Just got these scans of the article in autocar, post Laguna Seca... Out today.

ftp://rx8:mazda@ftp.fsck.co.uk/autocar-p1.gif
ftp://rx8:mazda@ftp.fsck.co.uk/autocar-p2.gif
ftp://rx8:mazda@ftp.fsck.co.uk/autocar-p3.gif
ftp://rx8:mazda@ftp.fsck.co.uk/autocar-p4.gif
ftp://rx8:mazda@ftp.fsck.co.uk/autocar-p5.gif

The author seems a bit negative about the engine, not a rotary enthusiast... but was quite positive about the chasis...

It appears that the jouno's wern't allowed to push the cars... shame.

Enjoy....

 

thanks BLueAdept! rotarynews didn't mention any restrictions on the hot laps in his preliminary report maybe some jouno's bunched because of time constraints and mazda didn't want people crashing thru the cork-screw on the track?

and thanks to gene (p5turbo) for the new avatar

 

What a bleh article :|

It has compliments in it, but the author really wanted to go a little nuts on the track and unfortunately Mazda didn't allow him...

But I think as time draws nearer, the people who are lining up in this forum are just reassured as each article is written.

 

Awesome job and quick work, Blue Adept- thanks. I enjoyed the article, if not everything it said... it sounds like the car does not feel particularly fast. When the highlight of the car and its raison d'etre is the rotary, "looks and chassis... deserve a punchier engine" is not the kind of thing one wants to read. When all four seats have four adult butts in them, this thing is going to be a slug. It sure sounds like they nailed the chassis, though- too bad they were kept on a short leash on their test drives.

The line of journalist cars described in the article exactly describes the procession we say in the Rotarynews pictures. Kinda neat to see something online, then get "the rest of the story!"

 

Don I'll be quick to point out though, that I think that being that this journalist is obviously no rotary afficianado, that he didn't 'feel' the speed in the RX-8. In a rotary engine you can't

He did say something to the effect of "this car may get to 60 in 6 seconds but it doesn't feel like it", and that's why I take away a different meaning.

In the end it will come down to Car and Driver driving the car after Mazda drops one off to them, and getting proper benchmarks made available. I think that the RX-8 will be released from Mazda with a 6 second dash to 60, and C&D will likely peg it just a tenth or two under that.

I think 6 seconds is if for anything, marketing purposes. In North America where people are very focused on this and horsepower ratings, and since Mazda is deciding to sell the bulk of the RX-8s in the US, it's important to have figures that communicate well to the drivers who just want to buy the car for the numbers.

 

Thanks BlueAdept for scanning the article.

It's a good honest review. I can't fault him for feeling a bit slighted for not being allowed to push the car. If I was at Laguna Seca with the RX-8, I too would be frustrated if I didn't push it 8/10. Maybe next time, Mazda will allow journalists more latitude.

As for the feel of the RX-8’s torque, I think it’s totally dependent on one’s perception and expectation. I don’t know what the writer had in mind, but I feel that the RX-8 will be more than adequate for me. I am currently driving the high-revving, low torque (111 ft-lbs woo-hoo!) Civic Si. The flat torque curve of the RX-8 will be a big improvement.

 

holy gigantic downloads batman!

can someone shrink it down a bit and save it as jpg???

 

nevermind i'm downloading it w/ download accelerator, i'll see if i can shrink it down to more modem-friendly size

 

BlueAdept-

Thanks for scanning the article. Definitely an interesting post if nothing else. It was rather poorly written if I do say so myself, it really didn't flow very well at all, but it is always good to hear an amatuer/non-rotary enthusiast's opinion of the car.

I wonder what rotarynews has to say about the limits? I wonder if they were set for everyone or what, hopefully in Part II of their discussion they will mention this.

Either way it was probably a good thing, because if you have ever played GT3 on PS2 you know that Leguna is a rather unforgiving track. I was out there with the Spec Miatas last year when they all ran and it isn't necessarily a track you would want some amateur going ***** to the wall in a brand new car on. Of course that is just my opinion, but it might have some basis in the logic Mazda may have been using when enforcing their supposed "limits" on the drivers..

Thanks again for taking the time to scan and post the article.

-Quick

 

nobody at the press event really got ot drive the cars to their limits.... that is one of the reasons the writer was a bit "foul" in his report.

I imagine for some of the reporters that came 20 hours on a plane from all over the world.. only to be told they had to stay in a single file "parade" lap on the track.. only to be gotten out on the open road and teased with the beauty of Californias Hwy 1's beauty and scenery.. they might have felt a bit played.

Heck If I came from as close as Texas to Laguna Seca... I would have wanted to get out there and tear it up! I can only imagne how these guys felt.

 

That's funny that you comment on Mazda's restriction on fun , "DrKillJoY".

 

heheh... i guess technically the event only had "zoom" and not "zoom zoom"

ok.. well that wasnt funny.. but im posting it anyhow.

 

No worries... I expect that it was very rushed... probably written on the plane since it was in print VERY soon after the event... either way, there isn't anything "nasty" in there, his opinion of the engine isn't very relavent, since we already love the rotary!! the comments on the rest of the car were very positive...

I imagine he needed more time to learn the ways of the rotary... if somone had renumbered the revcounter to 70% of what it reads... the article may well have been a lot more positive! LOL.

 

I can't think of greater praise than "The car is so lithe, so balanced that it must find an appreciative following... "

"lithe", no there's an appropriate word...

Some may want the rough'n ready kind of sportscar that the evo provides... but I think precise and effortless is just the ticket.