Speedbuggy

I'll rememebr that, Hercules. Again, sorry I got a bit too hotheaded there.

Revhappy:

I agree completely! I'd be thrilled to get the 210 HP low-power Renesis mated to a nice 5-speed in a package like a sported-up two-door Protege or updated MX-3. Especially in a price range comparable to the Sentra SE-R, Mazdaspeed Protege, and Neon SRT-4. Then again I love sport compacts anyhow. I figure with the weight savings of the Renesis motor and a few weightsaving measures for performance a car like that could easily come in under 2500 pounds and be an absolute blast to drive. It won't be in the leage of the RX-8 or especially not the RX-7, of course, but it should dominate it's class. And well, there are always upgrades if you want to get mega-serious.

Charleston

I read the article and the 8 tested quite well. I like the cornering capability and on the video posted elsewhere the sliding of the G35 in corners is quite disturbing to me. Hope you G35 lovers enjoy buying new tires and that squel so often associated with the point of beginning to lose it. The RX-8 corners like a champ and that is great engineering. It will be fun. Zoom Zoom.

Hercules

I think the G35 runs on nicer tires than the RX-8... just a tip

Speedbuggy

That's perhaps the most important part of the picture, here. The 8 is balanced and nimble and handles predictably and well. The 1.3 Renesis is underpowered compared with the other cars, so what? The motor is built to take boost, and I find it hard to imagine greater power won't be found both in the aftermarket and in option packages later. In fact I would not at all be surprised to see later models come equipped with the larger rotary they are supposed to be designing for the new RX-7, which will presumably be a 14C. This is after all a first year car. Remember, the Miata was introduced with a 1.6 and later went to a bigger more powerful engine as the model was refined and improved.

My point is, you can always increase raw horsepower. That's relatively easy to fix. What you can never do is add in nimbleness, light weight, balance, good handling characteristics, and the like to a car after it's been engineered. A Mustang or Camaro will always be a brick with a lot of horsepower under it, because that's how the car is constructed from the frame on up. Sure you can beef up the suspension and help handling somewhat as a result, but how are you going to easily change weight balance, steering geometry, turning radius, any of those things? Fact is, you can't. But Mazda engineered all those qualities into the car from the drawing board stage onwards, so you don't have to try to somehow repair those deficiencies later. They put their time and effort into making sure the car is right in ways that cannot be easily changed after the fact, so what you're starting with is an inherently better product. That's exactly the right approach.

The RX-8 already has advantages it's competitors cannot match. Given a bit more power, either aftermarket upgrades or improved stock specs later, and they will translate into a lead that no one else will be able to touch.

And just wait until the 7 comes out. If Mazda can translate what they've done with the 8 into a pure, *****-to-the-wall screaming sportscar, then Corvette owners might have to get used to the sight of Mazda tail-lights.

Hercules

Thanks Speed, good summary

Haris

Since they got 5.9 seconds 0-60 with 8K clutch drop, I wonder if you get 9K clutch drop what 0-60 would be. It might spin wheels too much to even be slower, but it might always be a bit faster.

The Beav

i think the lack of mid-range torque is something to due with teh lack of teh 5 and 6 port being stuck on the pre-production cars, i want to see a car review of a production model (with fully functional 5 and 6 ports)

P00Man

wow, havent visited this thread in a while...nice post speedbuggy

yeah, a rotary in an mx-3 type car would be pretty cool

the renesis is really an incredible design when you actually think about it
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KAWASAKI KX100

Speedbuggy

Thanx for the compliment! *smile* I appreciate the feedback and it's good to know I'm making a positive contribution.

I agree with you 100% on the amazing job they've done with the Renesis. I think that even after they do the bigger rotary they're planning they should keep the current engine for their smaller platforms. The Miata for one could benefit tremenduously from such an engine, as could a prospective RX-3 or even possible use in a Mazdaspeed Protege or the like. The horsepower and torque numbers might not be impressive when placed against open-class powercars like the Z, Mustang, Corvette, and others, but in a small-car class such as competing against the likes of the Neon SRT-4, Sentra SE-R, and Integra R-Type it would be absolutely dominating. Especially when you consider the potential it has when a bit of boost is added... it is -already- in the power league of most of it's turbocharged competition, with boost of it's own the only thing even close will be the Evo and even then there's advantages in weight, cost and reliability. A 300-plus horsepower 4-cylinder is NOT a street engine, IMO, it's tuned to it's limits and will wear like it. There's a reason they don't warranty those things the way they do everything else. It's a blown motor waiting to happen. A 300 horsepower Renesis, on the other hand, is well within safe and reliable tolerances. Advantage: Mazda.

As to the launch question, I recall it being said that 90% of the engine's available torque came in at like 4500 RPM if not lower. That would mean that you should be easily able to launch at that RPM and get the vast majority of the car's performance while not ******* it so much. What could the difference be between 90% and 100%, a few tenths of a second maybe? Good luck telling the difference without a stopwatch. Head-to-head racing and paper statistics are the only real ways that will make any noticable difference at all. You won't know it when you're driving it, and that's what counts. What you -will- feel and notice when you're driving, however, is how the car corners and the way it handles when you're putting it through it's paces. A fraction of a second is imperceptible to human senses, but a 10 or 20 mph difference in the speed the car can handle a given corner is -very- noticable. I think Mazda put it's focus in the right place.

By the way, you know how you can tell when a car company is moving in the -wrong- direction? I test drove a late 90's Toyota Corolla last year and ended up giving it back in disgust because my '81 Corolla handled corners far better and was more fun to drive. Oh but the new one had cup holders! And cruise control and power crap on the doors and windows and all kinds of standard ameneties we didn't dream of on the old car! *gag* And they wonder why they're having to launch an all-new brand to try to get anyone under 40 to buy their cars.