I read some posts that said the RX-8 is one of the slowest sports cars out there. So exactly what kind of cars is it comparable to? Can it take out those little civic si's and integras ect? Just want to know why they say it's slow? Thanks.

 

Best question of the night!!

 

Cause it's got ~180 horses at the wheels and no torque. What they don't tell you is that it's got awesome throttle response and will pull harder than any piston engine ever could. It's comparable to an S2000 or a 350Z. A 350Z or an S2000 will pull ahead only after a little while. Generally towards the end of third/early fourth. Even still, it's cheaper than both too and will get more from the upgrades you can put into it, generally.

 

Cause most people only care how fast they can get from stoplight to stoplight.

I took a couple fast and the furious teenagers for a spin around a great local driving route here in Phoenix a while back. We didn't break 75mph but they were screaming like little girls from the hairpin turns.

Trust me, this car is plenty fast with lots of room to grow.

 

Thanks for the quick responses!

 

For example, there's a couple of turbos that will turn this into a 3-second car.

 

Depends on what you mean by 'slow'. A lot of people determine a car's speed by how fast they can go from stoplight to stoplight. If that is what qualifies as being slow or fast, then the RX-8 isn't as fast most, but can usually keep up with NA 6-cyls.

The RX-8 can take turns faster, meaning the poor low-speed acceleration isn't an issue for anything other than drag racing. It's the highest average speed that wins a race, right?

Anyone else notice that the RX-8 has a slightly higher top speed rating than the Mustang GT 8 cylinder (149mph vs. 146mph)? Also, I'm fairly certain that the 8 can get to that top speed faster.

 

Fast is not Quick.

Quick is more fun then Fast

RX-8 is a Quick car, and makes Fast feel boring. "Oh, I'm doing 120mph... doesn't feel like much..."

 

I LOVE THIS CAR!...cornering has the biggest thrill of them all...

 

It feels very swift! Technically, depending on how hard you take off, it's only slightly slower on paper then most cars in the category, also.

 

I don't know about that last sentence...

 

That is an awful big blanket statement there... harder then "any" piston engine?

Low tourqe = not pulling harder then "any" piston engine.

Maybe you meant the TQ curve is wider or longer then most piston engines?

The 8 will have to do some hard driving to keep up in a straight line with a lot of cars out there today as most have at least the same or more hp and tq. But that isn't why you buy an 8... speed isn't everything. Maybe things will change when the 16x comes out.

 

this engine does not pull as hard as the F20c or F22c, period. As for the VQ.... I doubt you've driven either in terms of sheer response and feel of both the s2000 and 350z is superior to the rx8. I still love the mazda best despite all of that.

 

Go here if you want to compare raw acceleration numbers to other various cars here is a decent source:
http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html

The stock 8 does not come with effortless throttle response or excessive pin-you-to-the-back-of-your-seat torque. You can still out accelerate or keep up with most cars out there w/o much effort in every day traffic at every days speeds or more. But to run with the stoplight draggers you will have to be in the upper rev range (above 4500 rpm) and hold gears to nearly red line. Upon doing this (all safely within the speed limit of course), you might still - after all the fury is unleashed complete with noise, shift clicks, tire chirps, etc. - look to your right and still see a modern V6 family sedan or V8 SUV keeping right with you the whole time. Don't get discouraged as they didn't have nearly as much fun as you did getting to the next light and their car probably didn't look or sound near as good.

 

Very insightful and accurate post

 

Excellent summary btw. I love the feeling when I'm going all out, people looking over, etc, and I'm keeping up with traffic.

 

So on Friday night, I take out my 05 MT, stock, with drop in K&n out to alligator alley, basically one big straightaway that cuts east - west across south florida. Tremendous visibility, you can see for miles ahead of you, no intersections whatsoever. At 2AM, the thing was completely, completely empty.

My top speed was 143 mph.

I would also like to mention that I got 2 speeding tickets that night (at the same time), one for 137 in a 70, and one for 98 in a 70.

From what they tell me, I will lose my Rexy privileges for a month, not to mention fines and possibly a fat insurance increase, as the judge is sure to suspend my license.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Guys, please please don't do stupid **** like that.

With that said, that was probably the only chance I would have ever had to see Rexy's top speed in person.

Damned expensive pay to play scenario.

 

Ouchie, pay to play indeed.
I tried "to go really fast.." once, but it didn't feel wise to wait and see the actual top speed.

Were they tracking from the air?

 

1st cop, young and cute blond actually, said she clocked me (137) and tried catching up for 15 miles before she decided to call ahead and warn her buddies.

The buddies were lying in ambush, lit up before passed them, and I stopped.

The cop that stopped me said "your car matches the description we received from a trooper 20 miles back", I played dumb, but they still pegged two tickets on me.

What, there can only be 1 silver rx8 on the alley at a time?

The she cop told me I was the fastest clocked car she'd ever caught...apparently cars get away all the time... I was at the end of the alley anyway, which means if I would have kept going, I could have lost them, maybe...

I won't let my mind go there.

 

expensive indeed. that 137 is going to cost you dearly. by the time you get out of court and all the fees, you are going to wish you were never born.

 

yeah definitely.

please let us know how that goes. i've been up there and i definitely want to see the fines and punishments to keep me from doing it more.

 

It will blow the doors off Civic Si's and Integras. Seriously...

The Si has **** for power before it hits 6000rpm (I've driven one. Awesome fun, but a bit pedestrian if you're looking for a sports car). That's a LONG LONG LONG wait in a 4 banger car that revs slower than the RX-8. You'd hit 9000rpm before it reaches the VTEC zone.

Integra has the same engine, so rinse and repeat.

 

sorry, no.

a stock civic si can do a 14.1 1/4 mile. a stock rx8 can do a 14.4 1/4 mile.

integras might suck, but the 07 civic si is pretty capable.

 

WTF? 14.1 for a stock civic si? Try 15.1

 

It's fast enough to get you a speeding ticket thats for sure..