Road & Track: RX-8 vs. G35
 

I searched and didn't see this posted, but one of the R&T magazines had the RX-8 and G35 comparison test, I think they were compared once before and the RX-8 came out on top. Well the RX-8 came out on top again, I didn't pick up the magazine but it won by 2 or 3 points. They pegged THEIR gas mileage on the car at 13mpg and list the EPA of 18mpg after it. 0-60 for the G35 was 5.9 and the RX-8 was 6.1.

Gotta love this car.....and we do!

That's interesting. I love the 8, but geeze, it beat the G35?? I don't know. That's a beautiful car with a lot of power and a lot of options. I may be misguided, though, since I drive an auto :D

From the 0-60 times & mpg figures you've listed, I'm pretty sure this is the same test that was in the R&T Aug. '04 issue. I believe perhaps you saw it in the R&T Road Test Annual that is currently out on bookshelves, it's basically a round up of the past year's road tests.

The original article was indeed posted before, but it never hurts to get good press in the spot light again.

It has beaten the G35 twice, not only in Road&Track, but also in Car and Driver. Beaten the Z and S2000 in MotorTrend as well. In all cases, it was a RX-8 6 spd, not an auto that won the tests.

Oh, it's a round up edition? I thought It might have been an issue lingering since last year so I checked the date and it said "display until April 2005" so I thought they did a re-test.

I'm not surprised at all. Most of the mags picked the RX8 over the 350z. Add better ride quality for the G35 coupe compared to the Z but also add even more weight and an interior that is almost as bad as the Z's. And there you have it. Same result for most of the mags.

I remembering one of the biggest thing that I read stood out the most was that the RX-8 outhandles G35 & 350Z & it also has a better 6speed gearbox.

which goes to show... not everything is about HP.. but then again, these ARE mag reviews.

I saw the mag too, it was not a "recap" of the previous test. I read to article.

Do you know what edition it was in? I have seen the original artiicle re-printed in some "summary" type R&T editions.

I would definitely buy it if it was a new review.

it was the current April 2005 edition.

when you stack up everything. i cant argue why they pci kthe RX-8. Better interior, ultra smooth rotary engine. Great chassis and handling, and it does everything for less then the competition charges!! I love my baby!

thats' where the G35 lost it for me...the interior screams "grandpa".

I agree. And the 350z's interior, while not quite as geriatric looking, is extremely cheap looking. I was pretty shocked when I drove it, especially after owning several 70's and 80's Z-cars that had pretty cool interiors.

Bill

I am not surprised by the test. Before buying my RX8, I tested a G35 6sp coupe. The salesman couldn't believe I was comparing it to an RX8. The RX8 felt nimble compared to the G. The G felt powerful but bloated. That light footedness is what won me out on the RX8 driving experience. In the looks department, teh G is nice but the 8 has wild swoopy curves and sexy fenders. I get looks all the time... Gotta love that.

It goes to show that straight-line performance or hp numbers aren't everything. I truly believe it is the vehicle dynamics and ultra-smoothness of the rotary engine that really pulls the 8 ahead of its competition in these types of comparos. The interior and exterior styling is rather unique and was executed very well which doesn't hurt when being judged against its competition.

Spin it any which way you want, the 8 is a really cool car.

I love the 350Z/G35, awesome cars.....I just love the rotary a lot more, and the RX8 was the one I could afford.

Surprising result even with the G35C's new interior and almost 300hp! G35Cs are solid too. Sweet result.

The new interior still looks horrible!

I don't have the first article but, going from memory, I think the ratings table is the same as before but the write-ups are different. Not sure though. One of the articles has two writers from opposite points of view, one with a G35 bias and one with an RX8 bias.

I remember reading a rx8 vs g35 vs Mustang Cobra....the Cobra had the fastest lap times, followed by the G35, and lastly was the RX8.

The RX8 still 'won' because it was simply more fun. :)

the g35 was my second choice
it is a great car

but I loved the rx8 looks

the g35 was my first choice
it is a great car
but not worth the extra $10k over my 04MT

Now I'm glad I bought the 8. I really love the nimble feel to the 8.

Put one of Richard Paul's shifters in your '8, and you'll really feel some nimbleness!

Bill

Geez , I get happier every time I read threads like this - reminds me of how my RX-8 is such a good value!

Even if the G35 is slightly better than the RX-8, the price disparity makes my Mazda all the more a worthwhile "investment."

