123V

Could I get a 0-60 time (stock) from some real drivers, i.e. you guys? I've heard tales that the 5.9 times, etc. reported in magazines are the result of guys revving to 8000+ then dropping the clutch, or guys not using the clutch at all, or just using other-than-normal driving techniques, etc., etc. and that most normal people couldn't get under 7.5 secs. Sounded ridiculous to me but I'd like it clarified. Under 6 times are awesome imo, but add another 1.5 secs and that stinks. I'd like to hear about this from some of you owners (non-AT please). I couldn't find a decent post on this topic earlier today. Also, if you were to floor an 8 already doing about 65, 70 mph, does it have the same get-up as a car with massive low-end torque (e.g. any American muscle car making a quick Interstate pass)? I couldn't test this on the test drive I took. Any help would be appreciated.

bureau13

To address your last question, it depends on what gear you're in. Of course, if you're tooling along in a high gear at 70 mph and floor it, it is not going to act the same as a car with "massive low-end torque." How could it? You have to drive a lower torque, free-reving car differently than a high-torque lower-reving car. If you don't like shifting and what the characteristics of a typical American muscle car this is definitely not the car for you (may I suggest, oh...maybe an American muscle car???

jds

Sue Esponte

The RX8 doesn't have massive low end torque. In fact, it doesn't have massive torque at all. If you're looking for a dragster you're looking at the wrong car. Much like an S2K, you have to take the car to its limits in order to experience its potential. The difference between the RX8 and S2K, however, is that the S2K lets you know you're thrashing its engine at the limit whereas the RX8 needs to remind you with a subtle beep. That's the difference between a rotary and a bunch of cylinders.

If you want a car that will put out 250+ pounds of torque at 2000rpm...try another manufacturer. This is not the car for you. If you're someone who realizes that points A and B are rarely in a straight line (and when they are, you find a reason to go somewhere else first) then the RX8 might stir your soul. If you want a dragster, look at a Mustang. If you want a car that will drive The Dragon (318 hairpin turns in 11 miles) with aplomb, then the RX8 may be the car for you.

-Eric

P.S. Here's a link to a map of the Dragon. I've done it a few times and can attest to it being an awesome drive. Anyone up for some curves? :D

Sanguine_Dark

Sue..

Wow...I need to drive to Tennessee SOON and drive 'The Dragon'. That looks like soooo much fun. (my wife is going to kill me for driving to TN for no good reason).

Ike

Exactly how are people supposed to measure their 0-60? I mean this with the utmost respect, but obsessing about 0-60 times are for teenagers and car noobs. As for the highway roll part, with the low torque it won't jump up to a high speed like a car with more torque would, but it's a matter of milliseconds of difference when already at speed.

I'll say it before someone else comes in here and does. If you drove the car and didn't want it, and are worried about 0-60 times and how it pulls in a straight line you'd be better served looking elsewhere for your automotive needs. The RX-8 is more about handling and balance than straightline speed (christ I'm starting to sound like and RX-8 owner...).

Ike

Jeesh, you guys and your fast typing, there were no responses when I started :p

Sue Esponte

Ike, couldn't agree with you more...but I can't help but laugh as I read your posts and see the bananas going at it. :D

Did someone say "Peanut Butter Jelly Time Gone Wild?"

-Eric

Sanguine_Dark

Ike....

We're making up for lost torque.

123V

Back to the issue at hand. I drove the RX-8 and wanted one (but it's been a while, I should have made an impulse buy :-) ). 0-60 times have a lot to do with how a car feels and are thus not only for teenagers and car n00bs. Example? If a car does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, you can rest assured that you will be pushed back in your seat, a feeling some car enthusiasts like. If a car does 0-60 in 9.5 seconds, you can bet that you will get no thrill at all out of this ride if straight line accleration is what you consider a thrill. What's a thrill for me? For straightline acceleration, under 6 (as a general rule) is an indication that I will get much pleasure from driving the car (in a straight line). Over 7, blah. Over 8, forget about it. For handling, I know the 8 is good enough to thrill me in regards to handling. I didn't romp on the 8 when I test drove it. That is why I'm asking you folks these questions. Well, that along with all the speculation found on this board and elsewhere about what the car can and can't do. Give me some times? That was idiotic to ask. How about this? Does the RX-8 give anybody any thrill when driving in a straight line? .... and .... If I downshift (I thought that was a given) to make a pass from IS cruising speed, will the 8 get me around the car in front of me in a hurry. Someone who has a had an aforementioned high-low-end torque car chime in here. I know I won't be getting a freakin 'vette, but I don't want a mother lovin' Pinto either, just a car that will scoot when I wanna.

