zoom44

ok, i have mentioned this before and now i have seen several other people post about it as well.
what do you think of the rx8 as competition for the bmw 3series.
im thinking that there will always be people who by a beemer (sp. beamer or bimmer) because its a beemer, but people who like to drive might consider the rx8. room and performance should be the same or better and the price for the rx8 is a closer reach for alot of people. do you think that the mags will compare them?
personally i think that between the rx8 and the mazda6, the bmw 3series is looking at some serious competition.


edit for spelling of beemer, sorry folks!

Quick_lude

The coupe or sedan? :p Here we go again.. lol..

irresistibo

I refered to the 6 as a possible alternative for the BMW only if it is offered as a RWD. I learned how to drive on a BMW 325, i love BMW's in general, but now that mom and dad arent buying me a car and i have to think of lower cost alternatives for such a car i think that Mazda is the logical choice to consider. THat is if they make a RWD car other than the RX8 and miata. Again, i think the 6 could be the ultimate niche car if it was RWD. It would have all the reliability, value, etc of any Japanese car in its class(accord, camry) but it would be fun to drive and great looking. I know theres a huge market of kids who get Accords just cause their is no other real option out there, forget about the camry which feels like a boat. A Mazda 6 in rwd would be a great option, and one that would sell very well. A 2 door mazda 6 with rear wheel drive, priced at its current level would be amazing, and produce a couple mazda speed versions priced at around 27k and the demand would be incredible.

Hercules

No, you're wrong too.

It's BIMMER.

Aka, bimmerfest.com

zoom44

ok i edited my post to reflect the other spellings:o

Elara

I read somewhere that it was bimmer for the cars and beemer for the bikes. But who knows.

In any case, after having one BMW, we're going for the RX-8. We love our BMW, but driving it feels like driving a big powerful beast- kind of stereotypically heavy, lot a lot of German things. Now, we want something light on its feet and nimble- something I'm hoping for in the RX-8.

Hercules

*smack*

Better?

heehehehee

Quick_lude

Well seing how the estimated weight is about 2970lbs incidentally it's virtually the same as my Prelude. This car will not feel VERY light and nimble. It will feel lighter in comparison to a 3400lb BMW but imo it will feel not heavy and not light, just ok. Light and nimble begins at about 2800lbs and below imo.

Quick_lude

Wheelbase 101.2 in.

Overall Length 172.2 in.

Overall Width 67.9 in.

Overall Height 55.1 in.

Track Front: 58.5 in.
Rear: 58.5 in.

Curb Weight 2767 lbs

These are the stats for the RSX-S.. Not sure why it's 200lbs lighter.. Maybe because it's a 2+2 and not a true four seater?

fuz

The expanded boxy shape of the RSX is much more efficient between duty as a body panel and structural support, so less metal is needed. Also everything on the car is just enough, with little excess. This conveniently makes the car cheaper to manufacture as well.

The celica is yet another 200lbs lighter than the RSX, probably since it dosen't come with as many features. Luxury, as we all should know adds weight.

Quick_lude

Celica is just plain small. Have you ever sat inside? I did, I'm 6' 190lbs and it was very cramped compared to my Prelude. The back seats are virtually nonexistant, when I set the front seat to proper distance for me, I almost touched the rear seat with the front seat.

Rich

It won't be, it's FWD or AWD.

Hercules

I think one of the reasons is that there's no mechanics to send power to the rear wheels... it's a front wheel drive car. And that alone helps it lose some weight.

But i'm not here to race. I'm here to hit the curves, so while you beat me on the straightaway... I'll cya down the twisties

fuz

Curves are my specialty as well. I like putting the smack down on my fellow bmw drivers (and others) who think their hot **** and tailgate me though freeway on/off ramps. They brake, I don't. They try to follow, they drive out of the lane. Most people can't even keep the car between the lines in a large curve, much less keep up with someone who drives though it everyday. Of course, some drive though it everyday and still can't even keep their car in the center of the road--even at 25mph

The great thing is that right after the turn, people blow by me when they get pissed. Too bad that there is a cop waiting by the exit. I'm sure they were wondering why I was slowing down at the end.

If I can do this in my stock e46 325i on 205 55 16 A/S, it might not even be a challenge in a RX-8. :D

Hercules

Yea, I still don't understand the OBSESSION with going 'fast'.

Even my grandmother can put her foot to the floor and get the car to go fast. I can do it in nearly any car. It takes skill to trek thru the twisties at a fast rate, without losing traction, apexing your corners perfectly, and doing it all with a smile.

One of my friends got a nice car, an Audi A4 3.0, and when he takes a hard turn (because I often tease him about "what a good curve this is", and thus he tries to do what I do), he loses a good bit of control of the car and from the looks on his face, his bowels :P

Last time we took a sharp little turn onto an exit, he hit the wheel left and the car was ALL over the road.. he locked up and got really scared, because he really didn't know how to control the car on the corner.

And that is where skill takes over the people who can push the pedal to the floor.

Give me 100 guys who can go fast, and I can barely find one that knows how to corner in a car.

Sputnik

Lemme see, how does that quote from James Garner go?...

"The thrill for me is not driving through a corner at 90 miles per hour. The thrill is taking a car that can do 40 miles per hour through a corner, and taking it through that corner at 39.99 miles per hour."

I'd have to go back and see if that's exactly the way he worded it, but you get the point.

---jps

Grimace

Some of the best times I've had driving were in a slow car wringing it out. I think Peter Egan wrote a bit in R&T about "going fast in slow cars" a year or two ago, and it rang a bell with me.

wakeech

ya, like in a junior formula car, or a Miata... outrunning "faster" cars 'cause you're running out of a corner at twice the speed coming down the next straight... it's the magic of raod racing. :D

Donny Boy

Yes, yes, yes.

The RX-8 is properly compared with the BMW 3 series. Similay length, width and height, except RX weighs less, has more power (though less torque) and looks better inside and out. Similar build quality, except that when things break, the RX would be less expensive to fix.

fuz

It doesn't have enough snob appeal! :p