G35 & Rx-8
 

My freind has a G35 and whenever we go out I'm designated driver, so I've driven it back to back w my 8 more than 20 times. They are very different to drive, G feels much more powerfull off the line, can chirp the tires at will with the gas peddle, I like the perforated leather when it's hot out, but it is not playfull like the 8. It feels much heavier, it can corner well, but it doesn't feel like it wants too. In contrast, the 8 wants to play, hold a gear a bit longer, no break cornering, push it on an on ramp. He got his after I got mine and he said, "you'll be so jelous." I'm not, I prefer the 8, and he talks about my car more than his. Talking about the strakes, red & black int., duel oil coolers, swoopy look w appearance pkg, rotors, rear wing, ect. When talking about his, he talks about wind defusing for quiet ride, Nav, and horsepower. The 8 is about agility, handling, road feel, and cornering stability. Bottom line, I play in my 8 whenever I get in it, and I've had it almost a year and a half. I tend to drive the G like my mothers sedan unless prompted to be temporarily playfull.

Any of you drive them back to back? Like to hear your comments. thx

Is it really that much more expensive? I just checked the Infiniti website and the G35c starts at just over $32k. Only a couple thousand more than the MT 8.

G35c starts at $33k, G35s starts at $30k, RX8 6-speed can be had for $24k (I dunno how much of a discount there is for the G35)

I drove the General Managers G35 when he got his a couple of years ago, although at that time I hadn't even driven the RX-8 I was not that impressed by the G35. It feels really heavy especially in the corners, yes it has power and torque off the line but I find there is no balance across the board. I tested the RX-8 a few months later and it was a totally different feel, not as punchy but you could feel the balance in the car. The G35 is a nice looking car it has a very clean shape all around, something I feel is lacking in the 350Z although I like them both, but in the end they don't offer what the RX-8 has.

I was in the middle of buying a G35 and then I remembered the RX8. Needless to say after driving th 8 the next day I made my choice.

I did, drove them both right after a 350Z which I didn't like much at all.

The G35c 6MT was ok, it had decent power, the traction control was to restrictive however, my 8 will let me loose traction before it takes over, the g35 didn't want to let me go that far in the first place.

The interior of the g35 does scream "GRANDPA", I can't say that one enough, the interior encourages you to drive slow unlike the 8. When test driving it I constantly felt like there was nothing to hold me into the seat, way to much open space in the interior. The g35 does not fit the driver like a glove. There isn't a good man machine bond. The exterior of the g35 is ok at best, retaining a lot of grandpa-ness there as well. The g35c is a plain jane without the spoiler.

The g35 feels like a big heavy car similar to how the current model of the eclipse feels like a large heavy car. I suspect this has a lot to do with the weight and the suspension.

The 8? well I bought a shinka so paid about the same as a g35c 6MT after I had some additional parts added. The 8 makes me grin after taking a turn with the pedal down....all the way down... I feel like I can trust what the 8 is going to do, I never got that feeling in the g35. The interior and exterior styling is far beyond the g35c, the bose radio in the 8, although not that great, is better than the g35.

So I guess you could say that the 8 provides a better all around enviornment for the driver than the g35c does. It's just a more interesting car. The 8 feels like a sports car, the g35c feels like it's confused.

The 350z? The price on one of those new would have to be very low 20's to even get me interested. It was a crude cheap feeling car even in the touring package trim. The front end of the 350z is butt ugly, the interior is awful, the power didn't feel much better than the 8, the road noise was terrible, the blind spots and view out the back were beyond awful. I'd call it a good marketting idea with a mediocre implementation.

Since we're posting driving impressions, thought I'd cut-n-paste an excerpt from my post to the thread on Finding Your RX8

My experience is similar to a lot of the other posts -- I test drove several cars. In my case the researching and testing went on for over 12 months before I finally bought my RX8 in Feb 04.

- BMW 3 Series -- used these cars as a benchmark -- and certainly do comprise a benchmark; that's just it, though -- to me the 3 Series is too conventional; tried and true, yes; adventurous, no

- IS300 -- again, I found it too conventional and eminently similar to the 3 Series; not surprising, since it was designed and marketed specifically to compete with the 3 Series

- 350Z -- chintzy interior; jarring ride; not something I could see my self living with for very long

- G35SC -- no back seat; "too much" of a luxury theme -- I spent 11 years with leather seats; I didn't want many bells and whistles, if any

- WRX/WRX STI -- thrashy; loud; felt heavy; tremendous power; ugly; came away with the same feeling as the Z -- exciting first date, but not nearly worth marrying

- Mitsu EVO -- ditto the WRX

- Mini Cooper S -- very fun; purposeful; great personality; trendy (for what it's worth -- good or ill); came very close...

Ciao!

And a brief synopsis of my impressions after driving the RX8 -- without leather, without sunroof, without navi, etc:

The RX8 appeals to my sense of design, both aesthetically and functionally. It's got to be the most optimized, integrated stem-to-stern automotive design I've ever personally encountered. It's an affordable exotic for the masses (in a relative sense -- average 2005 car price is around $28K). Again, I think Sandi [the wife] says it best: "It's got the highest kewl factor of any vehicle on the road." Not surprisingly, I couldn't agree more.

