SHOWOFF

A V-6 is rumored for the MS3.

bern

Rumor only.... turbo I-4 is the ticket! They already have it in the MS-6, why not use it for the MS-3?!?!

-Bern

zoom44

now that's funny :D

SHOWOFF

If they'd just go ahead and toss in AWD and a turbo on that 2.3L I will buy it when I get our next car. As for the SC'd RX-8, they are planning well to intro that car in '06 just about the point when most people are in "equity position" on their current cars and will have a tendency to trade more easily.

I know that I plan on keeping my 8 indefinitely. This car would be a great addition to the garage. I'm happy with the car in it's current state by more power and freshened looks are a must.

I'd like to see the car offered in an orange color that is close to the Lava Orange on the 6 and the 3.

Auto climate controls and nu-buck or suede seats would be kick *** as well.

Lock & Load

Bern

Maybe you would like to point out to Mazda that APS have a Twinturboed a 350Z putting out 325kw and 525nm 280kw at the rear wheels this will hopefully get them to get the RX8 Mazdaspeed up to the same level :D or start loosing some potential customers for the mps RX8 .

cheers
michael

takahashi

Michael, I have talked to APS yesterday that they will let Alan Horsley do it for a while. They are not keen on taking another project since they have not finished with the Z yet.

Taka

Lock & Load

Taka

I got the information from the Motor magazine november issue where they implied that its a finished project , i would scan it but i dont know how nor do i have a scanner .
cheers
michael

takahashi

Well they have to finialise the product before going on sale ... I think that is what he meant.

I was really impressed with the company - the office area and the workshop looks very pro. The only comparable thing I have seen is the Porsche garage in Porsche centre Melbourne.

shaolin

Hmm I read the scanned article posted, and I feel that the 250 est crank horsepower should be a little higher considering the car is supercharged. I feel that I could more easily and more reliably obtain 250 hp without forced induction. I would like to see numbers closer to 300+.

davefzr

where did you see the scanned article?

shaolin

Page 14 or 15

bern

Forgive my ingnorance, but what it APS??? And if it's Australian, what does it have to do with a RX-8 MazdaSpeed North America product? I doubt that a 350Z tuned to that level, would ever be sold here in the USA under the Nissan or Nismo banner.... so I see no worries for Mazda NA to loose potential clients to the APS 350Z.

I think that if Mazda Australia brings out their limited edition turbo RX-8, then there might be a nice duel in Oz

-Bern

Lock & Load

Bern
The company name is Air Power Systems run by Peter Luxon and the Twin turbocharger has been designed for both the USA and the Australian market , so the USA aftermarket will definetely be able to get the kit .

cheers
michael

SHOWOFF

We need more power.

foxman

$40 in 1995 is a lot different than $40 in 2008-2009. The FD was not a huge seller for a variety of reasons, only one of which was it's price.

army_rx8

hmmm i dont' care what decade you are living in....40k is a lot of money. But i suppose everyone has different definitions on what is or is not expensive

An8inLAS

Everytime I ask someone who is oogling the car what they think the car costs, the inevitably say $40 or $50k. When I tell them that it was $28K (pre-order) they fall over in disbelief. Is 40k lots of cash, sure, but if the public already has a conception that the car is 40-50 anyway for a "base GT model", then a 39,999 price point for a sc hp version would be easy to set. IMHO

SHOWOFF

Realistically if Mazda priced the car under $40 grand I think it will be a seller. People pay almost $40 grand for a freaking Mustang Cobra.

For Christ's sake it's a Mustang they're like ********, everybody's got one.

bern

Ok, thank you for the clarification and info! So this is a aftermarket thing then... Well GReddy , HKS, and others already have FI kits here in the USA for the 350Z.

But a discussion of APS (aftermarket) vs. full OEM MazdaSpeed North America vehicles is apples and oranges... in this topic.


Cheers,

-Bern

Fanman

Michael,

Like Bern said you are comparing Apples & Oranges.

1) The 350 Z has been out for 1 year longer than the Mazda RX8. I think by this
time next year you will have several kits out for the RX8. The 350Z does have
several aftermarket kits available to it including the HKS Rotrex, Vortech SQ, ATI
Procharger, Greddy twin turbo all putting out about 325 whp. What is
interesting is that HKS has come out in their test and said they could get
another 100 hp from their kit with a full exhaust & turning up the boost, but the
VQ engine can not handle it. At about 350 WHP major engine strenthening
needs to be done. The RX 8 will have the Speed Force Racing Turbo kit out
soon preliminary #'s will be around 300 whp & 200+ lb.ft. torque at the wheels.
Somebody pointed out that Greddy may be making a kit for our car. Petit
Racing, & Blitz are looking to introduce superchargers.

2) Almost no factory tuner FI unit will ever match an aftermarket tuner hp. The
simple reason is that they need to work under the manufacturer's warranty.
If you see an SC'ed MS RX8, chances are the hp will be around 275-280 hp. If
you have ever checked out all the factory tuners/manufacturers you will see
their units usually have less hp than some of the aftermarket tuners. From
SC'ers from TRD, to MS Miatas, etc you usually see a 40 hp gain, when
aftermarket tuners claim/produce 2X that. The tuners are on the edge of that
engines potential, and if you blow the engine, you are SOL. Many times the
tuners warranty their parts against defects, but not the manufacturer's parts
(i.e the engine), while the factory tuners do. If you blow up the engine they
cover it under warranty (if you did not race it, or something like that). The only
time I have seen an aftermarket tuner cover the engine was Stillen, but even
then they offered that under their Stage 2 (not their more aggressive stage 3)
kit, and it cost several hundreds of $. Many people on the 350Z board have
speculated on a Nismo SC'er, but the #'s would be about 50-60 hp, not the
100 that several aftermarket tuners have acheived.

Lock & Load

Fanman

Thanks for your interesting input . :D

cheers
michael

M12

All that talk of power is nice but how about a different body type.
There was talk about a RX-8 Coupe and making the MS RX-8 a coupe would give it a (hopefully) lower weight.

Combine that lower weight with a firmer suspension and more hp from a NA rotary would be nice. I myself would prefer a NA engine over FI but if they cant get the NA rotary to around 275 hp, then I would prefer FI.

QuarterMile

hmmm... Just remember, the RX8 we all drive now started out at 250 hp... This would be great, but I'm not counting on it making production. Even if it did, I don't see enough people spending that kind of money on it. If they can get 50 - 75 more horespower and 40-50 ft/lbs of torque for about 3-4,000, then I could see it happening. I am expecting the fact that it has a "Super Charger" on it to raise the price 7k, but probably only 25 hp. One more question... what are they going to do to the motor to help turn that super charger? Everyone knows that a Super Charger is going to lug the motor at take off.

Don't mean to sound so negative, just had some thoughts.

Perth11

Does anyone know which stores carry it? (It was not in my local Albertson's.)

Thanks.

devious12

I got my Speed mag at borders book store.