Quick_lude

Yup, stock is 200 flywheel.. or about 160 at the wheel. Intake, exhaust, pulleys, VAFC. The upper level Honda engines respond terribly to bolt ons.. but the VAFC was awesome with eliminating the VTEC "dip" and smoothing out the curve.

Well we'll see what happens with the RX-8.. I'm still hoping for as light as possible without sacrificing a lot of structural integrity.

Rexate

I expect the RX8 to handle very well. If you look at mazda's recent cars, MP5, MP3, MP3 turbo all have very good handling stock. Also mazdaspeed releasing parts for the MP5, I expect Mazdaspeed to have parts available for the RX8 too.

fuz

I don't want to set myself up for disapointment, so I'll just say that the car should handle a little better than BMW 3 series w/ sport package, or IS300. That is actually fine with me. I'm actually more concerned about how it feels to drive. I want it confident and easy to push. That makes it fun. If a car has high limits, but feel nervous and imprecise, then it has great potential, but isn't any fun to drive.

Snrub

I don't know what you have to appologize about Rich, the RX-8 isn't even out! Having more discussion improves the forum and promotes the RX-8. I didn't realize all that stuff had been changed.

Quick_lude: You have Intake, exhaust, pulleys, VAFC and improved the peak by 8hp? Is that a full exhaust or just a catback?

boowana

When you consider performance, raodholding or skidpad results tell a lot about handling which greatl;y impacts overall perfomance. As most, if not all of us are more interested in overall handling versus stright-line perfomance, the RX-8 should be a huge winner. We know from what we have read so far that the RX-8 "exceeded" 0.90g's in roadholding. Well if it bettered 0.90g's, lets say it just bettered and actually performed at the 0.91g level.
A quick trip to the back of your current Road & track and/or Car & Driver will confirm in their test, that very few cars have exceeded that level of pewrformance on a skidpad. The S2000 certainly doesn't rate in this pack at 0.90.
Get your wallet out then and consider any of the following that actually do better than 0.91.
Astom Martin V12 vANQUISH - $238k - 0.91 (tied!)
Chevrolet Corvette - $54K - 0.92
Dodge Viper "ACR"

boowana

When you consider performance, raodholding or skidpad results tell a lot about handling which greatl;y impacts overall perfomance. As most, if not all of us are more interested in overall handling versus stright-line perfomance, the RX-8 should be a huge winner. We know from what we have read so far that the RX-8 "exceeded" 0.90g's in roadholding. Well if it bettered 0.90g's, lets say it just bettered and actually performed at the 0.91g level.
A quick trip to the back of your current Road & track and/or Car & Driver will confirm in their test, that very few cars have exceeded that level of pewrformance on a skidpad. The S2000 certainly doesn't rate in this pack at 0.90.
Get your wallet out then and consider any of the following that actually do better than 0.91.
Astom Martin V12 Vanquish - $238k - 0.91 (tied!)
Chevrolet Corvette - $54K - 0.92
Dodge Viper "ACR" - $89k - 0.96 (nice!)
Ferrari 550 Maranello - $224K - 0.94 (also nice!)
Opel Speedster (What?) - $29K - 0.92 (Can you buy them hear?)
Porsche Boxster S - $58K- 0.93
Porsche 911 Turbo - $119K - 0.93
Now what if the RX-8 actually betters 0.91g's? Won't that be nice and lookout competition!

Just for comparison, the new 250Z ties the Miata at 0.88! Goodbye 350Z...

Pork Chop

I wouldn't read too deeply into those numbers. Different test conditions (weather, surface, skidpad diameter, etc). You can't say that car X handles better than car Y because X has a higher skidpad number.

Same goes for slalom times.

It's hard to decisively declare that one car "handles" better than the other based on numbers alone. A lot of that is subjective and boils down to "feel."

Skidpad and slalom times certainly contribute a lot, but the main thing that would convince me of a car's performance would be actual track times in the hands of a skilled driver.

boowana

I agree. Let's get started...MAZDA!!!

Snrub

C&D: 1993 RX-7 R-1 .97g
Those are 225 tires boys and girls. I've seen higher too.

fuz

Stats are fine for some, but it doesn't indicate how easy and compliant the car is when traveling at the edge of the car's performance ability. If the car feels nervous and squirrelly at its limit, you're going to back down until it feels safe, no matter how high its road holding ability is. So don't read too hard into the numbers, as printed stats are no replacement for real world testing.

wakeech

exactly... what these mags need is the single standardized test that cannot fail to adequately and fairly estimate performance: lap the same road circuit a couple of times with the same driver for every car that is tested. doesn't really matter what the course is, right?? or have two different styles of courses: an autocross track in the parking lot, and test also at a local >1.5 mile road circuit...
i think R+T did that with a bunch of high buck supercars, and they found out that not only did lap times but also cornering speeds and ability in corners had very little to do with skid pad numbers...

boowana

I have heard from enough reliable sources now that the handling of the RX-8 "is bteer than the RX 7. It has been hinted that it is really spectacular. I know, we'll have to wait and see but I'm betting my money on Mazda engineering

fuz

I don't trust "reliable sources" *cough*

zoom44

i'll have to find the article, i know it was linked to on this forum before, but one of the mazda engineers was quoted saying that the handling would be better than the rx7. and in the road and track article the author equated the rx8's handling to the porshe carrera. i'll take his word for it!

SPDFRK

I thought R&T referred to the multi-link suspension being similar to the porches'

wakeech

yes, but the design of the chassis and even body structure have an impact on handling, as well as balance and overall mass. With different tolerances and ranges of motion in the RX-8 multilink than the Porche's, the similarities probably end in the fundamental design, even if they handle similarly (because, obviously, a design that works for one car won't for another...).

Hercules

Time will tell on the handling, but if they say it's better than the RX-7 I'd venture to say it's better than a lot of things

However, when the car is released for advertisements and auto mags... then the real trials begin.

I want C&D to do the write up on it, because they get the best launch times and generally have the best articles. That's why they wouldn't put a piece of **** G35 infront of a 330i BMW, regardless of price.

Road and Track gives it #1 spot... C&D gives it #4. C&D is so cool

PatrickB

You know, Herc, the obnoxious anti-G35 swipes are getting pretty annoying. I understand that you don't care for the car, but lots of us actually like that car. Give it a rest.

Hercules

Just stating my opinion.

You're free to state your case why you DO like the car. I just want a car that has the 'whole package', with good looks inside and out, good performance and an attractive price. The performance is there on the G35 price isn't bad either. But the interior is disgusting and the exterior I always leave up to the individual.

fuz

The only thing I've seen in print on road and track about the RX-8 beating the RX-7 is in the structural rigidity, where they didn't even give a specific number.

And yes, the offhand G35 comments are obvious and getting tiresome. If the RX-8 is really so superior, why do you see it as such a threat? Scratch that, just leave the car alone. I happen to like the coupe quite a bit.

PatrickB

There's a reason this is an RX-8 discussion board, Herc. Since you continue to use the forum for your personal anti-G35 crusade, however, I will say that *I* don't think the interior is disgusting at all. Yes, it could use some more refinement and soft-touch materials in places, and the power seat controls should move. No disagreement there. But using button-pushing words like "disgusting" just serves to throw gasoline on a fire. You also seem to be forgetting that it's the first year of the model. I'm sure the RX-8 will have some annoying quirks when it comes out, too.

Give it a rest.

PatrickB

If you want to talk about why I like the G35, I'd be happy to take it up in a thread in the Lounge, BTW.