6speed8

I would never want to see anyone try to do world rally in the RX-8, it would get dirty and cover it's beauty. The WRX on the other hand NEEDS to be covered in dirt to hide it's appearance.

Tronics

WRX, STI, and EVO are in a diffrent class than a RX-8. For one, WRX, STI, and EVO are AWD turbo cars, with 4 full doors and back seat. The RX-8 is a RWD NA car. It's like comparing apples to oranges. Another thing, you talk about understeer like you know what it is. You act as if the EVO is gods gift is to the auto industry. Car companies should just stop everything and make nothing but EVO's. I don't know of any races that involve FI and NA racing against each other.

revhappy

You missed my point. IMHO, a four door/four passenger performance car is better suited for the AWD/tubro combination. A high reving NA engine is better suited for a 2 seat or 2X2 car.

This is from a pure performance view only and I fully realize the RX8 offers many unique qualities that make the car preferable for the owners. I FULLY SEE WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM AND RESPECT THEIR PREFERENCES ALTHOUGH MINE ARE DIFFERENT. The topic here is why the car weighs what it does and my responses are geared to that.

O.R.A.

So, how do you explain the Lotus Elise? :D Yeah, it's heavier here than in Europe, but it's still a light car. So is the 4 seater Toyota Celica at less than 2500 pounds. So is the Toyota MR-Spyder and so is the Miata.

The reason cars are getting porkier is because everyone WANTS their fricking 17 airbags and 22 cupholders and their power stink analyzers and their 35 inch wheels. They want their car to be like an RV and have every convenience of home and be safer than your mom's lap. A car like this should have very few "features". The feature is driving the car itself. It's a driver's car, not a family room.

Heavy cars make it harder to avoid accidents are worse on fuel economy, require more power, etc.

And why should we not complain about cars getting heavier? Just because you don't care?


By the way, I wouldn't say that the RX-8 is a SPORTS CAR any more than a 911. It's a GT.


I don't understand why your pride gets so hurt when an RX-8 is compared to a WRX. It's not a bad car to have the RX-8 be compared to. It's hard to avoid comparing the RX-8 being about the same weight as the WRX, when the WRX has the heavier AWD, the heavier piston motor, all the airbags and features,etc.

Jhouse

FYI I think it is safe to say
I WAS TALKING ABOUT 2 CARS DESIGNED MORE AROUND AMERICAN STANDARDS, UNLIKE THE ELISE.

p.s. WRX is still FUGLY.

Digisan

I disagree on the understeer statement. If you turn off the DSC the car is very balanced, I have a bit of oversteer actually. With the DSC on I have some understeer. There is nothing wrong with body roll, if done properly it can enhance grip. I bet that if canzoomer raced his "normalized 8" against the STi or EVo on the track the 8 would win no question. Even without the power the 8 has taken on EVOs and won at the AutoX tracks.

djmano

getting in before a possible lock!

RobDickinson

I agree its ugly. One of the reasons I wont buy a WRX (one of several). And as we in UK have been messed about by mazda and had 5+ months of delays, if I was at all intrested in any other car in the price range I'd have that now.

Enjoy the RX-8 for what it is - as a complete package. Its not the best at anything. Its not the quickest, the best handling, best looking , or the most usefull car on the road, but as a combination of everything, for the price, its way ahead of anything else on offer.

I can pick another car that will do 1 or 2 things better than an RX-8 , for the same money, easily. Nothing does it all remotly close.

6speed8

Okay let's look at the weight (and sports car moniker) one more time:

April 2003 Car and Driver:
The Verdict 'A genuine sports car that holds fout adults' - in that test (the RX-8 vs the G35C Vs the Mustang SVT Cobra) they say the 'RX-8 weighs 560 lbs less than the G35C and even 200 lbs less than the ... 911 Porsche'

April 2003 Road and Track -
'So what we have here is an excellent, civilized sports car that just happens to have four doors'

'Our testing sees 60 mph in 5.9 sec...a match for the Porsche Boxster and certainly quick by modern sports-car standards'

'Its a remarkably well finished and appealling interior at this, or any price point'


May 2003 Sports Car International -
'Mazda has developed a breakthrough sports car here'

on it's steering: '...all sports cars should be so well endowed'

'the car feels light, quick on its feet'

Ironically the Mitsu Evo is tested in the same issue, and not once is the word sports car used'


Modern sports car weights:
(these are base weights, the RX8 base weight = 2940 lbs)

2004 Audi TT = 3131 lbs
2004 MB SLK230 = 3627 lbs
2003 BMW Z4 = 2998 lbs
2003 Porsche Boxster = 2811 lbs
2003 Acura NSX = 3153 lbs
2003 Chevy Corvette = 3214 lbs
2003 Honda S-2000 = 2809 lbs

NOTE: these are all TWO seaters, if you add 2 more seats, 2 more doors and a solid roof, they would weigh MUCH more than an RX-8. So please spare us any comments on WEIGHT.