Gord96BRG

The magazines use drag racing techniques to generate their acceleration times on ALL their vehicles - they don't drive the RX-8 any differently or harder. Their RX-8 times are comparable to other cars, since they're all driven the same. Yes, that does mean clutch drops at whatever rpm works best. On cars like the RX-8 and Honda S2000, it is around 7000 rpm, where on other cars with more torque at lower rpm, it might only be at 4K or 5K rpm.

If you aren't normally doing clutch drop high rev starts in your current car, then you probably won't in your RX-8 either...

Regards,
Gordon

Sanguine_Dark

123V,

My background is all fast fast bikes and a few fast muscle cars. I'm used to torque and the rx doesn't have as much as I'm used to. BUT, given that, once you are used to the gear box and learn to rev beyond where a V-8 would be ripping itself apart it gets up and goes rather well. I will say that it does take some experience with the method of shifting (as in a lot more often and paying a lot of attention to what you are trying to do), then you can make this car do incredible things. I went for a drive recently and going through some serious hairpins and the like I never dropped under 6500 rpm. If you learn to feel where the powerband is on the rx then you can get good acceleration from the car. Granted it's no WRX but it's hella fun to drive and it sure looks good doing it.

Just my thoughts.

TM45

To respond to the original post, I think this car has plenty of zip, even if it will lose a lot of drag races.

I have tested 0-60 with a G-timer--fully stock with a full tank of gas and no wheel spin, no 8000 RPM take off. I just started out with a normal clutch drop and took it to the redline in first and second. Best time was 6.95. The start up was very slow, but the car pulled very well after the revs came up, so I think that had I been willing to try Road and Track's method (they often record 0-60 times faster than other testers) I find 5.9 believable.

I will try another test after I get an ECU reflash next week.

I drive a lot on back roads and the passing capability of this car is excellent. It just darts around other cars and makes passing very easy.

flatso

the got 5.9 by dropping the clutch at 7000 rpm's if you want that time of speed plan on buying alot of clutches. In real world driving the RX-8 is fast enough to get you over the speed limit quick enough. I have to constantly slow down because in NJ we have the speed limit change every 30 feet it seems.

Trx8

This site has 0-60 and 1/4 mile times for many cars and years; it can also be ordered on different columns. I was somewhat surprised to see the 2004 Accord EX V-6 tied the 2003 RX-8 on 0-60 and 1/4 mile times. I also noted the significant variations for the same model car, but in different years.

http://www.ssmoparmuscle.com/speedcomp.htm

strong bad

i got a time of 6.4 using a g-timer as well. this is with the fan on, and another passenger. did a 3700 ish drop and did not grip. still, i find that i end up with better times when i do get some spin. i had other runs where i had pretty good launches, and still ended up .2 off my best mark. shrug...

i'm going to order a catback pretty soon, too. haven't completely made up my mind as far as which. but either way, i'm going to do more runs after it's installed. curious to see the improvement.

it's not that i'm obsessing over 0-60 times or anything...i'm just curious to see how i fare against the 5.9 that was claimed..

Roaddemon

The rx8 gives me a thrill driving straight line at any speed , any rpm. Hell, my velocity red 8 gives me a thrill just looking at it in the driveway. Comparing it to a pinto is like comparing your 450 hp vette to a 4 cylinder Grand Am. Get real man. The 8 is like a sportbike. You down shift and wind out the rpms when passing fast. It's like a race car. Passng is great fun.

Speed Racer

123V,

I did a series of Gtech runs back in August when everyone was all worked up about the Hp discrepancy. What I found (just take it for what it is worth) is that with a 7k-8k RPM tire smoking launch it is possible, under perfect circumstances, to get the car to scoot to 60 in 6 seconds flat. This is not good for the car so I don't suggest doing it. When you launch at a lower RPM the times get longer. I've got a couple of runs that were started between 5k-6k RPMs and the times ranged from 6.4 to 6.8 seconds.

If you are worried about not being able to blow the doors off of everybody that you meet at a stop light then the RX-8 is not the car for you. To get decent times out of the car you really have to thrash on it. You are not going to be able to do that very often without causing something to break. In my opinion I don't think that you would be happy with the car in the long run ("Over 7, blah"). Have you looked at the STI, EVO, 350Z, G35, or Mustang Cobra? They may be closer to what you are looking for.

graphicguy

Very unscientific, but....

with another passenger holding a digital stop watch....4,500 RPM clutch engagement, DSC ON, I got a 6.3 sec, 0-60. Take out the 200 pound passenger, turn off DSC, I could shave a tenth or two off that time without frying the clutch.

As others have said, if 0-60 is "your thing" then a Cobra may well be more of what you're looking for.

