I miss my R3
 

It's been over 3 years since I parted ways with my R3. In that time I've put >55k miles, 7 track days, and Öhlins coilovers on my E90 M3. From a strictly rational perspective, the M3 has done everything my R3 did, and then some -- and it does it with more speed, better throttle response, a lot more comfort, and way better steering. Maintenance-wise, it needs more small stuff but less big stuff (doesn't eat engines or cats every 60k-80k miles), and FCP Euro's lifetime warranty greatly reduces the gap in parts costs. Realistically, I don't think I'll ever find myself back in an 8. Next time I buy a car that's less practical than the M3, it'll be a 2-seater.

But damnit, I still miss that R3. Not even sure why but it seems to be permanently under my skin. There are things I can point to: better agility, better hydroplaning resistance, way better gauge cluster. But I think it's mostly the idea of a car that's loud and proud about the fact that it gives a crap about basically nothing besides giving normal people access to the highest level of vehicle dynamics. Everything else about it is not much more than an excuse to fulfill that mission in an unfriendly market, and it shows, and I love that about it.

If you still have your RX-8, enjoy the hell out of it. There are "better" cars out there, but there's still no substitute. And at this point, there might never be.

It's our favourite slow fast car 😻
And when you graduate, you get an RX-7 FD.

I have some BMWs. Some M types. They are incredible cars. I sold my 2010 RX-8 Grand Touring to get an M2. Once I got the 2 I knew that I needed to get an 8 back in the stable. Its two different cars, two Different Worlds. Fortunate to find a nice 2010 R3. The 8 is just so freakin 'connected'

sorry, the R3 was just an S2 pig with lip stick

in addition to all the crappy S2 mods that really amounted to nothing beneficial, but only made them even higher cost, the S2 took the RX8 in the wrong direction from it’s original concept of a nimble, lightweight, low cost performer

the minimal-feature 2005 Base model was the pinnacle of that concept imo

Never driven a non-R3 S2, and only speaking for myself here. I thought the R3 was sublime. For a year-round DD, I found the tradeoffs vs. the S1 to be completely reasonable given the improvements, especially WRT ease of ownership.

If we were talking about a strictly weekend car or track rat, or looking at it strictly in theory and ignoring the practical realities of owning an early S1, I'd be much more inclined to agree with you.