1.3 liter

Hey ya'll, it's been a while since I posted , been gone...but it's good to be back amongst friends. I just have one question for all the ones who have actually seen the RX-8 live, and this answer will more likely determine whether I get the "8" or the Audi A4. The question is: Is the RX-8 as beautiful in person as some people say? I need for the people who have actually seen the car in 3D, not pictures of it..we all have seen pics., but live in the the metal, rubber, and glass. The RX-8 has been labeled the best design to ever come out of Japan. Now, that's biting off a big chunck, because to me, the best design to ever leave the land of the rising sun was the FD. If it looks better than the FD then IT'S ON!!! Seriously, I need an honest analysis. The A4 is a gorgeous car also, and ya'll's opinion can influence my decision. I believe in traveling in the upmost style.

Peace and chicken grease:p

The Beav

i saw both a blue and a red one at the mazda rev it up event and it most definitely a beatiful car to behold, it's very nice inside and out

ELX13

the old addage is the most accurate way to describe the 8 once u see it in person..."pictures DO NOT do it justice!"

the car looks extremely better in person. i saw it at the auto show in feb. and last week at the rev it up..where i finally sat in it too!

the best way i've been able to describe it is that the car looks "stronger" in person than in pics. pics seems to shrink the wheel base both from front-toback and side-to-side. the 8 is beefy, "swole" even, but not bulky. the lines are great...and the front fender flares in person?!...don't get me started.

trust me dog, the hype true. the car looks exponentially better in person...IMHO.

The Beav

yeah now after seeing it in person i think pics make it look dinky, it's a strong looking car, that as soon as you look at it you know to respect it

ibfubar2000

a red rx8 pulled into our dealer yesterday (a mazda factory rep was driving) i got to sit in it and hear it run (he would not let me drive it) not one person who was here customers or employees had a bad thing to say about it. everybody was very impressed with the style. it is unlike any car on the road. when i saw it it just made me want mine more. personally if you are lookiing for a car that is almost one of a kind and you want to turn heads . the rx8 is the car. imo

Puppy1

It depends on your point of reference. People in Europe that have seen the car in person think the car is big. Us that saw it in the states think the car is small.

The FD is a classic 2 seater pure sports car with incredibly sexy curves. The 8 is not. I wouldn't compare the two.

The FE is more from the same "edge" degisn as the A4. If you compare these two, the 8 is a far more sexy design.

rxeightr

Both of them look fantastic in person. IMO, much better than the Audi, and that is not a bad looking vehicle.

RotorGeek

When I saw it in person I was floored on how gorgeous the car is. The front fendors are soo sexy and powerful almost like the engine is bulgeing out the sides. The interior feels bigger and cozyier then it looks from the outside. It has been said that PICTURES DO NO JUCTICE TO THIS CAR and I completely agree. My advise to you is wait a few weeks till you can see one. Then you can make the proper choice

RX7 Guy

1.3 Liter,

Add me to the list of those who feel the "8" looks much better in person than in pictures. Having said that, the FD is better looking in my opinion but as another poster has pointed out, comparing the two directly isn't appropriate.

I'll likely get flamed all to hell for saying this, but the clean, no nonsense lines of the three series & to a slightly lesser extent, the A4 are more pleasing to me. I'm a thirty eight year old engineer, so you're defiantly getting the opinion of a conservative, stogy old man but that's my opinion nun the less. You damn kids ---shaking fist in air---

BTW, I think the A4 is nothing more than a re-badged VW Passat in all its front wheel drive glory...defiantly, defiantly not in the RX-8's league mechanically.

cueball

Here are some pics of the FD and RX8 next to each other.

jtdwab

I to have seen the RX-8 at a Rev-It-Up event as well as the NY autoshow. I can defently say the RX-8 looks better, stronger, more stylish in person than in pictures.

I also went to the Audi sight to look at the A4 for comparison to get an idea of what your working with. I can also say from seeing A4 on the road vs. the pictures that the A4 looks just like it does in every picture. What you see in the ad is what you get.

The dimensionality (I think that is a word) of the RX-8 does not come through in 2-D. You don't see the "athletic tension" when things are flattened in a picture.

Maybe you can find a dealer that is going to get some in soon and take a look see.

norats

Looks wise, the FD is better, but the 8 is a close second....performance wise, I really don't think they're comparable..FD was a true performance sports car, the 8 is a LS (luxury/sports) car with bells/whistles/lacking the same punch as the 7, but yet has the rotors and the promise of future tweaking=fun factor combined with good looks is why i'm in. (in addition to decent price point)

I have seen the 8, both at the LA auto show (a red one & the x-men) and the rev-it-up & it is stunning. I just wish I would have known just what kind of blue, "winning blue" was earlier in the decision process...(I ordered black--safe color) The blue reminds me of the same blue in the 89 Chrysler Conquest, fiji blue, i think...just electrifying.
The interior was the only thing that bugged me..the gray/silver plastic looked cheaply made, but I've been told that the production model will be different materials....not really hung up on that though, just thought it should have looked better.

