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RX-8 gets 11th in Winding Road's Top 50
If you haven't already, you definitely need to subscribe to Winding Road , an online sports car enthusiast magazine, Greart articles. The last 3 months have been going through the top 50 (in their opinion)sports cars. The current issue was looking at 11-20 and the RX-8 got 11th!! Top 10 is in the next issue. Sure does affirm my selection of the car to drive (that I can afford)
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I'm checking it out, they promise not to spam you and it's free and it's all in pdf and you can go through the backissues too.
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Cool, can you give us the list for the so far released 11-50?
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For those too lazy to google: http://www.windingroad.com/
Get it while it's hot! Here's the top 50 - 11: Jeep Wrangler Saleen Jaguar S-Type R BMW 645 Ci Subaru Legacy Volvo V70R VW Beetle BMW Z4 Lamborghini Murcielago Audi TT 3.2 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Mercedes-Benz SL600 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Bentley Continental GT Subaru Impreza WRX Aston Martin Vanquish Mosler MT900S Maserati GranSport Lexus IS 300 VW Golf TDI Jaguar XJ Ford Focus Infiniti G35 Lexus GS Acura NSX Volvo S40/V50 Lamborghini Gallardo Bentley Arnage Ferrari 575M Maranello Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Audi S4 Mercedes-Benz SLK BMW M3 Mazda 3 Nissan 350Z BMW 5-series Ford GT Honda S2000 Maserati Quattroporte Mazda RX-8 |
geez, that's an impressive list of cars the rx8 beat out
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I don't really know if it's an ordered Top 50...it could just be randomly ordered.
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No, it's ordered. In one of their blurbs they said something like "how did this end up so low on our list?".
But they also mention that they value certain things more. The RX-8 has a lot of the stuff they value. (They say they love 2 seater roadsters and the RX-8 is pretty close to one). They also say indirectly that bang for the buck is important. For one of the Lambos they put it fairly low; they said it was an awesome car to drive, but really you can get a driving experience pretty close to it for like 30% of the price. They also have a "shoot out" between the RX-8, Volvo S40, and Evolution VIII. Strange combination of cars to have a comparo with but whatever. They said the S40 was surprisingly good (keeping decent pace with the Evo). They didn't have a clear winner for that, but they said the Evo was obviously the fastest but it was also the most tiring to drive and if the Evo was too ugly and too intense, the RX-8 is the car you want. The S40 was good but in the end just not involving enough. It's a pretty cool mag. I just signed up. All you need is an email address. I gave them my "junk" email address. |
Originally Posted by spork
No, it's ordered. In one of their blurbs they said something like "how did this end up so low on our list?".
But they also mention that they value certain things more. The RX-8 has a lot of the stuff they value. (They say they love 2 seater roadsters and the RX-8 is pretty close to one). They also say indirectly that bang for the buck is important. For one of the Lambos they put it fairly low; they said it was an awesome car to drive, but really you can get a driving experience pretty close to it for like 30% of the price. They also have a "shoot out" between the RX-8, Volvo S40, and Evolution VIII. Strange combination of cars to have a comparo with but whatever. They said the S40 was surprisingly good (keeping decent pace with the Evo). They didn't have a clear winner for that, but they said the Evo was obviously the fastest but it was also the most tiring to drive and if the Evo was too ugly and too intense, the RX-8 is the car you want. The S40 was good but in the end just not involving enough. It's a pretty cool mag. I just signed up. All you need is an email address. I gave them my "junk" email address. |
this list is kinda bs...
a mazda 3 beating out a m3??? s2000 losing to rx8? i mean i love the rx8, but the s2000 is MORE fun on the twisties... i've driven a quattraporte... and that car handles way better then the 8 and the s2k... this magazine seems very bias... :/ |
Yah the mazda 3 was a little weird but i think they factored in price for drivability.
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Originally Posted by spork
No, it's ordered. In one of their blurbs they said something like "how did this end up so low on our list?".
