R3 handling vs GT and Sport
 

When I bought my R3 I never even test drove a GT or Sport. Anyone here driven both? Would love to hear your thoughts, comparisons, etc.

r3 beat sport and gt track time by almost 2 seconds. gt is heaviest. sport is lightest.

I wonder what track time..... any links?

I test drove 5-6 different RX-8s including the ones you mentioned above before I bought the one I have now.

As I've said in other posts before, for me - and I realize this is an entirely subjective area - the R3's handling/steering response was the best of all. The GT was nice, the added luxury added to the driving experience, but I didn't really drive it long enough to experience the handling. I was the least impressed with the Sport.

The one exception was the 2008 40th Anniversary Edition because even though it is technically a GT (custom leather seats, sunroof, Bose audio, special edition badges, keyless entry, etc) it is the only GT I know of that has a similar suspension tuning like the R3 (updated suspension geometry, bilstein shocks, foam-filled cross-members, etc).

So you could say both the R3 and 40th AE handle very similar. Both have a stiffer suspension feel (thanks to the Bilstein shocks) and better steering response (attributed to the foam-filled cross-members which supposedly absorb road vibration, hence making the steering response smoother).

Again, this is an entirely subjective area as many have driven these cars noticing virtually no difference between them whatsoever, or finding that the differences are so subtle that they just don't justify the almost $5,000 price difference. The foam filled cross-members are perhaps the most controversial of all since many people believe they don't really do anything. When you think about it, you can make any RX-8 handle similarly - if not better - than the R3 and 40th AE with just a couple thousand dollars of aftermarket suspension parts. To each his own:yesnod:

Bottom line, when test driving these cars everything came down to convenience, and discovering what I really preferred the most. I learned that I preferred a more aggressive and stiffer suspension. Other people might prefer softer suspension set ups instead - like the Sport - which you can make stiffer later if you want anyway.

Out of the assembly line - however - both the R3 and 40th AE certainly handled "better" and more aggressively than other RX-8s. With the R3, I think you got the best handling RX-8 ever without any aftermarket upgrades, so that's a good thing.

Enjoy the ride!!!

I never drove an R3 yet, but my 05 rx8 is fun to drive. I bet the R3 is as good as the rest of the rx8.

Indeed. Agree with you 100% I'm sure any RX-8 is fun to drive, and that's what really matters.

As I said, personally, I tend to like the stiffer suspension set up more.

With the R3, I think, the "feel" of the suspension is also more noticeable perhaps because of the Recaros. They really hold you down tightly!

I would think it difficult to do a true A / B Comparision until you normalize the tires. As I see it - different size tires, different brand, different speed rating, etc........

Bingo! Tires make a HUGE difference depending on stickiness and sidewall stability.

R3 is shit!!

Just upgrade your RX8 to some good coil overs like KW's and the R3 can't even touch it. PERIOD.