Design1stCode2nd

I don't get the hate for the 350z either, seems like a fine car for the money if you only need a 2 seater. Overall I think the 8 performed well for the power it delivers.

murix

I would ignore you too. Sounds like street racing. Go to the track and I am sure you will find plenty of people who want to race.

OfficerFarva

JW, doesn't an evo cost more than 30k? Sumwhere along the lines of like 33-35kish?

Ike

You can get an RS for under 30k and it might just be faster than an MR around a track.

MyRXdrug

I think it was Ike who said that a yearly comparison like this would be good... and I agree!
One year the Z might win due to conditions, the next year the EVO could win because it was a little cooler. But we would see consistency.
They need more cars, all the cars!!! I really don't care for the price groupings. Just put the price (MSRP) and use the times. Then we can see best bang for the buck! and maybe car of the year! lol.

Red Devil

^^^
Basically, you want a version of the Top Gear test for North America.

MyRXdrug

Ya that's what I was thinking when I wrote that, the only exception is that it is on the same day. I see that can be difficult to do if you have a lot of cars, so maybe drive the first run on day 1, the second runs on day 2, etc etc... Just so there would be consistency.

pdxhak

iTrader: (2)

The more I read this thread the more I want FI

Hmmm...new roof and siding for the house or FI for the 8

shaunv74

Road and Track used to do a yearly Bang for the Buck test. I remember in '93 when the 3rd gen 7 came out it killed everyone else in performance and only lost on price.

CarAndDriver

After looking at the mag article in person, the RX-8 acquitted itself quite well when it came to anything involving chassis dynamics.

It was one of the better cars at losing the least speed (percentage wise) in corner situations and was only hampered in acceleration out of corners by a weaker engine than a lot of the competition.

I love my 8, but it really could have used the 250HP that Mazda originally stated it had.

willhave8

Yeah but 10+ MPH???

Last year I did VIR totally stock. It was my first track event and by the second morning, I was hitting 116 to 120 at the end of the main straight on the Grand East.

This year with Azenis and Racing Beat sway bars, Intake and duct, I was hitting mid 120's. Others were shifting into 5th and approaching 130 with MS suspension and other tid-bits.

Yes, mods help but still seems the CND driver was leaving something out there. But then again, he was probaly doing it with all the cars equally - right?

Right? Who cares anyway? Horsepower MATTERS on the Grand East.

Ike

If you guys would look at the article you'd realize that it's peak speed for one sector of the track, not necessarily the peak speed they hit on the entire track.

sunilseru

^ yeah it is the peak speed in sector one, but they did mention that all the cars hit the peak in sector one...

Deslock

Paul_in_DC also hit more than 116, but he stated that his speedo was calibrated; are you certain that yours' was also? Over at caranddriver.com, it was speculated that higher top speeds on other days could've been due to factors such as tail-wind vs head-wind.

patrick_andraste

I got my *** handed to me by a honda civic once.

I realized it was all over when I heard the Blow off valve ventilate and the front tires spin as he shifted into second.

willhave8

No, i have never calibrated my Speedo. It is not really important to me if I am going X versus X * .98 or 1.01 etc. For purposes of this discussion, I wasn't claiming my speedo is right nor suggesting that CNDs was wrong.

In the end, as I look back over my vids, I never did better than a 3:25 lap on the Grand East. So, no matter what speed was hit at the end of the main straight, the CND driver and car were faster than me. That makes me feel better about their overall test.

ASH8

Time to trade the Evo Ike...

playdoh43

both s2k and sti's base msrp starts above 30k, so even if they were to have them, im not sure if they could run them in the same class.

im surpsed evo lost too, but ohh well. we all know in general EVO tend to have better track time than the Z. its like the top gear video where rx8 run the same time as the Z and M3 albit on different days and diff track conditions. fluke happens and thats what makes it fun. every car has a different chance at winning, but they are never zero. The rx8 can take home the trophy too. the EVO obviously had a bad day. I think the rx8 ended up where it should, and did very well for it self considering the track the competition.

next year i expect the evo to have a much stronger showing, and the Z too with the much more potent VQ35HR engine.

PhotoMunkey

The RX-8 carries narrower, and significantly harder tires than the Evo or the 350Z Track.... FYI. Tires and suspension are worth alot of time on the track. Two 30k cars against a 25k car is hardly a fair comparison.

Sunset ZR

It seems that as long as your vase car was under 30k you could equip it with whatever options you sold on the car. Does the RX8 sell the MS as options for the 8 when buying? If they do they should have equipped the car the best they could and if they don't, then they should sell the MS stuff as factory covered warrantied options just like the EVO and the Z. I think I remember the mag not wondering why they didn't send the Charger with the best rubber they sold for their car. All in all the 8 did quite well. On the other hand if they repeated the test for 07 the test would again finish very close to the same order. The first two might exchange places as both cars have upped the ante on power but kept the same prices (guessing as far as the EVO X) and the rest of the group have pretty much stayed where they are.

Sunset ZR

Oh maybe not the MS3 and the MS6 could be added into the fray and could definitely be in the top 5. Also I believe the Soltice/Skyy could also jump into the battle as well.

ASH8

I agree the RX-8 did really well, put the 3 on a circuit like Laguna, or one with actual braking and corners (sorry,,, I forgot the US don't have roads with twisties...(tounge in cheek)).
Put them all on a 24Hour non stop (fuel only) endurance test would also be interesting....anyone with a link!

Ike

I bet your mom told you that you did really well when you finished a distant third as a child. What she really meant is, you got WTF pwned! Beer me!

ASH8

Very Jocular!

If my child ran third in anything (whatever that has to do with a lump of metal on 4 wheels in a speed comparison got to do with a parents praise) I would be very proud and happy with an effort that is praiseworthy.

But then again this goes to show the psyche of some American (with respect) views that winning at ALL cost's has to be the scenario, my how history shows your society littered with sometime tragic results of winning at all cost.
But that is another subject matter.

We all know that the RX-8 in it's present form will never win in a straight line in this comparo, however, as an example of say a track used in UK's Top Gear (one with corners and braking) the RX-8 achieved the same lap time of a BMW M3, 2004 350Z, etc, and was even faster than the 5.7 litre Holden Monaro, (Pontiac GTO) at the time.

I know of NO other 1300cc Motor that will give you performance results like the NA RENESIS RX-8.

Ike

I'm sorry to hear about your mediocre children. I'm going to go put the "My kid WTF pwned your kid" bumper sticker on my car now.