neXib

Find a different track

They say the R3 has more changes than the obvious, and that it's all over tighter. I think it's a great looking car, a nice facelift. It's also clear that you can't get much more power out of the engine without making it more expensive. It's supposed to be a reasonably priced sportscar. You say it's not powerful vs. the competition, well as far as I see it the competition is not what you compare it to. What else has that price range and 4 seats with 50/50 weight distribution and RWD?

I understand though that in America you're used to every "sports" car having a 150 litre engine giving you 5000 hp on the rear axle which is just a steel girder, fed right to the automatic gearbox. But to the rest of the world, there's no options in the same pricerange that are MUCH faster with the same quality.

They got rid of the turbos for reliability and the whole car was something that started on the side of usual business in Mazda. We should be glad there's even a car using the rotary powerplant, buy a damn turbo and shut up The focus is emissions and power in the future I'm sure, but emissions first.

fastlaneracing

Power is something I get used to, Drove a friends M6 for a few hours this summer and in the begining it was totaly sick fast car but after an hour I was thinking like a little bit more power would be even greater.

What I mean is that power output will never be enough, I have owned alot faster turbo cars before my RX-8 but its still my 8 that keeps giving me a smile.

A love the rotary engine, its so delicius to drive with the never ending rpm's, the sound is to die for and the crisp handling. Its a great package!

I have owned my 8 2 years now and its still a trill to drive, I'll guess it helps that its not my DD car. Going from my DD Micra to my RX-8 is like stepping into a Ferrari =)

Etr1

I think Mazda needs to step up there game to give competion to the 370z
either turbo the 8 or make a 3 Rotor engine again

fastlaneracing

Why?

3 Rotor would set the RX-8 in Porsche 911 price range, would you buy a mazda or a Porsche?

Turbo would give you no reliability.

Why must we care about other cars? if you want 370Z power, buy one then.

Buy a car to enjoy it yourself not to compare it to your neighbours car.

Etr1

all im sayin is da 370z is the same damn price as the 350 so why cant mazda do the same

3-rotor would be expensive but would love to see it done would like to see mazda go all out

Rotr8

iTrader: (2)

your conversion is alittle scewed though, If mazda were to put a 3 rotor in that would be like puttin a V10 in a Z,,, Nissan didnt do that they just evolved the VQ engine that s already there...
Mazda is still ultra secretive about the progress in developing the DI 16X and some have speculated that it might make an appearance by 2012

neXib

The Renesis engine has a lot of changes to improve reliability, cost and drivability. It's not like they can just slap that together with an extra rotor and sell the car. It would require a lot more R&D to make an RX-8 with a 3 rotor since the last 3 rotor they sold ended production in 1995 in a limited market. Much of the rotary work is probably freetime stuff from Mazda people outside of the 16X stuff. Spending millions on R&D for an RX-8 upgrade would be mad in these times. Get a grip people.

Sometimes the talk in here seems like nobody have ever been near a development/production environment.

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

3 rotor rx8 = 60K + sports car.

Turbo RX8 = 40-50K + sports car with less reliability.

Doing either would put the RX8 in a different class where the competing cars will still kick its ***.

Corvette Z06 or RX8 3 rotor? Think about it?

YaXMaNGTO

Tacking on another rotor will cost $30,000 per car sold?

I have one other thing to say about 0-60mph.

Everybody says that the RX8 doesn't have a good 0-60 time. Bullshit.

The RX8 has a fantastic 0-60 time for as little power and torque that the rotary makes. I think it should be recognized that a 5.9 0-60 wouldn't be possible without good, solid, cohesive engineering throughout the RX8 drivetrain, chassis and suspension.

For example, how does a 335i manage a 5.0 0-60 with an open differential and only 300hp/300tq with a 3635lb curbweight? Good engineering.

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

Yes it would, its a little more than just tacking on another rotor.