Anyway, having seen the eight up close, after seeing the pics, i was not disappointed. At after hearing it purr at 5 or 6k, i was hooked!!
Good Luck, sometimes you just gotta roll the dice and take a chance.

ibfubar2000

do you need to decide today? if there is no hurry i would recomend that you wait until the rx8 comes out and test drive it and look at it and make your own decision. becauswe if you rush into the other car then see the rx8 than you might be very disappointed. so i say just wait a few more weeks and decide for yourself after you have given both cars an equally fair chance. jmo

P00Man

the rx-8 looks even better in person, like everyone else has said, stronger, bigger, faster, meaner, better, more stylish...

wait and look at both, then youll go with the 8
________
Expert Insurance

91vert

As everybody else is saying.....the car is absolutely awesome in person. Pics do not do it justice at all.

I spent a bunch of time with the RX-8 in person last weekend at the Rev It Up. 98% of the interior is awesome. I know the cars were pre-production and may not be the exact same materials, but I was mostly impressed with it. The leather on the seats is very soft, and I saw no wear at all from 3,000+ people that have hopped in and out of the cars. The Mazda rep that was there said that the red car has been to multiple car shows and Rev It Up's, and he said that 3,000 entries and exits may be on the low side of what it really has been. That is many years worth of in-and-outs for us, so it seems to be fairly durable material.

The only things I noticed that seemed somewhat bothered me (the 2% that was bad) was some of the interior plastic pieces did seem kind of cheesy....or just not the most practical thing to have in a car. For example, I hate that shiny black plastic around the stereo/HVAC controls. I see that getting really shitty looking quick. There will be tons of little scratches and scuffs on it in no time flat. I wished they would have done something different there.

The other thing I noticed was that the plastic trim around the bottom of the drivers seat next to the power seat controls looked like 2 separate pieces of plastic that snapped together or something. They did not fit well, and the seam where they came together was rough, right on top where it is most visible, and had enough of a gap where the seams came together for dirt and dust to get stuck in. Thought they could have done a better job with that.

The top of the center "tunnel" where the cupholders and storage bins are was aluminum (or some kind of metal) with a textured vinyl "skin" glued to it that was peeling off around one of the storage bin lids. I'm hoping that this was something that was thrown together just for the pre-production model. I'm guessing that this is the case, and that the production cars will be molded plastic.

When the doors are shut, it did not have a solid thud. It felt like when the front door hit the back door and latched that it kind of "bounced" off of the door jamb and back door a little. Felt sort of like it shook the whole side of the car, and reverberated for a split second. Kind of hard to explain without feeling it. Not a big deal though. Once it was shut, everything felt tight and secure.

One more thing that I thought seemed a little bizarre was the display screen (or whatever it is called) where it shows the clock/stereo/HVAC settings. The LED "fonting" style looks like something on a digital alarm clock from 1975 in my opinion. I would have thought that with the totally awesome instrument cluster that the car has, that they could have come up with something a little more high-tech looking for that display. I really like how it says "mazda RX-8" though when the car is first started!

73JPS

Personally, I think the car looks great in person. There are some pictures in which it looks terrible, but when I saw it in person I couldn't seem to get those same angles or perceptions that I got in some of the less flattering pictures.

Now style is a personal thing, but here is an interesting story regarding the styling of the RX8: at the Detroit auto show this year, the stylist who designed one of the latest Lamborghinis (I don't remember if he did the Murcielago, Barchetta, or the Gallardo...) was walking around the auto show with a few industry people. He was quite interested in many of new cars, making comments on styling cues he might have changed here and there on many of them, things that were good, things he might have done differently.

When he passed by the Mazda display with RX8s, he apparently made a detour and spent a good deal of time walking around and looking at the cars. Apparently, after quite a while of this, he stood back and told he people with him "You know, there is not a line on this car that is not perfect."

While that is only one man's opinion, it is nice to hear such high praise coming from another stylist, and a Lambo stylist at that.

Kap

Hi All,

I found this forum about a week ago and have been reading it ever since. It seems to be a great wealth of information with great members. I finally figured I might be able to contribute a little bit in response to 1.3 Liter's post.