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Originally Posted by Mikelikes2drive
this list is kinda bs...
a mazda 3 beating out a m3??? s2000 losing to rx8? i mean i love the rx8, but the s2000 is MORE fun on the twisties... i've driven a quattraporte... and that car handles way better then the 8 and the s2k... this magazine seems very bias... :/ As far as the magazine being bias, I'd recommend you download one of their issues and read an article or two. I personally find them far from bias. They go into way more detail in their comparisons than most other magazines. |
Ahhh...I found the reasoning behind their Top 50
Casting all caution to the wind, we present here the first installment of our Top 50 rankings. Our intent is to regularly give you our admittedly iconoclastic view of the best 50 cars currently sold in these United States. This first installment covers cars ranked 50 through 41. Each of our next issues will cover 10 additional cars until we’ve wound our way down (up?) to the Top 10. Why have a Top 50? Oh, grasshopper, many reasons. First of all, we wanted to do it. We had the feeling that there were really only about 50 good driver’s cars on sale. And, after working assiduously through most of the cars on sale, we have to say that 50 is about right. As you get above that number, you start running into cars that are pretty much hands-down inferior to those already on the list. Some examples of what didn’t make the cut: Mercedes S500, Porsche Cayenne S, Cadillac XLR, Chrysler Crossfire, and many more cars that are too big, too soft, too tall, too heavy, too dispassionate, or too pointless. The second big reason is that by comparing cars overall, not by category, you get some really interesting results. When you look at some of the rankings, you’ll probably say “What the X%#$?.” We say “drive them.” Our rankings are based mainly on our view of just two questions – is this a good driver’s car and is it a good value? Recognizing that practical factors are a reality for most if not all, we throw in some thoughts about stuff like fuel economy, passenger comfort, and specialized capabilities as tie-breakers. We hope you enjoy the list. Send your accolades, comments, and hate mail to editor@windingroad.com. |
Originally Posted by TODreamer
which edition is this shoot out in?
but again, it's a really strange combination to do a comparo with. sounds unbiased which i like. when people talk up cars too much it makes me feel like everything they say has to be taken with a grain of salt. |
I want to see the top 10, i guess it will be in next months?
STi, EVO and Elise jumped out as missing from the list thus far.. |
Maybe the Mini is in the top 10 as well.
Ford focus? WTF? I've owned 2 of them, both 5 speeds and they were very underpowered. I could see the SVT perhaps but not the base model. FWD sucks. |
I didn't see the RX-7 mentioned yet, or the Miata in the list. I'll bet the Miata is up in the top 5 or even top 3.
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you're not likely to see the rx-7 as they don't produce it anymore. I think it's a new car list. The miata will likely be top 10 though.
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Here's my guess for the last ten: Porsche 911, Porsche Boxster S, Mitsubishi Evo 8, Subaru STI, Mazda Miata, Mini Cooper S, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Ferrari 430 Spider, Porsche CARRERA GT, and lastly the 86 Toyota Corolla from Initial D. The 86 Hachi Go would be in first place, the others is not in order.
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"is this a good driver’s car and is it a good value?"
Viewing thier list i would say they place more on the latter than the former. I love my 8 but there's no way i can say with a straight face it's a better 'drivers' car than a Viper SRT-10, or many other on that list so far. I can almost understand it beating out cars like the Quattroporte - my favourite sport sedan - based on price but it does seem like a strange ranking system. Kind of a subjective 'we like these best' as opposed to an objective or quantified system. Still good read. |
I'd like to see their point rating/methodolgy scale. what they are giving each car.
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Originally Posted by Machan
Maybe the Mini is in the top 10 as well.
Ford focus? WTF? I've owned 2 of them, both 5 speeds and they were very underpowered. I could see the SVT perhaps but not the base model. FWD sucks. |
Originally Posted by Smoke Honda
Here's my guess for the last ten: Porsche 911, Porsche Boxster S, Mitsubishi Evo 8, Subaru STI, Mazda Miata, Mini Cooper S, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Ferrari 430 Spider, Porsche CARRERA GT, and lastly the 86 Toyota Corolla from Initial D. The 86 Hachi Go would be in first place, the others is not in order.
