Actually, the Mazda6 sportshift *is* an automatic transmission (with torque converter and all) - it simply allows you to shift up and down at will.

The toyota mr2 spyder is a true manual, but without a clutch pedal.

Aren't there TWO models of the MR2? 6 speed SMT and 5 speed MT.

Toyota goes a step beyond and actually has a clutch that is hydralically engaged/disengaged is it's manual that has an auto clutch. So there's no torque converter to suck away power. the bmw M3 has this as will volkswagon soon to. This will pretty much be the end of manual except on very low end cars like an srt-4...

Wow, I was just gone for a day. I didn't expect this many replies on the thread. First of all, thanks everyone for backing me up on the purchase of the automatic. I figured I'd get a few of those people that would criticize us about purchasing an automatic.

Anyhow, I was able to drive the car to work today which is about 30 miles one way. I have to admit, the car seems to get better and better after adding a few more miles. I start to notice the smooth engine acceleration and the suspension when going over speed bumps.

As far as the Active matic goes, first in order for it to work, you have to pull the stick to the left in order to start it. IMO, this thing is a work of art. Okay, for example, if you are going 35 mph and you pull the lever, you will start at D3. If you are at a stop and you pull the lever, you will start at D1. This is cool, because I know in the Lexus, you always start at D3 and you have to shift down if you start from a stop position. Already, this is a plus.

Now, once you pull the stick to the left and start up the manual shifting, you have a choice of using the Stick, or the Steering paddles. There are two of each, one for the lefties, and the other for the righties. At first I kept using the Stick because I wanted to feel like I was driving a manual, but once I switched to the steering wheel, it was over. It is fun as hell using the paddles. I swear, this is the best automatic car I have ever driven. I may not have driven many cars, but I have driven an SLK and a BMW 328, but they don't compare to the RX8 automatic.

You've got 4 speeds to switch into. D1 of course is the lowest gear, and D4 is the highest gear in which you will be at the fastest speed. Each time you shift the gear, there is no need to let go of the accelerator although I feel that there is more of a kick when you do let go and puch the gas after you just shifted. There is a big difference in power between using the full automatic mode and the activematic shifter. You can actually feel the power like crazy. Like I said, all the automatic buyers will have no regrets whatsoever.

My personal opinion, I would've loved to have gotten the manual just for the extra power, but now that I've driven the automatic, I'm glad I made this decision. I guess you can say I have the best of both worlds. When I feel like cruising, listening to the boomin' sounds through my Bose Speakers with the moonroof down, I just drive with full automatic mode. When I feel the urge to rip through the road, I go into paddle shifters. Mazda RX8 baby! Gotta love it!

To drive places.

Whooopie!! Don't be so sure, some don't even have the ability.

Quote:

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Once you learn and drive a manual you will never want to go back to auto.

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You know him that well do you? And I guess that means all the people that drive Auto's must not know how to drive stick then. If they did they "would never go back". Where is the "DUH" face?

stownz, tell us more about AT. Does it push u in the seat? Do the wheel paddles shift fast? Which car would you compare 0-60 and 1/4 mile of the RX8 to?

P.S. Don't forget to post more pics. Interior and exterior. :D

yeah, please post some 0-60 times, very interested!

Slowly in this car (RX8)

Do you know them all that well? Do ya?


I do not know him....This car is almost a sports car so if you know how to drive a stick ,I do not (I hope) think you will/would buy an automatic. If you own a slow car yeah maybe you would buy an automatic.

Isn't the low end performance basically the same as a 6pd? I thought its basically the same engine but instead of allowing 9k rpm, it only alows 7rpm. If this is true, there shouldn't be a huge ammount of difference unless your just straight drag racing.

But anyways, I drive a 5 speed Protege and I dont ever want automatic again. I just love it too much.

The auto is actually pretty fun -- have tested both now. The 6MT is definitely more powerful and more fun to push. I was suprised by the AT. Low RPM's is like driving any car off the lot but get the revs up and it will push you back. The key is learning how to use the paddle shifters at the right time and keeping the revs up over 4k. From 5k to 7k it is a blast and feels powerful. From 1k to 5k it feels like a base Mazda 6 AT -- but it still looks cool :cool:

How does AT compare to MT at low RPMs? Are they the same down there?

Also, never having driven a rotary, how often does one go past 7k anyway?

Stownz, I saw some answers to your and others' questions in Mazda's comprehensive RX-8 book (that I had to buy via eBay because most Canadian pre-orderers didn't receive their book yet).

First, the difference in 0-60 MPH acceleration is significant (Table on p. 50). The 0-60 time for the High Power (247 bhp) 6MT is shown as 6.6 sec (a bit longer than the 5.9 sec reported in Car & Driver magazine). The automatic transmission, with 207 bhp, is listed as a slow 9.5 sec from 0-60 MPH.

