BlueEyes

So you want to compare aftermarket cars to stock cars. Damn, you'd be screaming bloody murder if someone compared the 8 to a tuned car. Cas' examples make no sense
Guess I'm 10 and a snob. I don't think of any of those as true sports cars. Do they have sports car tendancies, sure, but they don't do it for me.
It's not what the 8 lacks that doesn't make it a true sports car, IMO, it's what is has.
It does bother me. Every post you make whether about cars or god claims your opinion to be the way it is. There is no universal sports car definition. Because of that, what you say cannot be fact, that's a fact. It's your opinion, and mine differs, deal with it.

Don't think I don't like the 8, or that I don't still want one. I think it makes a great daily driver. It's got good performance, stylish, room for four, a nice list of amenities etc. I just don't think it's a true sports car.

1.3L

Glad to see that there some on this forum who understand the true meaning of the term, "sports car."

Bravo!

1.3L

rx8wannahave

Blue you danced around almost everything I asked you, what is your definition of a sports car?

Let’s stick to this topic please, we can discuss GOD when ever you want.

Note: I can’t resist…I can’t present GOD as opinion…but I don’t force you to agree. Disagree and call it my opinion…don’t get bitter about it…

I guess my “opinion” of what a sports car is…is very general while yours is very specific. So, please explain…what is a sports car in your opinion?

I don’t think you don’t like the 8 and I know the 8 is not a perfect car, but I just don’t understand people saying it’s not a sports car. But…you know what, we are argueing titles…I can say the RX8 is a great FLURflung…what the heck, it’s just a title so the only thing I want to know is what YOU think is a sports car.

I wont argue titles anymore…

beachdog

You know what's really funny about this thread is that arguments like this have been going on for as long as cars have been raced. I don't go back quite that far, but, I can tell you that I lurked this forum for several months before going to a Mazda dealer in November of 03 to check things out.

The salesman started by telling me that I would have to rev it a lot. I politely asked him to let me drive it for myself. My decision to purchase was made within the first 5 minutes of the first test drive. I loved the 8 immediately because it reminded me of the 60's Triumphs, Austins, MGs and Fiats that I grew up with. Who cares what the hp and torque ratings were. To me the car embodied the spirit of the cars that I loved to drive.

So keep pondering the philosophical questions about what a sports car is or isn't. Mazda did their homework. They got me to part with my hard earned money because of the emotion that the feel and look of the car creates. Emotions can't be measured on a spec sheet but emotion sells cars.

kantonm

How about a 2003 360 Modena with 400hp and only 275 ft-lb of torque....my point was that torque is NOT THE ONLY thing that makes a car "FAST" but if you want to try to pick out one statement and try to make me look stupid then there you go....high HP and low Torque....but fast car.....my point was that most high reving cars are lacking in torque>>>> if you dont like low torque, gas mileage or oil comsumption then sell the car and stop complaining!

oh yhea....and it gets 11 city and 16 highwas (EPA) and costs about ten times more>>>>

Ike

Ok, but the RX-8 is neither fast nor torquey, so now what?

RX4life

^^^ hehe.. youre pushing it.... :p

cocky.. yet true!

Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

I think you really hit the nail on the head with regards to looks. Indeed, sports cars should have a distinctive look to them that screams exotic. Without a doubt, that is one of the major things that drew me to the RX-8 as far as looks were concerned...it just looked unbelievably exotic considering its price point. And it's not something that's just skin deep either...certain minor accents about the car also give it an exotic feel, and certainly brings to mind certain other cars that cost way more. The lights for instance...I can recognize an RX-8 from far away at night because it has a very distinctive headlight/fog light configuration that looks like fangs. Not surprising then when some people confuse it with a Viper. Likewise, when I got a good luck at the understated round taillights, it immediately brought to mind the Ferrari 360 Modena. With the RX-8, it really feels like you're getting much more than you paid for.

I think Mazda really knows what they're doing when it comes to sports cars. They've got the looks down, and they play the "emotion of the drive" card very well. The RX-7 FD just screamed exotic sports car with its sleek, curvy body and agressive styling. Likewise with the RX-8. You just simply don't see such form and function duplicated among the other mainstream car manufacturers, new or old, high end exotics aside.

