine. :)