I currently own a 2002 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro (since April '02) and I think it's an extremely well put together automobile. Everything about the build is solid. The materials used throughout the cabin is of very good quality (soft plastics throughout). There are numerous thoughtful designs that I've come to appreciate, such as a swiveling cigarette lighter, soft fading lights in the footwells of every seat and above, etc.. I find the beauty of the car apparent in a very subtle manner; I don't look at it immediately and think "What a great looking car!" But it does seem (to me at least) to have a design that grows on you so after owning it over a year, I sometimes feel that I like it even more so now.

While I have not driven any true sports cars, the A4 is a sedan drives more like a sedan than that of a 2 door coupe. What I mean by that is that while it does handle amazingly well compared to other sedans, there is still some roll and dive if you decide to make a quick 90 degree turn at 40 mph. The acceleration does leave something to be desired. At 3400+ lbs, and 170 hp, 166 lbs torque, the A4 is not a quick car. The turbo doesn't kick in until 2000 rpm, but you have maximum torque from 2000-5000 rpm. It's a very fun car to drive if you're willing to drop down a gear or two frequently, but you would never call it fast.

Having said all that, I put down a $1000 deposit for a RX-8 a few weeks ago and will make up my mind on what to do once I've actually touched the car and test driven it.

What I personally will miss the most if I do decide to trade my A4 for the RX-8 is not so much just the car itself, but the level of service and attention I've received from Audi and thus far, what I haven't received from Mazda. Where the service department will patiently sit down with you and listen to every single little complaint you have and actually fix everything little squeak, rattle, hum, etc... Where if they have to order a part, they will actually come to my workplace and service my vehicle there in my parking lot with their remote garage. Where even if I get something as minor as an oil change, or a little buzzing in my speaker, that I get a complimentary loaner car. And don't forget that for the first 4 years/50,000 miles, all you have to pay out of your pocket is for tires, as all scheduled maintainance is free for that period. Yes, I understand that the RX-8 is supposed to be a luxury sports car, but with the service I've received so far, it doesn't feel that way.

So far with my explorations, it seems like the RX-8 should offer better performance, that 'addictive' rotary engine and a sexier skin while the A4 seems more luxurious, solid build and excellent service.

And yes, VW Passat shares a frame in that it takes the A4 frame and stretches it out a few inches to lengthen the overall dimensions and add legroom. But they do not drive the same, hope that helps!

AndyPearce

Speaking from a UK perspective I'd say that the car looks bigger in the flesh than in the pictures but I wouldn't classify it as a big car.

Like everyone else has said though it is even better looking in the flesh - especially from the front. Let's face it, people will be seeing the front of the car in their rear view mirrors more than they will see the rear end disappearing into the distance!:D

rael

Wrong way round Andy.....I think.

Most people should be seeing your exhaust pipes otherwise it would suggest you are not ovetaking them!.

rael

mav

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

When I first saw it, I hated it... especially the freestyle doors. However since seeing it in person at the Miami Rev It Up, it has definitely grown on me to the point I'm seriously considering purchasing one. Designwise, interior is great, exterior is great, but I still can't get past those doors.

1.3 liter

I read all of ya'll's comments on the beauty of the RX-8 and I have taken all of them to heart. Funny thing happened yesterday, after I posted this thread, I called my Mazda dealer and asked them if they were going to receive any pre-order 8's, and he said YES! They are getting in two 8's, one silver/red and one titanium/chapparell. I asked him to give me a call as soon as they get off the truck. My Mazda dealer also deals Audi's so I can compare the 8's body next to the A4's body (with sport package of course). I intend to thoroughly examine both the interior and exterior of both cars. I want to experience some "athletic tension" I hope that one of the 8's has a nav. system because that's important to me. I do admit the nav. of the A4 isn't all that. That will be messed up if I get to sit in the RX-8 before the actual owners do. Again, thank you boys for your opinions.:p

P.S If I decide to order an 8, will it take months before it comes in?

BRx8

well it depends on how you drive it i guess, but i don't think too many people will be seeing me in their rearview but the otherway around! the RX will be faster than 95% of the cars you see on the road, unless, of course, you got the automatic

rx-7~rx-8

The FD and 8 can't be compared .. first of all there two different cars. FD is traditional sports car .. and 8 is sports car lik no other(different). They both look very nice i seen both in person. 8 is more of a realistic car, cause you have more interior room. interior and exterior are full of beauty. 8 is one hell of a looker in person. screw the picture there color is little different in color, compared wo it looks in sunlight. A4 doesn't look as good, becuase every car looks like it. 4 doors, no bulge on hood... get the rx-8.

chikai

great read guys...

I haven't seen the 8 in person but I'm very excited about the comments thus far for the lucky few that have.

Just our of curiosity does the red 8 in the following picture look lowered?

ibfubar2000

no looks to be factory height.