Deslock

It's all relative. Many consider the Miata to be one of the best examples of a sports car and the RX8 is significantly faster. Personally, I think 0-60 in ~6 and a mid 14s 1/4 can be considered fast, even though there are some "normal family" cars that are as fast or faster.

The Miata really exemplifies the question: despite being underpowered by modern standards, most still love it for its traditional sports car feel (which the RX8 also has, even though its not as pure as the Miata).

cas2themoe

You are so full of it.................. Not Fast? What is your definition of Fast Anyway's? Are you drunk and cocky when you write these things? Have you even driven a RX8 before? Your WRX would get its *** handled to it around a track against a RX8!

cas2themoe

I agree with you 100%

Butt Dyno

http://www.speednation.com/store/product1439.html

Watch it and weep..

You also don't wanna say "Your" WRX. Some of us have mods

Rupes

If you find that to be an example of what the RX-8 is capable of then your dreaming. Who knows who was driving the 8 vs the other cars? You make a big assumption all those drivers know how to drive their car well.

Facts support the claim that the 8 is a good handling car that excels well in the upper RPM range, on that track there is little reason why the 8 should do that poorly besides driver error. But I'm sure you already knew that.

BlueEyes

I wasn't trying to make you looks stupid. My point was that even though the Ferrari's are low on torque relative to their horsepower number, it still has 275 lb-ft and it weighs about the same! It is not supportive of your argument because it still has a good deal of torque. I don't complain either, I was just discussing.

Oh yhea...and your comparison of a ferrari's fuel consumption to the 8's is equally unsupportive of your arguement.

BlueEyes

It's all a matter of opinion. A lot of people seem to get upset round these parts because others have differing opinions. How do you define fast? what degrees of fast are there? Is the 8 fast compared to some cars I have driven, NO. Is it fast compared to the average car, yeah. It's moderately fast in my books.

8is>enuff

Yeah yeah. But is it a SPORTS CAR? I gotta know. Please tell me.

A good post lost in a lot of d*ck-waving.

Butt Dyno

They were JGTC drivers. I don't think either of us gets to question their abilities.

The problem was not that the car handled poorly. The problem was that it was getting creamed in the parts that weren't as twisty. Torque matters on a racetrack too. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to push the gas pedal down. The car was doing OK in the curves. No driver in the world can magically give their car 100 extra hp.

Your argument is hilarious. "It's a good handling car, so it MUST be good on a track, it's GOT to be the driver." Or maybe it's that the S2000, Integra Type-R, Skyline (G35) coupe and WRX are all faster around a racetrack because of their other attributes

Rotario

Not to go terribly off-topic, Blue Eyes, but at least one other person in addition to me has asked you what you consider to be a "sports car." You haven't responded to either inquiry. So do you know what a sports car is, or do you just not have an opinion (ha!)?

Butt Dyno

"There was no reason for it to perform like it did, I'm glad you agree with me"

Yes there was a reason. It's slower than all the other cars in the comparison (except the Miata).

john

cas2themoe

BlueEyes and Ike have some secret grudge against the 8. I have no idea why. They have seen what the RX8 can do given equal drivers. Especially through the Topgear Video where its the same exact driver. And Don't even dare say he doesn't have any skill on that track because you would be lying to yourself. Same lap time as a M3 and 350Z, but you still insist on calling the RX8 slow? This baffles me

BlueEyes

When did I call the 8 slow? I have no grudge, I want one, bad!!

BlueEyes

I don't really have a concrete definition of a "sports car", I think that is being re-written these days, at least in a physical sense. The emotional aspects of it have been mentioned by other people. I only said the 8 wasn't my idea of a true sports car, and I have a physical definition for that which it doesn't fit.

cas2themoe

What cars have you driven? Sorry thats what I meant. What car do you actually own too?

BlueEyes

A piece of me dies everytime I say I own a solara

I've driven a lot of cars from full race prepped BMWs, to Formula 2000 cars, to Ferraris, Porsches, you name it basically. I think I am justified in my opinions.

DARKMAZ8

I hate to say this but looking at this statement proves that you have not yet convinced anyone that the 8 isn't a sports car. :p

btw I understand what you mean by being a pure sports car it must have no power options,2 doors, sunroof, ect. but show me a pure sports car that is truly pure nowadayz.