Razz1

I think I'm gonna drag race every new Camary!

Ike

I ran low 15s high 14s @92-93 in my 95 Maxima. It was a step or two above the competition at the time but it was a sign of things to come.

Ike

It will beat an RX-8 worse from a roll than from a dig considering its trap speeds.

CarAndDriver

All that torque.....

Aznxkaiser

Handling wise though no grocery getter FWD car (Camry,Corolla etc) can touch the RX8. Anyways sorry I brought this up, but I was just trying to point out that Mazda hasnt done much to upgrade the RX8 in the last 4 years, besides the AT going 6 port.
Of course if we compare real world track time, RX8 = sex. (At least using the Top Gear track times 1:30.8, same speed as the 350z and the M3).

flomulgator

10 years ago the E36 M3 made 240 hp from a 3.2L
15 years ago it would have made the same or less.
The most recent M3 used the same 3.2 L block as M3's of yore but went from 2 to six throttle bodies to produce 330hp. Get yo facts straight.

ЯX-8

My mom has a 04 Camry SE, and it's pretty damn quick actually..

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

That does it. I'm buying a Camry and modding the hell out of it.

FI here we come.

rodrigo67

Have to disagree with this one. FWD cars are getting much better every year. While they are not completely there, I think soon it will take a professional driver to get the difference out of them. The RSX keeps up very well with the 8, even around tracks and I have seen enough vids showing them run aroiund a track faster then the 8. The recent grand am cup had 10 RX-8's running in it and it was won by an RSX.

Car and Drivers new lightning lap had the chevy cobalt ss just 3 secs behind the rx8 on a 3:15 vs 3:18 lap time. 3 secs on a 3 min lap is not bad, also considering that the cobalt has less power then the 8.

I won't even mention the MS3, which handles much better then you think a FWD should.

It's only a matter of time...and I think that time will be much sooner then we all thought...

Chrisbert

I was not serious. But, her RDX sure seems quicker than 6.8.
Oh, and I drive a MT.

Aznxkaiser

Yeah I know FWD cars are getting better, likes the RSX, but I said family cars, like the Camry or Accord and such cars like those. RSX-S and JDM Integra-R are known to be "handling" FWD cars. I am probably wrong but I have heard there was some torque steer in the MS3? I read it in a forum sometime ago but it could have been just speculation.
Anyways I would have to say the (In terms of Japanese motors), the best handling cars would be the S2k and the Evo.

playdoh43

the family sedans are obviously not going to handle like a sporty car, the implication of this thread lies more in terms of daily driving where 99% of the driving is done...

say you are on the public road thinking about overtaking someone to change lane, it used to be that in a sports car you can just tap the gas and you are confident that you can over take the other car... even if the other guy dosn't want you to get in front and he starts to accelerate too, you can still easily out accelerate him to over take him and change lane.

now its the opposite where the dude in hes family v6 camery will be doing that to you.

PoorCollegeKid

That may be true in the US (though the S54 actually put out 333hp), but in the rest of the world he's correct. The 3.0L E36 M3 put out 282hp in Europe, and the 3.2L E36 M3 was rated at 321hp. These engines didn't quite make it to America, but they were out there.

saturn

That's exactly right. It may be childish or whatever, but I hate the idea that someone with a car with a lower price tag, lower insurance rates, better fit/finish, more cargo room, and probably better gas mileage can stop me from passing them at any given time. Not only do you have the GTO's, 300's, and Charger's to worry about you now have to worry about Camry's, Maxima's, etc.

konradk

i DO believe its time for Mazda to make good on that recall on all 04-07 8's that were NOT fitted with a factory twin turbo

zoom44

i keep noticing people mention how fast the cobalt is- and it is. but very few people mention how the "wing" on the trunk actually flaps at speed! seriously that thing actually flaps up and down when it gets wind across it- you can hear it and see it.

Ike

Also, the Cobalt SS supercharged puts more power down than the RX-8. So the Cobalt is a very capable handler but the closeness of the lap times is more due to the Cobalt having power rather than the handling.

Design1stCode2nd

Mazda will need to do something beyond DI if they have any hope of keeping the RX8 competitive. Looks and handling are only going to get you so far.

Also at some point I think the family sedan power needs to taper off. Aren't most Camry's and Accords sold actuall 4 cylinders instead of 6's. I can understand the sport sedans like the 3 series, G35 or even a Charger but a basic transportation device just doesn't need that much power.

9291150

It is childish...period.

9291150

Forget Camry's, haven't most of you realized that many $3000 moded civics out there would blow away many a sportscar. Or that you can walk out with the keys to your new Ferrari F430 and some **** on a mundane street bike can still launch away from ya?

Makes you wonder who is buying boxsters or n/a 911's when so many cheaper cars are faster eh?

...mouth breathers!

saturn

You're the only one who always has to take it to the extreme. You're completely and utterly unreasonable. No one here is saying that "i w1sh my car wa5 teh fast3st!!1!" but that's all you choose to hear. We're talking about how "normal" cars are encroaching on many of the categories that were once solely held by full-fledged sports cars. I'm sorry if I actually evaluate my purchases with my priorities and have found the 8 to be wanting.

This is the "General Automotive" section. We should be able to talk about stuff like this. If you don't like it, go away.

Joel Ramsey

Now the Tundra and the Rav 4 Limited are nearly as quick to 60 if not as quick as the 8. Toyota is definitely in a hp war.

When the Prius outruns my 8 I will sell it

9291150

Geez, where'd your humor go saturn.

I like questioning people's thinking, actually I kinda do it for a living...exploring ones conscious vs. unconscious mind to understand ones motivation. It's quite fascinating.

saturn

You've been in this argument way too long to now claim it's just sarcasm. If you want to try and figure out why we all want a car that goes faster then just ask. Don't act like our questions are just whiny complaints from magazine racers dead set on pwning n00bs off the line.

9291150

It's not sarcasm, admittedly I look down my nose at anyone who place so much worth on acceleration stats alone. I'm not here to be on anyone's Christmas card list. You're deeper than most here, but many here are "whiny complainers."