playdoh43

even for enthusiasts, the superior ability to make maneuvers in everyday traffic is in large part what makes sports cars attractive to us. Lets face it, how many people here actually take their cars to the track? I'm pretty sure its very few, Ive only been to the track 2x in my life, once for a driving school at summit point, and once for a track day a VIR. Thats less than .1% of the time I'm in my car. 99% of our driving is done on public roads, and the ability to make maneuvers and accelerate quickly are very important for sports cars.

stop getting pissed just because people are talking about acceleration, no one was saying that handling isn't important also. Theres nothing wrong with wanting a car thats both fast and handles well. Theres nothing wrong with wanting a car thats just fast either. Everyones got their cup of tea. I look down my nose at any "fanboi" delusional enough to downplay the importance of acceleration

globi

The RX-8 still beats the Camry in the twisties...



Also: Get your facts straight. Just because BMW exported a stinky M3 version to the US doesn't mean the rest of the world didn't get a more powerful version: The E36 M3 from 1992 did indeed have a 286 hp (3.0l) engine and the
1996 had a 321 hp (3.2l) engine.

9291150

Who’s pissed? I’m calling it like I see it. Show me any, even one of the countless RX8 vs. anything threads that DIDN’T focus on acceleration. So am I really downplaying acceleration, or do so many here place the importance of acceleration above all else? Maybe it’s unique to Americans. And that’s fine, whatever floats your boat. After all, the whole “mine is bigger that yours” muscle car industry was based on this.

I always like giving insight to the fact that there is actually a whole world out there who believes that more speed doesn’t always equal more fun. My comparatively slow touring bike is usually more fun than my superbike for 95% of my street rides, to deride it because it doesn’t trap over 140mph is moronic IMO. But yeah, “everyones got their cup of tea”, even morons.

playdoh43

Last I check plenty of people here cares about handling too? god forbid we deem acceleration as an important characteristic of sports cars and gasp, talks about it. yet, like Saturn said, you comes in and take it to the extreme...

GulfCoast

All I know is, the 8 is more fun than any car I've ever driven; the quality of the car is far better than most of the "boy racer" cars out there; the car is nimble enough to get me out of serious trouble -- such as coming up on something littering the highway in the dead of night -- unlike the heavy boxes; it's drop-dead gorgeous; and it's plenty fast off the line or at speed. If I'm a fanboy, it's because the 8 has earned it. Other cars have their strengths -- just like the 8 has its weaknesses -- but I'll take the 8. As cars continue to develop, I expect Mazda will improve the 8 in newer iterations (if they keep making them). I look forward to seeing what's next.

tjbourgoyne

I'm getting one and putting flames on that ****.

saturn

And people use that track time from Top Gear every 20 seconds on this forum to conclude beyond a shadow of a doubt that the 8 is as fast as an M3 around every track known to man. Some people are just stupid and they take all forms and use all sorts of stats.

But the problem is that just because someone references a 0-60 time or whatever doesn't immediately make them some immature boy racer. I think the fact that a lot of people seem to focus on acceleration around here should be taken as praise to a car that is otherwise devoid of any major performance desires.

Mitsubishi has seemingly listened to its critics by creating the Evo X. The major criticism was that it looked cheap and they appear to have done a lot to fix that. What's wrong with us wanting Mazda to do the same?

And to continue your analogy I could easily just say, "my comparatively ugly Evo is usually more fun than my RX-8 for 95% of my street rides, to deride it because it doesn’t look like a Ferrari is superficial IMO. But yeah, 'everyones got their cup of tea', even superficial people concerned more about what everyone thinks of their cars styling and/or badging." We could go back and forth like this forever and neither of us would change our minds.

PhotoMunkey

Ok, Porsche quality and build is on a completely different level... The base Boxster is one of the best handling cars in their entire lineup. The Boxster S or Cayman will spank our beloved RX-8s in a straight line AND in the twisties, as will a 911. That's comparing apples to grapefruit!

A person buys a Porsche because they can, they're cool, and because Porsche has forgotten more about winning races than every other company has forgotten!

And to all of the Toyota-haters out there... Don't forgot the almighty Supra Turbo... Toyota CAN build a sports car, they just choose NOT to because they're after market-domination here in the US (and world) and know we lemmings buy drab, dull, boring, affordable cars for our daily commutes.

playdoh43

In every RX8 vs thread theres also discussions focused on handling...?

you claim soooooooooo many here place the importance of acceleration above all else...Can you name some names? Does someone talking about acceleration mean he place the importance of acceleration above all else? I wonder how you were able to reach that conclusion? some names would be nice since theres sooooooo many

9291150

Look at the threads man, don't know how you can deny it. It's always about acceleration. Looooooook!

9291150

I wasn't comparing man, you're missing my point on what makes a great car.

