hotpot

Would you have bought the 8 if it was called the MX-8 and had a 250 bhp 3.0 litre piston engine, with the same body?

ZoomZoom

If they didn't make the RX-8 I would have bought a MX-8. That being said, there is nothing like a rotary engine... music to my ears.

DreRX8

Yep--but ditto ZoomZoom

StewC625

no Way

Elara

Me too- I originally wanted a Miata. I'm a hopeless Mazda addict, it appears. I decided to wait when I found out about the RX-8, though. who could resist such a unique and cool car??

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

Maybe, I had 2 RX7's previously and I wanted the rotory engine.

ZoomZoom

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elara

Me too- I originally wanted a Miata. I'm a hopeless Mazda addict, it appears. I decided to wait when I found out about the RX-8, though. who could resist such a unique and cool car??

I was all set to buy a Miata until I saw the RX-8 prototype… to this day I still think that the Miata is one of the sweetest rides available.

hotpot

Mazda would have sold more 8's if it had a high-power piston engine, IMO

mysql101

without the rotary engine, i wouldn't have gotten this car.

MELRX8

No, I would have bought the Mazdaspeed Miata.

StewC625

It's all about the rotary. If it weren't all this is is an underpowered, 4 door GT car. If I wanted that, I could have had an Infinity G35. The rotary engine makes the car.

Consider:

Your rotary engine is TINY in size - about 15 inches front to back, 12 inches left to right and 17 inches tall with the manifold mounted (this is just the core engine - accessories not counted), and it weighs between 150 and 200 lbs. That little bitty package generates 238 horsepower.

The 3.2-Liter V6 in my Acura TL (good comparison engine since the same block is used by Honda for everything from the 2.8 V6 in the Accord to the 3.5 V6 in the MDX) measures about 24 inches tall (from pan to top of manifold), 27 inches wide (from edge of cylinder head cover to the opposite cylinder head cover) and 29 inches long (from accessory drive pulley to final drive seal). It weighs about 525 lbs.

What kind of car would the RX-8 be if it had that kind of engine under the hood?

Here's effects:

1) The hoodline would have to be drastically higher - this also affects the cowl height and the whole package

2) The engine would be mounted much further forward - the rotary is tucked underneath part of the cowl. This affects the suspension design and placement and also still the hood line and slope.

3) Weight distribution - currently 52% front/48% rear - this would shift to about 62% front, which would very negatively affect the handling balance.

and of course:

The cool factor. Then the car is just an ordinary car.

I dont know about you but I love driving something extraordinary!

Stew

Feras

iTrader: (1)

id probably be an s2000 or 350z driver i think...this car was unique.

RotorGeek

No rotary No 8. I would have waited for the Mazdaspeed 6.

NomisR

Would probably still get the car if the car still has the same handling, however, i don't think I'd be in as much of a hurry to get it as I did with the Rx8.

TJLack

I really wanted a RX-7 many years ago when I was getting out of college and got married instead (I know - what was I thinking). When the RX-8 came out, I was just getting separated and I lusted after it for a year before purchasing (one week after all was final!). No rotary - no purchase for me. I wanted that uniqueness...

BIMMER5&RX8

One of the key benefits of a rotary is that it is small and light weight. Putting a V6 there will ruin the weight balance and the handling. No I will not buy a piston Mazda. I have two other cars with sweet straight six engines already.

Soundave

I wouldn't have went with Mazda if they put a V6 into the 8. I would have gone with a 350Z or an S2k instead. Hehe, maybe I'm biased towards rotaries because my first car in high school was an 87 GXL and then I got another one during my senior year in college (yup, another 87 GXL).

bgreene

Without the rotary, I probably wouldn't have even test driven the car, and would have upgraded from my old tacoma to a 4-by instead of even looking at sports cars (which is what I had been planning to do until I tested an 8 out of curiosity about how a rotary engine behaves....)

hotpot

The M3 has a big straight 6 engine and it handles pretty well. With a few adjustments the 8 should handle well too.

jrknu

what you are describing is 'A SATURN ION'

more hp than a AM RX8 same looks, same body

mysql101

Uh, same body? Even someone high on crack wouldn't confuse the two.

murix

With a 3.0l V6 it would be another overweight me too sports car. I would be suprised if the current design would even be possible with a larger motor.

I think I would have went with a S2K.

Wankeler

No Wankel, no purchase.

Red Devil

I most likely would never have considered the car if it had pistons.

zoom44

no