Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

Prior to getting my RX-8, I had been driving around in my mom's 2004 RAV4. Yesterday I had to drive it around...and I must say, I'm no longer lamenting the lack of torque in my RX-8 any more. I had to constantly feather the gas from a stop because of the torque kicking in. I just couldn't wait to go back to my RX-8, and when I did, a slow smile just started creeping up on my face. The more I drove the RX-8, the more I realized just how wonderful it is having an engine with a smooth, linear power band that revs so freely and easily without shoving me into the seat at every stoplight. It's as if the RX-8 was just in an entirely higher class of luxury and refinement (well, in this case, it IS) all because of how much smoother the car was to drive.

Incidentally I had a friend that owns a MT 2000 Celica with a TRD intake and exhaust test drive my AT RX-8, and he commented the RX-8 had a better pickup once it was in motion than his Celica. I found that surprising as I would've expected his car to have more torque (don't know the actual specs, but his car definitely pins me to the seat much more). I told him that was probably thanks to the linear power band.

khtm

hmmmm...I know stock Celicas aren't as fast 0-60 as stock RX-8s, but I'm not sure about the TRD addition.

I definitely agree about the linear power though...makes it way easier to drive in the snow, too.

shaolin

The TRD edition I'm quite sure just came with a more aggressive ECU and suspension tuning. Nothing to scream about.

mitchmiller

Yes, I cant drive anything else, I feel u

irish8

Lol...I just returned home today from a 2 day business trip. My rental was a Buick La Sabre!!! OMG....what a POS!! I jumped into my 8 and all the reasons I love this car came flooding back!! Guys, trust me.....there is no Buickclub.com website for a reason!! Lol. :D

- Irish

rx8wannahave

Before I got my 8, I test drove a 2005 Mustang GT and I felt like I really had to take it easy with the pedel while going slow. I agree, the RX8's power delivery is very NICE!

Straight8

Sorry Irish but I see a bad pun above!! :D

NomisR

Well, switching back and forth between the rsx and rx8, (although I drive the 8 full time now) I love the 8 a lot more everytime I drive it. From the smooth power to the handling to the control.. it's great! And I love being able to drive around at 6-7k RPM and not feel or hear the engine strain one bit, it doesn't even sound that loud. While with a piston engine, its like the engine is telling you "hurry up and shift, I can't take it anymore" Once you go rotary, there's no turning back! :D

Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

EXACTLY. I don't know if it's every piston engine that does this (I mean, considering most exotics use some form of the piston engine), but if I try taking my mom's Rav4 to redline, it feels like the engine is going to shake itself to pieces! With the rotary, other than the exhaust note, you really can't physically tell you're approaching redline. Ahhhh, the smoothness... :D

G8rboy

I went through the same thing this week- For over two weeks I was driving our Explorer for our Christmas vaca in Florida- gobs of power and torque, but just boring as hell to drive. I got back Sunday night after 1400+ miles in 24 hours (and 3k miles in 2 weeks), and the first thing I wanted to do was go for a spin in my RX8... my wife was wondering why the hell would I want to get back in a car after all that driving :D

124Spider

Noise, yes; vibrations, no. My S2k's engine is every bit as smooth as our RX-8, and more powerful at high revs; it stays completely smooth all the way to redline. With all the noise, and the bumpy ride, you always know how fast you're going, but I never feel vibrations from the engine.

Spin9k

Reality check S2k... physics says sound in air is air vibrating; vibrations come from something moving the air back and forth at the frequency of the sounds produced.. In an S2000 the something is the engine (and what is going on inside it), and at 9000 rpm the S2000 is vibrating like hell on wheels, literally!

The 8 with it's rotary has far and away (probably an order of magnitude or so) less vibration going on inside, ergo, it is far quieter thankfully!

speedweasel

The best thing I love about the linear power band is......you can dial-a-launch!
Drop the clutch at 3000 RPM...zoooom!!!
4000 RPM...chirp the tires
5000 RPM...spew rocks everywhere
6000 RPM...hops like a bunny rabbit
7000 RPM...dont ever take it in for warranty work on the clutch
:D

124Spider

Reality check? The noise in my car, or practically any good car, is not from an engine vibrating off the motor mount. The noise generated by an internal combustion engine is from the burning of the air/fuel mixture, not from vibration. In addition, wind noise and road noise contribute significantly to the cacophony. The manufacturer and/or owner (with aftermarket parts) chooses how much to insulate the sound of the engine, with muffler(s) and other forms of sound insulation between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment, and how much to sound-insulate the passenger compartment from the road and wind noise. Honda chose not to insulate from road and wind noise, and chose an intake and exhaust system which is not nearly as quiet as that of the RX-8. That's why the S2000 is so noisy. Mazda went another route, which is merely one of the reasons my wife likes the RX-8 so much more than the S2000.

Have you ever heard a rotary engine without a muffler? I suppose that noise is because the engine is suddenly vibrating horribly.

Having actually driven my S2k on the track many times, at or near red line as much as possible, I can assure you that one feels absolutely no vibration while driving one. Even in neutral, if you gun the engine, you feel practically no engine vibration.

MI_FamilyMan

If you don't mind me asking, which one (RX-8 or S2000) do you like better? Sorry if I am putting you on the spot...

124Spider

It's a good question, which is really a matter of emotions when comparing two very fine cars. I prefer the S2000, hands down, for the vast majority of my needs; my wife prefers the RX-8 for the vast majority of hers.

That's not in any way intended to be a slap at the RX-8, which I find to be a very, very neat car. In many ways, the two are very similar--the power and torque are almost identical, and the RX-8 with the add-ons we got is only about 10% heavier than the S2k. But there's something just gut-level that gets me a bit excited when I am about to drive my S2k, while the contemplation of driving the RX-8 merely gives me some pleasure. The S2k is a _lot_ less refined than the RX-8--much noisier; much harsher ride, and far fewer creature comforts. But the S2k seems to me to be a bit more nimble, and I actually like the sensory feedback I get with the S2k (the first time I drove the RX-8, I found myself going 80, thinking I was only going 60, because I wasn't getting any of the noise feedback telling me I was going fast!). I also happen to love convertibles, even here in Seattle. I'll never take the RX-8 on the track, since I don't fit with a helmet, but I strongly suspect that the S2000 is a bit better on the track, and there's nothing like blasting down the front straight at 130mph with the top down. :p

All that said, I really do like the RX-8 very much, and it certainly will be the car we take when going on a long drive without kids, unless it's a nice day and we're on back roads. The S2k really wears you down a bit on anything but very smooth roads, because of the harsh ride and the extreme noise. Heck, I put something on the radio in my S2k so that it automatically increases the volume with the speed of the car, since it's so noisy. Also, of course, I can't fit four people, or a lot of stuff, in the S2000, so the RX-8 has a great deal more real-world utility than the S2000. These, plus things like the fanny warmer, the navigation system, the electric seats, the good stereo, and the roomier feeling when inside the car, are why my wife would be just as happy never driving the S2000.

This is our fourth Mazda, and third rotary-engine Mazda (we've previously driven into the ground a '73 RX-2; '74 RX-3; '88 323GT); we are fans of Mazda in general and the rotary engine in particular.

In the end, how lucky am I to be able to drive both the RX-8 and the S2000? :D

MI_FamilyMan

I think you are extremely lucky. I am a fan of both cars, but I own an 8 because I like the looks a little better and obviously the hard top makes it much more practical. I probably would find the extra refinement a plus as well, although I've never experienced the S2000. Thanks for your honest and detailed "review".