Anyhoo, your opinion of Porsche might be a bit inflated. They got by far the highest profit margin per car of any manufacturer, so all that money doesn't necessarily go to build quality. They've had their share of issues, and their interior materials are only beginning to look decent. And Porsche owners being cool...

playdoh43

how can you claim it??? I mean sure people love to talk about acceleration, but people love to talk about handling too... just because someone make a post about acceleration and not mention handling dosnt make that person someone who put acceleration above all else. is talking about 0-60 or 1/4 mile a sin now?

Last I check there are very very few people, if any that actually take the stance where they say Accleration is everthing and handling and/or everything else dosnt matter? I dont really remember anyone ever say something in the lines of "Hey guys who cares about handling when you can go fast in a straight line? acceleration is all that matters"

It would help the rest of us understand your logic better if you can actually site some names of those "so many people" who put acceleration above all else?...

Ike

So who wins the outhouse races of your people, the guy with the fastest outhouse or the guy with the best handling outhouse? Maybe it's the guy with the best build quality...

playdoh43

I mean would it make you feel better, if everyone from now on, whenever we say anything about 0-60 or 1/4 mile about another car, we must tack on at the bottom of the post:


Hey guys the new M3 can do 0-60 in 4.5 seconds!
For 90210: RX8 Handles Great!

Detrich

geez... there are plenty of cars out there faster, more expensive, and with better gas mileage than the 8. so, the camry has some merits. but, look at the other side of the coin. for one, it's a mid-size car and not even in the same class as us. second, it's THE most stolen car in the united states- esp here in california. and, third, it targets a completely different demographic buyer than us.

New Yorker

Excuse me, but when did we start evaluating the measure of a sports car by its speed? The MX-5 Miata is about as sports car as a sports car can be—isn't it the most popular sports car in the history of the planet?—and it's not especially fast.

Edmunds.com said it best way back when they pitted the 8 against a 350Z:

"Yeah, we know, the 350Z is faster at the drag strip. And had we done hot laps on a road course, it might have turned in the fastest times there, too. It's got the big V6, the huge 18-inch wheels and stylish lines that get second glances even in L.A.

But in the end, sports cars are more than just numbers and pictures on a page. They are about how you feel in the driver seat and how much you're dying to get back in it when you're not. There's no doubt that the Z has more than enough mojo to inspire a few desktop daydreams, but ultimately, the RX-8 was the one that left us smirking."

With all due respect, who's dying to get back behind the wheel of a Camry???

devildog1679

I agree, and soon the handling will be matched as well. In essence sooner rather than later the 8 will be obsolete. Even though I don't care, I love my car and I new all this prior to purchasing it. it would be nice though if Mazda could give us some love. All I want is a rotary car that lives up to the name.

globi

It could be worse:
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/7...c36b4e0747.htm

DaveCM203

That was great.

Oh, I sold Toyotas for a couple of years. Camrys suck. The suspension is awful. I will have to admit that I wish my 8 pulled as hard as the v-6. But, I love my 8. It does what it was made to do.

devildog1679

Took on a Camry this morning. Not my idea, I was doing about 60 on the highway. He pulled up floored it slowed down to allow me to catch up then looked at me. He floored it again this time I downshifted to 3rd and bye bye. I didn't pull far or fast but I did put some distance b/w us. Then we both exited same exit and had a red-light. Light turns red we both go. He got the jump (I did not feather the clutch) but I caught up quick and crept by him. Next light he took off and I let him go, that was enough fun for one morning. Got to say it was mighty fast. FYI I do not condone what I did.

imput1234

iTrader: (6)

It's not about speed, its about the experience you get from the car.
You want speed? get a camero with a ls1 for under 6K, you got speed, we buy cars like the rx8 or the s2000, not because they are the fastest cars on the block, but because of how it feels to drive these cars. And the feeling is priceless.

devildog1679

Totaly agree, I love how the 8 feels at the track. And yes I will be getting the new Camaro when it comes out I will also keep the 8, can't beat it as a track car.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Im sure there are alot of people who can get orgy from the new Camry.

But not me, I have enough of those average joe cars.

Argh, just like everytime when I have to drive my Brother's Altima SE-R ..... I feel sick, I feel like I got raped 10 times in a row.

VikingDJ

Right on. My Mazdaspeed 6 is faster then my RX8 was, and is even a little faster then my S2000, but the feeling you get from the car is what matters. This extra speed is basically for one's ego and bragging it seems. As far as I am concerned, the RX8 has enough power.

I plan on modding my Speed 6, and that car is gonna be the ultimate sleeper. However, it's still just a luxury sedan that gets me to work and in bad weather. There really isn't much of a feeling I get from that car. It's my beater though, so I'm not complaining.

My former RX8 and my current S2000 give me that feeling I love. Who cares about the Camry being faster. It means NOTHING. 4 Door sedans have been overpowering sports cars for a while now. That in itself is ashame, but it is what it is.

CarAndDriver

With the current Camry, who can tell which end is going first to 60 in under 6 seconds.