Corvette (the true best buy in performance vehicles) Evo STi (I think they might group the Evo & STi as one vehicle... what Pros and Cons do they NOT share?) Porsche Boxter Mazda Miata Mini Cooper S BMW 3-Series Porsche 911 Lotus Elise Dodge SRT-4 Toyota MR-2 And the alternates: Mustang GT? 300 horses for $25K... Pontiac GTO? 400 horses for $35K.... Nissan Altima? hey, the Focus made the list... Chevy Cobalt SS? Honda Civic Si? again, Focus... Scion TC? Acura RSX? Ferrari 360? If they've got the other 2, you'd expect to see this one... |
Originally Posted by Apophis
For a car that starts at $14K, it has pretty darn good pickup and handling, IMO... again... for $14K...
It has a little more grunt the 2.0 l focuses that I've owned in the past which only had 135 hp IIRC. Now that I know how to heel and toe downshift, I could probably have more fun with those little 135 hp cars though. I do like the Focus SVT which was an incredible value. Some were selling for 14-15K brand new before it was discontinued. |
Originally Posted by penman
"is this a good driver’s car and is it a good value?"
Viewing thier list i would say they place more on the latter than the former. I love my 8 but there's no way i can say with a straight face it's a better 'drivers' car than a Viper SRT-10. This is the whole reason for the trip. You drive this road, fully expecting broken pavement, chuckholes, and hidden wet-dry transitions mid-apex. You don't care; you drive the road because that's why you bought the car, and that's what you do. Given this scenario, do you still think the Viper is the better "driver's car?" It's a better performance car for sure, and a better track car, but to me a great "driver's car" is one that rewards under these conditions, and that demands an artful blend of performance, comfort, predictability, and tactility. It’s got to excite you but also handle unexpected changes in conditions, and then it’s got to keep you well-coddled for those inevitable boring stretches between the adrenaline. Is the RX-8 the perfect driver’s car? No, but it’s a damn good one. I’ll reserve my personal judgment of a Viper until I drive one, but based on what I’ve read I’m not surprised to see it down on the list of “drivers cars.” |
Originally Posted by GeorgeH
Given this scenario, do you still think the Viper is the better "driver's car?"
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when is the new issue gonna come? I've been waiting for a while to find out the top ten.
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when is the new issue gonna come? I've been waiting for a while to find out the top ten. |
Just FYI the new Issue just came out.
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Originally Posted by Apophis
And the alternates:
Mustang GT? 300 horses for $25K... Pontiac GTO? 400 horses for $35K.... |
#10-1
10: Dodge Viper SRT-10 9: Aston Martin DB9 8: Morgan Aero 8 7: RX-7 6: Chevy Corvette C6 .... ok I'm mostly joking but I did find it funny that the DB9 was #9 and the Aero 8 was #8. Here's the real list 10: Subaru WRX STi 9: Aston Martin DB9 8: Morgan Aero 8 7: Chevy Corvette 6: Lotus Elise 5: Mitusbishi Evo 4: Porsche Boxter 3: Mini Cooper 2: Porsche Carrera S 1: Ferrari F430 I'm surprised to see the Cooper and Boxter up so high and I'm surprised to see the Miata not make it. |
The Miata didn't make it? I love my 8, but my Miata is more fun. I guess "Winding Road" is an example of you get what you pay for.
And a FWD car is #3? :rolleyes: |
This mag is slick and all of that. And I'm pleased that they like the RX-8 well enough to rank it highly. But they blew their credibility with the Top 10. The Mini Cooper at #3?? And there are times (not too many) that I would rather drive my wife's Miata than my RX-8. I certainly expected to see it in the Top 10.
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Spork--MX-5 in #5?
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10: Dodge Viper SRT-10
9: Aston Martin DB9 8: Morgan Aero 8 7: RX-7 6: Chevy Corvette C6 5: Mazda MX-5 4: Audi S4 3: BMW M3 Blah, I can't think of nice cars with a 2 or 1. |
In a separate article, same issue, the Cooper S came up strong vs. the Stang GT and the 350Z, so I guess they like it . . . a lot. But third overall for the Mini (not even specifically the "S") must be a sign of the Apocalypse.
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Originally Posted by spork
10: Dodge Viper SRT-10
9: Aston Martin DB9 8: Morgan Aero 8 7: RX-7 6: Chevy Corvette C6 5: Mazda MX-5 4: Audi S4 3: BMW M3 Blah, I can't think of nice cars with a 2 or 1. 1.) Palmersport JP1 :D |
Originally Posted by IkeWRX
2.) Westfield XTR2
1.) Palmersport JP1 :D |
I'd have to say for the most part I agree with their list. Many of the cars farther down on the list are simply cars you would have to be foolish to drive around town. You would have to be nutz to leave a lambo in a best buy parking lot, it's essentially not drivable most of the time, same with a viper.
