I have been doing some research about the whole horsepower issue. Heres what I have discovered. The law in United Kingdom states that car has to be within 2% of what the car company claims the horsepower is. *There is no such law in North America.*

The RX8 in UK is rated at 228-231Hp with using Premium gas. Now premium gas in the UK is rated at 97 Octane.


The Rx8 in north america is rated at 238Hp using 91 Octane gas. So how can we have a car that has more HP with a lower grade of gas?!

My conclusion is that Mazda is aware of this, and they know there is not going to be a lawsuit filed againist them! Therefore they are making a false clams about the Rx8 horsepower. Lets face it, how many buyers would consider buying the car if it was stated that it has 210Hp??

 

Oh God, not again.

 

^seriously how many times are people going to beat this with the same stick? talk about yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn:p

 

I dont get it?!?!?

why are people not pissed off like I am!?!

I bought the car becasue it had "250Hp" then it got bumped to "238Hp" but I was still ok with that and now I learn that its really 210hp?!?

K&N makes a claim 9.5Hp for their filters and people are all over K&N, and yet Mazda pulls this and it seems like people dont care.

 

Higher octane is not the same thing as higher energy content.

However, it does seem that our car is really more like 215~220 HP, judging from dyno runs. Everyone was hoping that was due to a "safe mode" but it's clear now that isn't the case.

 

I think in Europe (UK) they rate the Octanes different than in the USA.
One of the rating formulas is abbreviated R.O.N. The other one I don't recall right now.

I think ..

87 Octane in USA corresponds to 92 in Europe
91 Octane in USA corresponds to 95 in Europe
93 .. 97

Peter

 

It's not that people don't care (do a serach on"low HP", you get 13 pages), it's that people have no choice. If you want to drive an 8, you are stuck with the current RENESIS performance unless you ante up for an aftermarket turbo.

It has been 21 months since the US intro of the RX-8 and there is still no sign of Mazda being able to increase the NA engine HP.

 

were you happy with the acceleration of the car when you bought it? Ive driven many of them, stock and other wise....and i think the car has a good ammount of power, and its perfect when you look at the 'total package' of power and handling.

I could care less if the car 'has' 250hp or 25hp ... i just care about how it drives.

 

more octane does not equal more horsepower, if anything it should equal less horsepower. and the car doesn't make 238 horsepower :D

 

Because I bought the car for how it drives when I'm behind the wheel, not for what it says in some brochure.

!!!!!

Did you stencil "250Hp" on your hood or something? I sure hope not. You'd have to paint over it and re-stencil with "238Hp". Then you'd have to paint over it AGAIN and re-stencil with "210Hp". Will this madness never end?!

 

Your actually only getting around 170 hp at the wheels......

 

If only it were so easy to fix, by using 97 RON fuel!

It puts out about the same power with 110 octane, that's not the problem. :o

S

 

Where did you see that? All the dynos Ive seen are Between 190-210 HP at the wheels!

 

Can only get 95 ron unleaded over here thats what they recommend that what I use,
It's rated at 231 PS, Had the PCM flashed to the newest avalible here (Don't know ver number) seems a lot quicker at lower rpm, but poorer at starting. I don't think a few HP here or there would make that much differance nor would it stop me buying, It's the way it drivers and handles that matters, And Thats great.