Breaking News from CarPoint...
 

Rx8 Reviews by Car Point.com.au Check It Out... :D

Here is the Link:

http://carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/revie...ry.asp?ID=4657

I am now one step closer to buying it! :)

I wish the magazines could get a production model so they can do a full review.

Rough estimates of 10/14 litres per 100 km put the RX-8 at high teens/mid twenties MPG (US)... That would also put it on par with the average 24 MPG (imperial) figures quoted in an article awhile back.

It appears the Corvette gets 1 litre per 100km better mileage (both city and highway) than the RX-8...

Torque converter???
 

"The reason for the automatic's 30kW power deficit is the rotary engines high rev ceiling. Engine redline is at 9000rpm, and Mazda COULDN'T FIND :confused: a torque converter capable of handling the stresses that involves."


Question: I know the rx7 (FD3S) auto is just not that great as the tranny is directly taken from another Mazda Suv?? i forgot which car!!! :p Therefore, how good is the Rx8 automatic transmission?? :eek: And y COULDN'T Mazda find a good torque converter?? :confused: :confused:

Ps... buy the manual transmission!!! just my 0.02...

Re: Torque converter???
 

Maybe because the auto tranny in this year's model is just a stop-gap version for the few people who would require an automatic (you need to offer an automatic in a large volume car in the States), and so they didn't want to waste money on developing a traditional auto that will handle 9k.

'Cause maybe they have something a little better to replace the traditional automatic tranny in a year or so...

---jps

Sputnik: Tanx... that make sense... ;) hopefully a replacement for a better torque will be available in a few years... if not... :eek:

I guess Mazda's first and final goal is to get as many rx-8 on the road, whether it will b in auto or manual... ;) and then... plz... plz... plzzz... let the 7 live again... :D

Can you spell SMG?
 

I was wondering though, can a SMG function like a full automatic? Or perhaps a CVT?

I notice he mentions single piston brakes. Is that the case on the front wheels? It's something I've not thought about recently, but didn't the RX-EVOLV have six-piston calipers up front , and four-piston in the back? And now it's single piston all around? Just curious...

WOOT!!:) :)

Re: Can you spell SMG?
 

It can easily be setup to shift automatically. But it will still have 5 or 6 separate gears, unlike a CVT.

---jps

Did anyone else catch the estimated acceleration of 100km/hr in 6.5 seconds? That works out to a 0-60mph time of about 6.2 seconds. Unless my math is screwy. Sounds great to me, but some people might not be too thrilled about it...

but i think the euro spec engine has a little less hp like 237 vs. 247 here unless there is another conversion that i am missing?

You're right in your math Elara, but Buger will disagree with your method (you cross multiplied, right?). He mentioned to factor in things like wind resistance that increase as you go faster, so 60 mph might come a tad faster than your quick calculation (as I had done for the braking and got scolded :p).

But 6.2 is a good estimate.. figure that the 330Ci got released at 6.3 and C&D got it down to 5.9, then the RX-8 should be able to get down to just under 6.

Yeah, I was just doing a quick conversion :) I suck at math, so even if I knew the windresistence etc. I wouldn't begin to know how to factor that in. In any case, it sounds like it's going to be about what we all expected :)

*nod*

I'm happy with a flat 6 to 60 time, and that's very doable after C&D gets their hands on it, or if Mazda decides to get the car a bit more aggressively geared just for North America (because we all like number games).

Either way, I'm a happy camper. I'm just wondering about the handling reviews from C&D and the rest :)