The RX8 is fast, no doubt. Is it the fastest? Nope!

The RX8's stregnths are much further reaching than that.

I've owned some muscle 0-60 "queens". Truth told, I became weary of them in pretty short order. That was one of the biggest complaints I had with the Z/G cars. They felt heavy (compared to the RX8) and I felt I had to "push" them hard to get the munbers the RX8 gets with little effort.

Passing on the highway is a blast. Drop down to 4th from 6th and you'll feel like you've been shot from a cannon inot triple digit speeds in a flash.

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

Here's another subjective answer relative to the thrills offered by the RX-8 in a straight line. The rotatry power plant is just plain different than piston engines - it offers a very broad, flat torque curve - not spikey like many piston engines. The RX-8 gets it's performance from good overall acceleration (what an engineer would call the average rate of acceleration), as opposed to a strong spike. What this means is that if you compare it to a piston engine car that offers similar acceleration times, the RX-8 will feel slower - it won't offer that head-snapping feel. I remember going for a ride in a first-gen RX-7, and being told by the owner "it's faster than it feels" and that's true for the RX-8 as well.

So, to answer your question directly, it may not be as thrilling in a straight line as other cars that offser similar performance (like a WRX) but you will be able to pass traffic with ease. I recall my first freeway experiences being something like "hmm, not so strong.... but wait, the cars I just passed are waaaay back there now." A pull through second and third will drop most anything, short of true high performance cars like Vettes, STis, etc.

OTOH, when you are on a back road, with nodbody around, slinging your RX-8 through apex after apex, getting into the throttle-brake-steer-throttle-brake-steer rythm of the car, listening to that Renisis sing, you will come away amazed at the performance - the Renesis (and the whole car) is in it's element here and you will find the whole package very thrilling. So, it's just a matter of context.

Sue Esponte

If you've driven the RX8 then you should be able to answer your own question. I'd have to disagree with you on the impulse buy quote because from everything you've written it still sounds like the RX8 is the wrong car for you. I'd say you made the right decision by ignoring the impulse.

For example, you said...

If you expect acceleration to 60mph in "under 6 sec", you're going to be sorely disappointed. If you didn't push the 8 during your test drive, how did you miss this? Unless you push the 8 to its limits you're not going to see 6 second-like acceleration. It's not and never will be a Mustang SVT or even a Lancer Evo or Impreza WRX Sti. Low RPM grunt isn't there. Like I said in my previous post, you have to drive the RX8 more like an S2K. Mazda's own website even has a flash graphic that says "Drive it like you stole it..." During a routine drive around town (e.g., to the grocery store) the RX8 will more likely accelerate/feel like a "7 second" car (not talking 1/4 mile times here) than a 6 second car.

I don't know that my car qualifies under your definition (263hp/267lb-ft) but if I drive the RX8 like my TTR, a Civic DX will be door to door with me between stoplights. If I drive the RX8 unlike most any other cars on the road, it will perform. Question is, how often do you see yourself dropping the clutch at 7K RPM at a stoplight? And, if your answer is "often", how long do you expect that clutch to last?

I stand by my position that even though you may appreciate the handling capabilities of the RX8, I think its straightline acceleration will disappoint you on a daily basis.

-Eric

Speed-ER doc

The Miata is a well over 7 sec car, and it is definitely not "blah" imo. There's different kinds of fun to be had in the world, all a matter of taste.

guy321

Ike, you better be careful, some of the other members might start to like you!

All hail Ike!

RobDickinson

Just a small point.

You have to push ANY car (be it a v8, STI/Evo) to get the best out of them.

A lot of STI/EVO's have transmission problems because of the punishment their owners put onto them.

Sue Esponte

Rob,

Agreed...but it's a lot easier to get a 6.9 sec 0-60 run out of an SVT Cobra than a MazdaSpeed Miata. I'd say most drivers could mash the pedal on the Cobra to hit 60 in less than 6.9, whereas it might take a better driver to elicit the quicker time from the Miata. It comes down to the car's own limits.

To me, it sounds like 123V is looking for a car that will effortlessly get to 60 in ~6 seconds. He wants low end torque and the seat of your pants feel of an ///M Coupe. I love the RX8 but it isn't "that" car.

-Eric

Ike

Just a bit of a correction on that... The USDM STi tranny is very very strong and I have yet to hear of anyone losing any gear. I've heard of a couple 4th gear synchros being replaced and that's about it, the USDM 5 speed on the WRX has had some problems. The EVO, has a couple other weaker links as well (something with the diff and clutch I believe) but the tranny itself seems very strong. Rob's first statement is very true however, in order to get the best times out of any car it's going to have to be abused to some degree.