No miata is kind of odd but the miata is being phased out anyway. I can't comment on the mini as I've never driven one but it's supposed to handle really well. |
What the Wrangler is doing in that list? Can you call it a sports' car?:)
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Originally Posted by Apophis
My guesses would be (in no particular order):
Corvette (the true best buy in performance vehicles) Evo STi (I think they might group the Evo & STi as one vehicle... what Pros and Cons do they NOT share?) Porsche Boxter Mazda Miata Mini Cooper S BMW 3-Series Porsche 911 Lotus Elise Dodge SRT-4 Toyota MR-2 And the alternates: Mustang GT? 300 horses for $25K... Pontiac GTO? 400 horses for $35K.... Nissan Altima? hey, the Focus made the list... Chevy Cobalt SS? Honda Civic Si? again, Focus... Scion TC? Acura RSX? Ferrari 360? If they've got the other 2, you'd expect to see this one... So I guess I was pretty close... Of my guesses, they didn't have the Miata, 3 Series, SRT-4 or MR-2. I'm pretty shocked that the Miata and especially the 3 Series aren't on the list but you have the Wrangler, etc? And what the heck is the Morgan? You'd think they'd only list cars that people actually own. I'm also kind of offended that the DB9 is so high on the list... I mean, how do you place a car so high that doesn't even offer a stick shift? |
Umm, they do offer a six speed manual on the DB9. A good SMG tyoe manual gearbox is actually pretty fun. Have you ever driven one?
The morgan is a pretty slick little car. We don't get them over here, but I don't know if winding road is a NA publication. http://www.automovilcenter.com/image...20Aero%208.jpg |
Originally Posted by BlueEyes
Umm, they do offer a six speed manual on the DB9. A good SMG tyoe manual gearbox is actually pretty fun. Have you ever driven one?
The morgan is a pretty slick little car. We don't get them over here, but I don't know if winding road is a NA publication. I can understand that the Morgan might be an outstanding driver's car but it just seems strange that they put it on the list when there seem to be glaring omissions. I mean, does the Morgan even classify as a production car? This is a list of 50 cars, not 20. You give me a top 20 list and omit the Miata and 3 series, that's reasonable, but on a list of 50? It's not really that big of a deal... we all have our own "lists", I just find it surprising. |
Originally Posted by Dima26
What the Wrangler is doing in that list? Can you call it a sports' car?:)
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I just bought mine about 3 1/2 weeks ago, I'm loving it. I know I'm gonna get one of those covers on the front too and protect my radiator/condensor lol. Thanks for the tips and I welcome more.
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well I'm impressed that the BMW 5 series didn't lag behind the RX-8 too far as its in my wanna get next list too. Jeep wrangler... wtf why's that even on the list
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Originally Posted by BlueEyes
Umm, they do offer a six speed manual on the DB9. A good SMG tyoe manual gearbox is actually pretty fun. Have you ever driven one?
The morgan is a pretty slick little car. We don't get them over here, but I don't know if winding road is a NA publication. I thought I read that It said the list was only suppossed to contain cars currently sold in the U.S. If so, than the Morgan doesnt belong there. hmmm...they've contradicted themselves |
I don't know i've driven a Mini and the S version is pretty darn quick and that things turning radius is ridiculous, I can make complete circles on a neighborhood street like nothing....
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My Girlfriend owns an '06 Mini Cooper S and occasionally I get to drive it. I do NOT disagree with them. Until you drive the CooperS, don't discount the shear fun-factor. The RX-8 is nice, but the Cooper is an amusement park ride on wheels. That little car can take some serious curves faster than my 8. Strangley, the FWD Cooper's rear starts breaking loose if you take a curve too fast, leaving the car still lined up to complete the turn. If the Cooper wasn't such a "Cute" car and If I didn't just buy my RX-8 a few months ago, I'd have bought a JCW Cooper.
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Minnie Driver has a big head.
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