Automobile Magazine: "Life After 8000 RPM"
 

The new 2/12 issue has a nice piece about the Lotus Elise and RX-8. I didn't see it on their website, though.

LIFE AFTER 8000 RPM
AS THE LOTUS ELISE AND THE MAZDA RX-8 MAKE A QUIET EXIT, WE PUSH THE UNDERAPPRECIATED, INCOMPARABLE SPORTS CARS TO REDLINE ONE LAST TIME.

"…Mazda wouldn't make the same pricey mistake with the RX-8 that it made in 1993. To control costs, the RX-7's twin sequential turbo-chargers were eliminated. The price was slashed, but so was engine output. Power fell from 255 to 232 hp. Torque plummeted. The RX-8's defining characteristic was born.

The dearth of torque—just 159 lb-ft—and an 8500-rpm horsepower peak mean going anywhere quickly in an RX-8 requires using lots of revs. The torqueless wonder feels less punchy than many compact cars, but deliberate, committed acceleration is the fast path to love in an RX-8. With the right pedal pinned, the rotors build revs with the quickness of a motorcycle engine and the smoothness of an electric motor.

The RX-8 feels particularly at home on the track, where parking the tach needle in the upper third of its range is more practical. Flicking the stubby shifter back and forth through the tight pattern is a reward for keeping the engine on boil between 6000 and 9000 rpm. That's a powerband normally accessible only in cars like Lamborghinis and Ferraris, and an RX-8 costs a tenth as much as those cars…

Mazda claims a dry weight of just 250 pounds for the 13B Renesis engine, a fact made even sweeter by the rotary's tidy dimensions, which allow the engine to be tucked low and far back in the chassis. Through corners, the RX-8 is planted, its neutral handling nothing but predictable. The RX-8's steering is quick without being edgy. Its convincing weight masks the fact that it is electrically assisted, as it has been since 2004, well before the infinitely tunable, fuel-saving technology became widespread. That the RX-8—and contemporaries such as the Acura NSX and the Honda S2000—absolutely nailed the execution is a testament that such systems can be just as good, if not better, than hydraulically assisted setups.

If the RX-8 is so special, why would Mazda kill it? Back in 2004, lowering the price point wasn't enough to guarantee success. Rather than err toward Elise-like simplicity, Mazda hedged its rotary revival on a suspect premise: practicality. With a pair of rear-hinged doors, the RX-8 would lay claim to being a truly functional four-seat sports car. No one would ever have reason to buy another Toyota Camry.

That idea—predictably—didn't pan out. Splitting the focus between driver and passengers resulted in a wheelbase of 106.3 inches, up from 95.5 inches in the previous RX-7, and as a result the RX-8 isn't as tossable as its predecessor. Compared with the knife-edged Elise, the RX-8 feels almost minivan-ish. The seating position is high, the ride is relaxed, and the view out is framed by so much more car. Relatively speaking. The RX-8 wasn't the great sports car it could have been; it was a great grand tourer. It was also a great engine plunked into a car that wasn't sure of itself…"

It's too bad that you can't buy a new car with a rotary engine or one that weighs less than a ton (save for the Smart For Two), but when good cars can't be bought in dealerships, they trade in a market that values them as more than cars. Prized by dedicated enthusiasts and collectors, they ascend to a legendary status. Even if the Lotus Elise and the Mazda RX-8 aren't quite legends yet, their retirement certainly puts them one step closer."

the elise and RX series of Mazdas will always be my top 2 favorite cars. nice find, btw

:).

great find!

I really like this "Flicking the stubby shifter back and forth through the tight pattern is a reward for keeping the engine on boil between 6000 and 9000 rpm. That's a powerband normally accessible only in cars like Lamborghinis and Ferraris, and an RX-8 costs a tenth as much as those cars…"

Good to know I drive a car that has the powerband of a Lambo:naughty: .....although not the same hp:SHOCKED:

Good read

Minivan-ish? :cussing:

Most articles praise the handling and save their criticism for the engine. This guy took the opposite approach.

I'll have to look for this. I got my copy but haven't had the chance to browse it yet.

I don't think he was criticizing the handling so much as drawing a contrast to the tossability of the smaller RX-7 and the incredibly nimble little Elise: "…compared to the knife-edged Elise, the RX-8 feels almost minivan-ish. The seating position is high, the ride is relaxed, and the view out is framed by so much more car. Relatively speaking."

I've always thought my R3 was very race-car-like with the Recaros, but then I got (nay...squeezed) into an Elise. I can see where he can say what he's saying when comparing an Elise and an RX-8, but against most other cars the RX-8 has a cockpit, not a driver's seat.

This is what it shouldve been.
http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1303/4...356bba96_b.jpg

^ 100% agreed.

The back seats and rear doors don't really bother me anymore, but coming from a Rx-7 I was very disappointed at first. Took a few years and a road trip in one to change my mind.

I feel like crying...lol

Good find!

That guy does have a point tho, rx8 compare to fd even fc, is like driving a tank.

My fc weight about 2600 lbs,even it has fuxking outdated suspension setup(stock) it still handles really well and in some point of view, i like driving the fc more than the fe.

I see your point, but If that were the case, I wouldn't have one. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but the rear doors and rear seat room were a huge selling point for me.

And the fact that "it was a great grand tourer" (as stated in the article) is another positive.

The RX-8 is just about the perfect car for me. (Of course I wouldn't pass on a few more HP, ft/lbs, or mpg...) ;)

Rear seats and doors were a selling point for me too. Good for practicallity when cruising with mates, also a great showoff piece on a Friday night. My only critisism is the full length console stopping some hanky panky in the back seat.

Nice find, Thanks.

I agree with Jasonrxeight however.

I too was looking for a four place car. Indeed, what I wanted was a nimble handling and entertaining grand tourer, without having to spend six figures to achieve it.

I disagree Jason. I think the car should also have been alot smaller and weight just a little bit north of a miata. I would have really liked an Rx8 to have been the miata coupe that Mazda fiddled with a while back.

I think my 8 is leap-and-bounds ahead of my FC in the handling department. I dont even notice the backseat most of the time... Then again my DD is an H3, so the 8 feels quite tiny.:lol:

I have to agree with some of the other members...if the 8 didn't have the two rear seats then I wouldn't be an owner. My choice in vehicles came down to the STI, G35 and the 8 and I decided I could get everything I wanted with this beautiful, great handling car....too bad it doesn't have 200+ lb/ft of torque but the strength of this vehicle is going around corners really well...when I want to go really fast or accelerate like a bat out of hell then I get on my Hayabusa....different tools for different tasks. An orange Elise/Exige is on my all time want list btw.

Agreed!

Four seats was a must for me too. Probably why I kept coming back to the 8.

^Agreed.

My choice really was between a Camry, Accord, and 8. The 8 was cheaper, lower milage, later model year, better equipped, and I can still carry a kiddo or 2 when needed.

Put the wife in the driver's seat on a test drive and the rest is history. :)

Same here. I wanted a sports car but needed 4 seats for the occasional picking up people from the airport, road trips, etc. Couldn't afford an M3 so the RX8 fit the bill perfectly.

Completely agree. Mazda already had a compact sports car for that market segment (which cannot accomodate me or my stuff), so I don't think they needed another one alongside. The RX-8 expanded the model line-up by being a Grand Touring car.