I completely agree with what youre saying, however to the common number comparing consumer that will compare the rx8 r3 to a 370Z will not appreciate the good engineering, and that is the whole arguement here.

Although we appreciate the rx8 for what it is, that may not be enough to keep it in production until 2013

04RX8man

I don't think adding the 20B in the Rx8 chassis or another chassis would up that price from 30k to 60 k yeah maybe in the high 30k or low 40k area but hell the power that the 20B can make ppl will b like damn 3 rotor! I'll take that look how unique it is etc etc

neXib

You don't think? First off you have to actually make people buy it in the end when it's in another price range. But you also have to research and develop the 20B for the RX-8. It's a little more than slapping on another rotor like mentioned. 40-50k would perhaps be a realistic price.

Marklar

Forget about the 20B. Even if it weren't so expensive--and it is--an 8 with a 20B would have such lousy gas mileage and such high emissions that it could never be sold in the US.

77mjd

By reading on the z board, apparently people who have test driven the 370 are not too impressed so I don't think poeple on here need to get all up in arms about the 8. Like someone else said people always want more power. The 370 has not even been out a week and people are complaining there is not enough power.

The only thing I worry about is that the 16x will be out of the price range for everyone who bought an 8, and wants another rotary. But hopefully good things come to those who wait.

Tim Tim Tim

I dont think the 16x will be to much more. I hope they dont butcher the design of the car when they finally do put that motor in it. Its amazing how many compliments my car gets on a daily basis and its stock

04RX8man

yes I know that the 20B is not just throw it and start it up and take off i know it take time and especially in the 8 chassis is veryi hard to get in there seriously mazda would b better off to design a new car completely RX-9 with the 3 rotor than trying to change everything on the 8.....thaqt is true about the gas mileage idk the mileage on the 20b but i'm sure it can't b good if mazda could get that to change the rotary i general would b more popular especially when gas was around 5 bucks a gallon
1

neXib

There won't be a 3 rotor anyway is my bet, their focus is on a cost-effective 2 rotor that has better emissions.

mikesol

Gotta agree. Take the GT-R as a perfect example: sure, it's technologically glorious and faster around the track than just about anything. But the design is too busy on the outside, it's trying far too hard. It has no flow at all, it's bulbous and awkward.

Redpit10

Those people are most likely defending their cars, like many on this site are doing in this thread. They dont want to admit that the new car is better, cause they have the old one. Plus the hard core Z people (the ones that likely test drive the 370 first) most likely have quite a few power mods and forget what their 350 was like stock.

Areyouin729

getting rid of my RX8 was the best freaking thing I ever did

hate on the Z is out of pure jealously, that car is 100000000000000x's better than a RX8

i'm so sick of the "it handles" argument...it's just people trying to justify Mazda making a pathetic successor to the RX7 (a true legend)

the RX8 would be great if it was an entry level sports coupe starting around $20,000

Marklar

I'm glad you don't have an 8 anymore. Please go to the Z forums and spare us your "OMG my daddy's 7 is so much faster than the new 8" posts. Alternatively, DiaF.

04RX8man

Areyouin what exactly is the point of that post especially if u dont' own an 8 anymore...it's ppl that are jealous that a 1.3L can make very similar or over HP compared to a 3.0L...yes we may not b as fuel efficient as a 1.3L but I know that I have the rareness of a rotary do u still get the same thing that ppl at random places come up and say ? oh what is that? Prob not i know here in Orlando a 350z is everyother car yo see on the street! if not every car so go back to the z forum and you all can go cry in a corner together!

YaXMaNGTO

Way to go Spunky. You told him. Vaporized him. Jesus.

MazdaRX8er

20B and milage? i don't think it will work in near future! even if price has gone down on fuel.

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

All in all, your post is very uninformed, very untrue, and most of all very troll-like.

GL with your Z and have fun with the plastic interior, suspension issues, and tire feathering.

We'll be here with our 'slow pathetic' RX8's when your done being a 16 yr old ricer.