RX-8 Versus an STI
 

Obviously the STI is quicker down the straigts by alot. But how do you think they compare in handling. Alot of people are posting that the RX-8 has amazing handling, and I agree. I have 10 years of kart racing and formula car expererience, but compared to a buddies STI (who does not have racing experience) I can barely keep up around some twisties. Anyone have any thoughts on the two cars.

BTW (my car is bone stock, getting MS suspension this summer)

whao, you are a trouble starter.
IMO both are great handling cars, with advantages and disadvantages. given equal driver and power is not a concern, id imagine it to be pretty close. your buddy probably cant drive as well as you do. twisties is not just about handling, hehe power plays a part too depending on the road. STI is also easy to drive for beginners, makes bad drivers look good and good drivers look like pros :p:

close this thread right now. please.

umm....if the STi (which I've never driven) is anything like an evo (which I have) it's a LOT faster on straights and handles better on the curves.

the advantage of the 8 over those cars is that it makes a much nicer daily driver, and isn't ugly.

just to clear things up, im not dissing the STI saying the RX-8 is better, instead im asking if people think the STI is that much quicker then the Rx-8 around the corners and that lack of experience in a STI is still enough to beat an experienced driver.

Two different cars designed to do two different things. Each does well. Please, people, leave it at that.

please, that comment was uncalled for, I just wanted to discuss any differences between the two that could account for me being a little slower, thats all.

1) power matters even in the twisties :SHOCKED:
2) sti = easier to drive than rx8, much more confident at the limit, no worry about oversteer. Even if it does oversteer, its much easier to correct. reaching rx8's potential requires serious skills.

suspension stiffening should help a lot, rx8 has pretty bad bodyroll, MS suspension should make the car much less nervous around the limit.

My buddy has a STI i have driven it and have been in it while he was driving,, and man its fast,, my other buddy has a plain WRX now we are going to go PLAY soon and then I will tell you what happens

yeah for sure power is huge in the twisties, from the apex out, there is no way the RX-8 is going to have the speed. Im really hoping that the MS suspension kit will give the car alot more bite on turn in. Anyone have any experience with the suspension?

If you have the stock tires ont he RX8 you are giving up alot of mechanical grip. The tires on the STi are much softer. Given equal rubber, equal power and equal drivers I think the RX8 would be faster through the corner.

With that said, The STi can out stop the RX8 over a long distance(after several laps or several miles in a mountian run) due to reduced brake fade, so the STi is faster into the corner. Also the STi ,since they are not equal power wise, will beat the RX8 out of the corner due to the power and AWD traction.

I used to own a lightly modified WRX. It was damn fast in everything. It was a slight animal though as you approched the limits. The STi shares this. Going through a corner in the WRX/STi is like this...Brake,turn,pray,grin,apply power,grin more,repeat. The RX8 is the same with one difference...you don't have that moment of praying, that moment of thinking...is it gonna grip?

I find that at the limit the RX8 is a much more controllable and fun car.

Edit: I forgot to put my flame suit on. :)

not according to 95% of the folks here :p: rx8 pwns everything in da twisties
"take it to the twisties" is the slogan when compared to any car with better accleration than rx8

I agree with both of you. From the time you let off the brakes to the apex the RX8 will be faster than an STi (assuming you have the balls to carry the speed this car is capable of). But comming off the corner a more powerful car will eat the RX8 alive. Especially an AWD car.

If you want to make the RX8 faster than a car with more power you will have to find a road/race track where they can't use that extra power and you can exploit your faster corner speeds (once again assuming you have the balls to do it and you have the tires to do it as well).

race down hill helps the rx8 a lot, it takes away a lot of the power advantage of the sti. Initial D style :p: drift around the corners sideways is what it takes to drive a RWD car fast through the touge.

i wasn't gonna comment on this post but i just wanted to rack up my numbers..haha

Another thing to think about when comparing the 2 cars. The RX8 is in B Stock in the SCCA Solo 2 class system. The STi,Evo and the S2000 are all in A Stock.

I don't care how well it performs. Its just too ugly to own!!

(I would love to drive one though, kinda like having sex with a fat chick and riding mopeds)

Of course I don't think that the RX8 is all that pretty but looks are in the eyes of the beholder. :)

I can tell you that the Subaru is an animal. You have to man handle it at the limit. I know some don't think this way. The power is kinda brutal too. Everything is going smooth then BAM!

They are addictive. If I had it to do over again I would have bought another WRX or went for an STi. But I am hapy with the RX8. I have only 1 real complaint. I get 18-20 mpg. I know thats average for the car but I got 25mpg out of a 300hp 2.0L WRX. Unless something great comes along financially I will just deal with that one complaint.

I get 14mpg on a good tank. quit babying it and drive. ;-)

Sure, AWD is an advantage in acceleration, but only in slow corners, or in wet conditions.

Otherwise, Kart Racer, since your bud has a STI, swap cars with him and decide for yourself what handles better! I prefer RWD, so...

My only experience with an STI was as a passenger for a few hours, and judged it way too stiff a ride for an everyday car. But I wouldn't doubt that it sticks as well as any.

What does tha mean? ...for us new to autocross world
________
Alihandra

they are just stock classes for cars. when you run in a stock class, you are not allowed to mod the car. B stock is the class that rx8 is in along with 350Z and RSX etc, rx8 dominates this class.

A stock is a class higher with faster cars like s2000, EVO, STI etc. accleration dosnt play a big role in autoX since you are driving around cones in a parking lot,
corner exit speed plays very small role while, weight, gripe and handling is everything. so you can argue that EVO and STI handle better than the rx8 since they are in A stock

*personally i think the rx8 has the potential to be right up there in A stock, its just that the stock suspension is soft and has a lot of bodyroll. upgraded suspension makes rx8 a total monster.

from what i hear (never got a chance to put the sti thru twisties).

sti has higher limits in terms of handling.
rx-8 is easier to handle plus if you lose control, it's easier to correct.

the sti is a blast to drive though. if you're talking performance, the rx-8 stock can't compare to the sti stock.

The STI has cylinders.

The RX-8 does not.

Any questions?

You sir are an affront to the ideals this forum holds true to. Artificially inflating your post count is an egregious offense.

Now, having said that, +1 for me!