Damn, she knows me too well :D

I tested a 350Z right before an 8. I knew I wouldn't take the Z before I even started the engine - the interior was horrific. The steering wheel seemed cheap and there was a very flimsy plastic panel in the middle of the dash (which would cover the Nav were it installed) which I think I may have broken just by looking at it. Terrible. The ride was like being beaten up. I drove an 8 a few housr later and the difference was, well, we all know. Impressed that it beat a G35 though, there's one of those in my carpark and it looks pretty sweet.

Anyone have the link to the article og the magazine on Rx-8 vs G35? Thanks.

Link to RX-8 vs G35c
 

Road Test: 2004 Infiniti G35 coupe vs. Mazda RX-8 vs Ford SVT Mustang Cobra

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=4346

MPG Comparo per Edmunds Long Term RX-8 and G35c
 

RX-8
"Unfortunately, all that fun comes with a price, namely the RX-8's mediocre fuel mileage, which averaged just 17.5 mpg (against 18/24 EPA ratings). Of course, the rev-happy nature of the engine didn't help the fuel economy cause — half the fun of driving the RX-8 is keeping the engine on the boil."

G35c
"The manual transmission is also your ticket to better fuel economy, as it provides an EPA rating of 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway versus 18/26 for the automatic. Unfortunately, our heavy right foot and long stints in L.A. gridlock resulted in a pathetic 15.4 mpg over 9,300 miles. A quick check of forums shows that this is a common complaint among G35 owners."

I couldn't agree more. I think trust is the biggest safety feature you can have in an automobile. I've never driven a car (in decent weather) that I fealt more confident in. I haven't taken my car to a track (I'd never do that to my daily driver), but I have taken it on some pretty challenging country roads where I could really test my driving skills, and I never fealt like I wasn't in total control...even with a bit of oversteer at 65mph (DSC off). There's a feeling of connection you get with this car that doesn't exist in any other car of the same ilk.

That's interesting because I have 2 friends with G35c's. One has a manual, the other automatic. They both get around 20mpg mixed. One is in Orange County, the other in the Bay Area.

For me in my RX-8, I got about 16.5mpg mixed while doing the shift before 3.75K strategy before... With few minor changes in driving habits, it looks like I'll be getting 18.5 mpg mixed. :D I'm not sure yet but the last tank of gas I drove was about 18.5... this one looks like it'll be the same. A little more testing will be needed though.

As for the G35 vs RX-8... I can't really say anything useful. I drove the G35c a little (the automatic one), but it was around a neighborhood without mashing the gas pedal (read: going like 30 mph). I'll have to head up to the Bay Area to check out a real (read: manual) G35c sometime. As a passenger in the car though, it feels fine to me.

That was the April 2003 one. I thought they were talking about a newer one..?

^It's not even the Road&Track one, that's the Car&Driver article.

The R&T one is not on their website. It was originally in their Aug. '04 mag, and can be found on newstands in their Road Test Annual.

I drove both versions of the G35c auto/manual. I drove the automatic hard in the sport shift mode, there was a slight hesitation when up/down shifting. The manual stick shift was not a smooth as the Rx8s, plus the clutch was hard to depress. Now both cars where 03 and 04 models, I know they made some changes in 05 which probably fixed the issues I've mentioned.

The G35c is a nice car but its not as fun as the Rx8. Someone mentioned earlier in a thread that the G35 is a luxury car trying to be a sports car. I would probably agree with this statement.

It always amazes me that people complain about gas mileage when they're running WOT all the time.

Hi, my name is Fuel Consumption, I am the son of Fun and Right Foot.

Yeah, I mean, it doesn't really "go to show" anything... car magazine reviews are just as subjective as we are... I'm sure the G35 would be preferable to many...

Last night i was reading one of the old magazines and found something interesting. Its the "special series road and track guide to the rx-8" They compared the '03 G35 vs '04 rx8. They gave the G35 0-60 in 6.1 and the 8 0-60 in 5.9. I am thinking misprint. Just thought i would share that i found it odd. :)

Nope, not a misprint. Those are simply the test results that they got from their earlier tests of both vehicles.

The R&T RX-8 test in April '03 was done in a base or sport model I believe, which is slightly lighter than the GT model that they tested in Aug. '04. The weight difference could account for the difference in times, also the '03 test was done with an early pre-production car. But then different cars will often yield different results regardless, which also explains the different numbers for the G35.

Is it true that the G35s for 2005 has 298 hp now?!

makes sense :)

Yes the g35 has 298hp now. I also remember reading something about R&T correcting the 0-60 time of the rx8 from 5.9-5.7. Anyway, such differences depend on the driver. Do to www.dragtimes.com and there are stock 8's that can do 0-60 in 5.7 with a 1/4 time of 14.1. Others are also stock but are in the high 14's. Once again, a lot is based upon the driver.

How do you know the one that did 14.1 is stock?