kgk03

What do you feel about an all-wheel drive version of the RX-8. Sure it may handle great on dry roads, but what about rainy and snowy roads?

I owned a 2nd generation RX-7 and felt that it should be practically illegal to drive it during slick conditions.

Does anybody know if this will be a front- or rear-wheel drive transmission? I'm assuming it'll be rear-wheel drive.

Hercules

This has been discussed to death.

The RX-8 will be RWD, and it won't change. The addition of an AWD system adds a good amount of WEIGHT, something fans of this car KNOW that is a BAD thing.

AWD also limits you in many ways. In off-weather situations you might not have the luxury to drive as quickly, but how often does that weather last? Here in Jersey we see quite a bit of snow and such, and the roads are usually clear within a day, at the most two.

Tires make the biggest difference in the rain, and I'm pretty sure that Mazda will put a set on there that is very capable. Hell, my Kuhmo Ecstas are great in the rain, and they are very cheap tires!

AWD for this car, and generally for all sports cars should be a no-no. It's not a rally car. You don't need AWD. And AWD will not help you if you don't know how to drive properly in the first place (not pointing anybody out, just saying). Good example is my friend who has an Audi A4 3.0 Quattro. He took a turn in the rain and the car was all over the place. It's common sense and proper driving technique that will save you and let you drive in adverse conditions appropriately.

Toadman, if you can close this topic there's another one with the same exact question.. he can read that I'm sure

Toadman

I saw the double post earlier but hadn't gotten around to deleting it yet. And you've got a PM Herc.

fuz

I don't think I'd take AWD on this car. It adds too much weight like herc said. Now if I have around 300hp+, and the AWD system was tweaked to give the same kind of feel and charactaristics of RWD, then I'd take it. However it takes very fine tuning to get to that point, and for all the cost and complexity, I do not think it is worth it.

But the FR RX-8 had better come with a rear LSD! I'm tired of smoking my inner wheel on corners.

kgk03

Respectfully, I know how to drive in slick conditions, and even with the best tires, the RX-7 was not known as a safe car in snow or rain. I live in Minnesota and I'm from Jersey, so no lectures please.

Your insight on AWD is well-received, however. I guess I was just hoping for a better all-weather vehicle. Large tires, plenty of torque and a light car do not usually make for the safest car on the snow. But, in the end, I'm just happy that the rebirth of the rotary engine is on the horizon...

Hercules

I hear ya on that one, but living in Minn... makes me wonder if the RX-8 is a feasible car at all during the winter!

You really need a 4 wheeler over there with that amount of snow. One of my good friends is from Minn/Wisc, so I hear the horror stories.

Rich

4WD doesn't really help all that much in winter. Sure, if you're stopped you get going quicker but it doesn't help you turn or stop any better, and those are the maneuvers that save your bacon. I drove a RWD vehicle for about 6 years in Wisconsin and now have a Miata in Colorado. Good snow tires make far more of a difference than 4wd. 4wd doesn't give you and additional traction, it just lets the power get distributed better. Since it adds extra weight, you actually need more traction to stop and turn than with RWD.

Of course, there are some advantages from 4wd in inclement weather, but good tires make a far, far bigger difference. I'd take my Miata with Blizzak WS50s in the snow over a similar car with 4WD, traction control and ABS on all-season tires in a heartbeat! It's just not close.

There are advantages to 4WD on dry pavement, but I prefer the way RWD cars handle. I wouldn't even consider the RX-8 if it was 4WD, but that's just a personal preference.

Takumi

I think 4wd helps handling in snow I live in minn also and. I think i would drive any car during the winter. Just Drive slower. Anyone rear end you it owuld be on their fault for driving at such speeds in such weather conditions.

fuz

4wd without snow tires may be worse than RWD with them, but 4wd with snow tires is better than RWD with them. You actually need more weight (to a certain limit) on snow to enhance stop, turn, accelerate and brake. This is for the same reason as preventing hydroplaning. You need enough force pushing down on the tires to bite into the snow, without getting the snow to spray everywhere.

Rexman

Just today I looked at the BMW IX 2.5 and was pleased with the quality, build, looks etc of that car. But when the added weight was factored into the equation, I realized that 4WD was not a viable option for a low torque car. I'd prefer RWD on my RX-8, thank you.

wakeech

ya fuz, that's true: you gotta up the normal force on the tyres to increase their grip on the road... the way you can do that without increasing the mass of the car is to get narrower tyres, which distributes the same amount of force over less area, thus increasing your grip on the road...

i've not driven anything other than FWD, other than the Mercedes i tried (a rich, hot, young cantonese female friend of mine let me drive her's from one parking lot to another...), so i can't really comment on the advantages of 4WD over RWD... i just don't care either way: i'll just go slow, or stay at home...

Hercules

Amen to that

Why can't people learn that you don't need AWD for 'weather', you just need to stop putting your foot to the ground!

My Audi-fanatic friend insists I need AWD, and I insist I don't :D Who needs the extra weight? He can keep it as I roar thru the twisties and yea... he can overtake me in the snow if he likes.

wakeech

one thing i shoulda commented on before, however, is how much open differentials blow nuts (i mean, that's hard to do!! nuts in general are fairly dense... not exactly easy to move with breath!!), even in light rain...

i know everyone knows this, but FWD cars are mostly just cheap crap (like all the ones i've driven), and have open diffs... jesus, i hate having to lift just trying to TURN LEFT from a stop on a damp road... i'm sure that with some kind of a more intelligent system, however this torsen thing works, would be totally cool with me... i doubt i'd have a problem pilotting this thing in sensible weather...