StephenF

Just got the April issue of Automobile in the mail today and it has the RX-8 on the cover with the 350Z and a BMW 3-series behind it! Haven't even read it yet. If no one beats me to it, I'll try and scan it and send it to someone or OCR it.

:D :D :D
-Stephen

StephenF

I just emailed all the scanned pages to Hercules (hope he doesn't mind )

It's out of my hands now...
-Stephen

jonny b

so have you read it yet? wutsit say?

RXhusker

Here is the picture on the cover: :D

Now somebody please post the article!

bbertha37

This is torture! LOL!

ZoomZoom

Somebody please wake Herc up!!!

Hercules

*rubs eyes*

StephenF

Ok, while were waiting for Herc to pull through (can anybody else post large pics?), I'll give away some of the details.

It was't really a detailed comparison, just a general comparison with a 2 door all out sports car (the Z) and a "serious sporting sedan" (the 330i). It is 5 pages long.

Here are some highlights:
- More shoulder room up front than the 330
- same head room up front as the 330
- more legroom in front than the Z
- briefly said that they liked the interior
- an inch less shoulder and head room in back than the 330
- 2 inches less leg room in back than the 330 (but they comment about the ability to stick your feet under the front seat).
- "bit more" rear leg room than a IS300 sedan.
- says full size passengers can live back there for about an hour, but it's "damn claustrophobic"
- "is there any engine that revs as sweetly as this?"
- "as the tach needle swings around the dial, and the rising swell of power is tremendously exhilarating"

Ok, that will get you started. I'll get to the good stuff in just a minute. :D

StephenF

Some more highlights:
- "...the rotary engine's dirty little secret, a conspicuous absence of torque"
- but they say it's "far more drivable" than the S2000
- but "it can't hope to have the authoritative bark of the Z's V6" or the "dynamo-like elasticity" of the 330's inline 6
- "But it's senselss to go looking for the nature of the RX-8 in the numbers. It's just not that kind of car. Instead, you need to drive it."
- "doesn't have the taut, muscular response of the Z-car. It doesn't have the sure, carved-from-billet feel of the BMW. But it's light to the touch, and the car does your bidding with just the pressure from your fingertips."
- "You find the goodness of low weight every time you're at the RX-8's wheel, because it delivers cornering grip almost effortlessly..."
- stops shorter than both the BMW and the Z
-"Detailing like this makes it feel as if you're driving around with an antigravity device attached to the car. You barly brush the controls and the Mazda makes it's move, delivering driving dynamics that are reminiscent of a Miata."
-The gearchange seems supernaturally precise
- They say its "an authentic sports car with a dimension of practicality..."
- "it offers real-world rear seat accomodation, only not like a BMW. It delivers true sports car performance, only not like a Nissan Z-car. It's simply not like anything else, much like the rotary engine itself."

Ok, I think I just about typed out the whole article

I'll put some specs up next...
-Stephen

StephenF

Specs:

0-60:
RX-8: 6.2 sec
330i: 6.5 sec
350Z: 5.6 sec

1/4 mile
rx-8: 14.8 @ 95mph
330i: 15.1 @ 94mph
350Z: 14.2 @ 97mph

Cornering l/r
RX-8: .95/.93
330i: .92/.91
350Z: .99/.96

70-0
RX-8: 153ft
330i: 157ft
350Z: 176ft

Top Speed
RX-8: 150mph
330i: 128mph
350Z: 155mph

Weight
RX-8: 3020 lb

Anything else you want to know?

It sounds like the RX-8 split the difference in every way between the Z and the 330i. Sounds good to me!

I noticed that a lot of the comments I put down sounded kinda negative, but the whole article was quite positive (at least I thought so). You'll just have to read the whole thing. Which brings me to my next point: You should have a subscription to all these magazines in the first place!!!

-Stephen

Hercules

Either I afford the car or the insane amount of magazine subscriptions ....

Roujin

Is this out on the stands? been out last weekend looking for this and the new C&D.

StephenF

I don't know if it's in the stands yet, I got mine in the mail. I still haven't got my Car & Driver in the mail yet and I'm waiting till then to read the article

-Stephen

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

it's the April issue, which means it won't be at the newstands for another month

subscribers always get first dibs

santino

automobile magazine was out on the stands yesterday. it was the C&D magazine that was not out, at least here in Irvine, CA. i was looking for that one, but ran into the automobile mag instead. i am going to see if C/D is out today. i have been to Barnes' & Noble everyday since Sunday trying to get C/D...the lady at the register already knows my name.

santino

tribal

i go to the one on Barranca and Lake...it is the one right next to the movie theater and the Bank of America. i also go the one in the Tustin Market Place, since it is bigger, with more places to sit.

santino

danielk015

iTrader: (1)

i go to the tustin ranch one myself

gusmahler

I don't know why the magazine industry works this way, but the April date means that the issue is pulled from the newstands in April. This issue is already out, as are C&D and R&T.

zoom44

got it last night!

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

looks like a trip to local B&N is in order!