oilman

I can assure you all that the 231ps is genuine. Contact yr Dealer!

We will all get a letter from Mazda UK week 26/5 confirming the specs, insurance grouping, performance figures and the "free" pro drive live training.

At least something is happening behind the scenes!

Cheers
Oilman

MarkW

From the RX-8 book:

US Car 0-60 mph in 6.6
UK Car 0-100kph (62mph) in 6.8

0.2 sec extra to do 2mph seems reasonable.

We also know the US car will do 5.9/6.0, so maybe the press test times will be better for the UK car.

I havent looked at the gearing, but it will also depend whether or not this is attainable in 2nd or 3rd, as the extra gear change looses a little time.

However, the UK 0-60 time of 6.8 is based upon 240ps, not the reduced 231ps shown, so maybe the official time may end up being 7+

Also just to point out that 231ps is equivalent to 228bhp (227.8 to be precise), which is now 19bhp down on the US car.

M1 RX8

I am off to see my dealer today...as well as test drive an s2000 later on. If i like it and if what has been said re bhp ans 0-60 times is true then the choice will be an obvious one! surely if the spec Mazda stated no longer exists then this is false advertising!

ccrx-8

I feel the same.........this needs Mazda UK to explain

can you post what your dealer said?

M1 RX8

will do ccrx-8

will be back late afternoon.....if nothing else at least I will get to let rip to the 9000 rpm red line of the s2000 today...:p

cheers

m1 rx8

18ME

Is it really going to be 2 months late?

That suites me just fine if it is, as I've just secured an R32 and picking it up on Friday. It will give me at least 5 months with the car instead of 3.

ed hall

i'm starting to get worried that I might not fit into this car. I'm about 6 foot 1 and have not orderd the sunroof. How does the front headroom figures compare to the 3 series BMW?

bugbear

ed don't worry too much. i'm 6 2 and have the sunroof. apparently you shouldn't order the sunroof if over 6 foot as it decreases headroom. it'll be tight for you, tighter for me!

RobDickinson

How can we be down 19ps on california's emmisions ?

At 240/250ps it looks good ( and 1300kg) but at 'only' 228 bhp and 1375kg its looking much less sporty. Least in comparison to Subaru, focus RS, Audi TT types.

rael

At the moment there is just no good news and with the initial almost 'blind' ordering excitement over we have been nothing but knocked backs. No-knowledge dealers, no info from Mazda UK and now later delivery and lower power etc. I intend to keep my order in but any doubt I initially had (torque & Interior quality) have now been greatly added to. However, I will do the test drive when the dealer cars come in and see but will walk away if the car does not compete with the TTC whose drivers base Mazda are after.

Certainly Mazda have really lost am oppertunity to bring this car in with a bang.

rael

Edo

ditto.

RobDickinson

I still dont get why were 19ps down on California, surely Euro 4 emissions arnt as strict?

What worrying me is 19ps down, 75kg up and much lower fuel efficiency than what was expected. I'm willing to take a hit at the petrol pump, not on the performance of a sports car...

ChrisW

Just been doing a Google search on these Euro-4 standards. I'm not an expert on any of this, but they do seem to be extremely tight. What puzzles me is that they only apply to cars made after 2005/06. If all that is needed is a tweak to the engine management unit then why can't they introduce the change in a couple of years time (they will have to do this anyway to most of their current models, which probably don't pass Euro-4 at the moment). In the meantime we could have the US/Japan spec.

I suspect we are a victim of some Mazda corporate policy aimed at showing how green they are.

RobDickinson

In which case 2003/4 cars can be modded to euro 3 and 240/250ps and not worry about MOT's n such?

Shame it may affect the warrenty and insurance.

Anyone have an e-mail address at mazda to ask these sort of questions?

sixspeed

Does anyone know where this extra 75kg has come from too? (or did I miss something that's been posted earlier?)


-andy-

morganrogers

I am sure if the limitation is electronic then there will be plenty of persons willing to make the change for us to get the car back to 250bhp.

If it is physical (in the CAT or something) then there will be a problem (or at least it will be expensive).
Valid point about why are we getting the lower power now instead of a couple of years down the line...

On the subject of weight gain - maybe it's leather motorized seats and sunroofs... both add weight !

M.

RobDickinson

Theres a post on the main forums saying 1374 for a GT(?) spec version.

MarkW

Just remember any mods you do to get extra performance will:

a) Cost you Money
b) Put your insurance up
c) Maybe invalidate your warranty (unless manufacturer approved)

MOTs wont be an issue until the car is 3 years old, but the alleged roadside emissions tests may be.

All that to get the car back to what you were expecting in the first place.

ChrisW

To look on the bright side for a moment, maybe this change will knock us down an insurance group? One thing's for sure, group 20 (as earlier rumoured) would now be even more outrageous.

Lensman

Yeah, well just to add insult to injury I wouldn't be surprised if it STAYS in group 20 despite the power loss. I can't see 9bhp dropping it out of there.

ChrisW

Well, actually I'm assuming that group 20 was a mistake and that this power decrease will knock us down from say 18 to 17. Frankly, I need at least one piece of good news on running costs to persuade me not to give up on this whole thing.

Look at the groupings for other cars with similar power:

Alfa 156 GTA 250 hp group 18
Golf R32 237 hp group17/18?
Alfa 147 GTA 237 hp group 17
BMW 330Ci 230 hp group 17
Focus RS 220 hp? group 17

Yes I know there is the S2000 at group 20 but that's a 2 seater convertable (I can't think of any other reason for it being that high). In fact a BMW M3 is only group 19 (according to What Car). The RX8's official fuel consumption figures are about the same as the M3's as well.

When the price was announced I thought the RX8 was a performance bargain. Now we may be looking at a car with the performance of a Civic type-R and the running costs of an M3 and probably big depreciation too.

There are plenty of things I like about the RX8 besides the performance and I'd hate to give up on it because there's nothing else out there at the price really catches my imagination in the same way. But having to pay crazy insurance premiums would really be the final straw.