SCC's review of the RX8
 

Sport Compact Car has come out with a test of the RX8 and some interesting information regarding the numbers produced by numerous U.S. based magazines. Apparently, the high speed power port (6250 switch point) was getting stuck on all of the media test mules, essentially limiting the engine to the "standard" hp numbers, about 40hp down on where it should be. They expect acceleration numbers to improve dramatically. Once the stuck valves were discovered, all the U.S test cars were pulled and returned to Japan for diagnosis.

Dave Coleman also had an "interesting" article where theories regarding the next RX7 are sprouted. 16B, direct injection, 300+ hp with more torque than the Renesis. Just his "theory" however.

Now, would that not be just too cool if it is indeed correct? To think, all the driving at Laguna Seca, and the test drives by Car & Driver were done with a detuned RENESIS.

Could it be true? Anyone else heard of this possibility?

That is very interesting and good news, if true. :)

BTW..has anyone seen so many pre-production models of one car be tested this much?

I smell rumour.

If you can email me the article... I'll post it up.

shayaanf@mazdaworld.org

while I do think it would be cool if that were true, I find it hard to believe that both c/d and automobile magazine got the RX-8 to 60 in 5.9 seconds on a car with 210 hp ... but then again ... the SRT-4 can do it in about 5.6 with 215 ... ;). Still, the Neon has more torque than the RX-8. Maybe the valve problem was fixed before those two magazines tested it.

we need to read the article!! The wording of the article has to be taken into account. Personally, I think 0-60 at 5.9 sounds about right, but you never know. Anyways, to qoute the thread starter:

"Sport Compact Car has come out with a test of the RX8 and some interesting information regarding the numbers produced by numerous U.S. based magazines."

From this, I take it that all the mags were using the detuned RX8. Again, from the numbers I find that hard to believe, but you never know....;)

Interesting- think I'll be stopping by Borders tomorrow morning...

Ditto :)

I'll say this much at least... Sport Compact Car is one of the few mag's that puts a Dyno in a lot of their reviews...

So maybe it's a good sign? I don't care one way or another really... the RX-8's fast enough for me right now, faster for the same money? I wouldn't complain :)

But I'm not prayin for it either.

WHAT?

stuck 5th/6th ports? AGAIN???

this is like deja vu all over again!!!!

my FC's 5th/6th ports were stuck, got it fixed and now the bastard PULLS like a mutha 6000rpm+ :D

damn Mazda and their stuck 5th/6th ports!!! :mad:






J/K of course :D

:D word.

... seriously though, i'd be suspicious of SCC uncovering something like this, then ALL the cars get SHIPPED BACK TO JAPAN for analysis?? wtf is that?? american engineers "too stupid" to know what's going on?? only SCC... *rolleyes*

... not to mention that the tertiary (5+6th ports) aren't JUST rpm activated, or at any rate shouldn't be... makes no sense...

Re: SCC's review of the RX8
 

1.6L renesis would produce about 200tq and 310hp, which should be just about right for a 2600-2700lb RX-7. I highly doubt a direct injection version would be available here, as no other DI car has been able to meet US emmissions so far.

They're (SCC) the only ones that threw it on a dynamometer. That's how it was discovered. Most of the U.S.-based magazines do not dyno test cars on a constant basis. Without seeing the power output via a dyno plot, one would have never known!

The engineers who built the cars are from Japan (I know, I have a knack for the obvious!) and thus, they're the ones that need to solve the problem. From a logistics and production standpoint, it makes sense.

And yes, I do have to agree, SCC likes to float their own boat and often gets/does things wrong. One reader blasts them for their project Civic, having spent thousands on performance, and of late, nothing but cosmetic upgrades. Only to get 157 wheel hp (if I remembered the number correctly). Their response was that's where the market lies and eventually this Civic would spank Porsche's around Willow Springs. It kills me. Kids buy stickers and huge rear wings (for their front drive cars no less!) because they can't afford the real power upgrades and because their friend did it. As we all know, speed costs LOTS of money. So they regulate themselves into making the car look fast or for the show scene. I was involved in providing a bit of assistance with one of their past project vehicles. They were doing EVERYTHING wrong and couldn't get any power out of the engine. Meanwhile, every joe public tuner was pulling 20-30hp on them. Their excuse? We don't want to do what everyone else is doing. We want to try something new....whatever fits, right? That's pretty much SCC's motto. They never seem to be wrong nor have any bias.

Media is media though. On occasion, I do like to read SCC, especially concerning anything rotary. :D

which issue of SCC is the review in?

dang it I have to go to the bookstore to pick up mags again (just picked up 3 last weekend :mad: )

LOL, it's the newest issue...can't remember what's on the front cover...yellow car maybe? Dunno...I'm a frequent "reader" at Barnes & Noble/Borders/Books a Million, they're all blurry after a while. See, the trick is to go there and just read the mags. That way you don't have to pay for them. But those $4 Cafe Mocha's really add up:)

Assuming this is true, it begs the question: how would an owner diagnose this problem if it were to happen to him? If C&D did their comparo with an RX-8 with this problem and were presumably satisified with the power, how would an owner ever notice?

The one I saw recently is the one with some sort of three car comparo on the cover, with a White Skyline GTR within that group.

Is that the one your were talking about ?

I'm amazed that the OBDII didn't throw a Check Engine light.

Sports Comact Car

It would have to be the one after the issue with the yellow car and "Skyline" on the cover.

Wasn't it SCC who threw the Cobb WRX into a water tanker, inflicting $multi-thousands damage, only a few weeks before the car was due to compete at the Solo II Nationals?

it is definetly not in the issue in don's link. he's right, i went thru that issue when i was picking up sports car international. nothing in that one.

I think the whole story is TREMENDOUSLY fishy. #1, I don't think an RX-8 with the top end of the powerband missing could hit 60 in 5.9 seconds. #2, if either of my cars was 15% down on power I'd sure notice. You don't think the engineers/testers/Mazda people in the USA and Japan know what an RX-8 should feel like when all the ponies are present and accounted for? I can tell the difference in my Miata when the A/C compressor is turned on, and that is probably a 10 hp drain at the absolute max. It's probably more like 5 hp. 40hp is a world-changing amount.

What's more, if the car wasn't opening up all the way, I doubt their would be the rush of power over 6,000 rpm that the magazines described.

I agree..

However I will wait for results... I am happy with what the RX-8 is doing now, any added power or speed is just icing :)

Just went and looked at it again. It has a feature on Japanese street racing with a white S15 in the middle of two other vehicles.