In the section on the "Active-matic" transmission (p. 64), it says that the engine ECU (electronic control unit) is interfaced with the transmission computer, so that the ECU "momentarily reduces engine torque to effect smooth upshifts". That would mean you don't have to let up on the gas to shift, the car does it for you. But go ahead and let-up/punch the gas if it feels good!

In the same section of the book, the automatic transmission is said to have "hill-sensing logic control in the automatic mode" so that upshifting is inhibited "when the system judges that a higher gear would not have sufficient torque for climbing the hill". It also downshifts when it detects a downhill, to "prevent excessive speed buildup". Thoughtful, eh?

Did your car come with DSC (Dynamic stability control) and LSD (limited slip differential)? I couldn't get those as options on the 4AT GS model in Canada, which I am anticipating delivery from the dealer on Monday.

Best of luck, happy driving, and be safe.

P.S. Yes, the automatic will be fast enough for me. I selected the RX-8 AT for the style, handling, unique rotary engine & unusual 4-door system, not to street-race with 350Z's or G-35's. And though I have never felt "customer loyalty" to any company, my experience with the Mazda 323 and Protege 5 have made the Mazda brand important to me.

Haha.. And where did I say that the automatic Preludes were fast? :confused: I don't even think my 5spd Prelude is "fast". Why do you feel the need to belittle my current car to bring the 8 up? Grow up.

I was merely responding to his statement that just because this is an Rx-8 it automatically, pun intended :) , has "good performance". While "good performance" is a subjective statement, I don't think the auto acceleration numbers which have been quoted anywhere from high 7's to mid 9's :eek: are low enough for "good performance" shrug.

Btw, mr. Haris I'm getting my 8 next spring.. imagine that. If I can survive until then with my slow, ugly, cramped Prelude.. rolleyes

No, I was just saying that there are other cars that cost more, and are in same class as RX8, but still they might be slower or same. If RX8 AT hits 0-60 in mid 7s then it's pretty good imo. Average car on the road is waay slower than that.

But the RX-8 is NOT an average car, that's my point. It has been billed by Mazda as a sports car... mid 7's is ok but not sports car territory. I think every car that's in the same class/mission as the rx-8 can at least equal that if not beat that. G35C, sedan, WRX.. I'm not exactly sure which other cars would be in the same "class" since the 8 is positioned rather uniquely..

G35c and sedan do beat auto RX8, but no wonder both of those cars is actually over $30,000. Don't forget automatic RX8 is at $25,700. Automatic WRX is somewhere in 7s for 0-60 and it probably costs around if not a bit more than RX8 AT. Manual WRX is about $24,000.

The MT feels very different to me even at lower RPM's -- but the RX doesn't stay at low RPM's for very long :D This version of the AT will never compare with the 6MT.

Going to 7 in the AT is fun and your their before you know it. Going over 7 in the MT is very very frequent and very very FUN.

Again this is my personal opinion. If you are into speed and the thrill of getting thrown back to the seat when accelrating, then by all means, get the 6 MT RX8. As for me, I'm not much into racing or pushing the car to its potential on the freeway with traffic. My commute is 25 miles one way with traffic so as you can see, getting the 6 speed is more cumbersome. The automatic in this case serves the purpose well.

It is true the automatic may not push you to the back of your seat, but once you're going 40, and you push to 80, you will feel the force. Honestly, the lack in speed is more than made up for with the styling of the car, smoothness of acceleration, handling, and overall fun of driving this baby. Did I mention that this car turns a lot of heads?

As far as testing the 0-60, I haven't really pushed this car to its limits yet. I'm waiting for the break in.

Has anyone taken their RX-8 with A/T to the redline? I'm curious if you can rev beyond 7500 rpm, or is there a fuel cutout or rev limiter? Also, what happens when you are in the manual mode at the redline and don't shift?

i don't think there is an automatic transmission available, pratically and economically speaking, that can handle 9k rpms.

You can't rev it past 7.5k unless you disable the fuel cutoff. Although I have not driven an auto in manual mode, I imagined it will behave the same way at redline as a manual tranny. Once it reach the fuel cutoff, the PCM will stop the injectors and rpm will drop.


On a side note, I don't know why some people feels the need to belittle other's decisions just because it's different from their own.

Stownz, one thing I didn't notice in the RX-8 development book (see my earlier post in this thread) was whether the AT downshifts automatically when you floor it. I imagine it would, since other cars have had this feature for years.

One more pounce on the "I don't mean to be rude"....but I have to say I did the test drive on both and I loved the MT however, I had a "stick" car for 10 years and let me tell you the novelty wears off when u're stuck in traffic for 1 hour each way on your commute to/from work. When u live in a big city w/ traffic, it sucks. And I do agree that there is a difference in the performance but I gotta be honest, I love the car for the car,. I'm not planning on racing, this is my baby. I chose the AT for many reasons and I wouldn't knock any one for their decision. Either way the car is bada**