Ok, so I've done a through search of this forum ... looking for the 0-60 for the RX8. I've want to buy an automatic (my wife only drives auto) and I've already driven stick for 18 years. Please do not bash this thread with claims that 'manual is superior'.

I just really want to know what the 0-60 sec of the RX8 Automatic is?

Some say it is 9.5 sec. Some say it is 8.7 seconds. And then some say it is in the low 7+ seconds. And some say its 7.2 seconds. Which is the nearest estimate???

 

I've driven both, and using my 6MT as a baseline of ~6 secs, I would say the auto comes in around 8 seconds... 8.5 tops (this was in manual paddle mode). Once up to speed it really moves, but it really takes a while to get moving from a dead stop. If you're not stop light racing, it's just fine... and awesome on the interstate or open road.

Oh, and manual trannys rule! :D

 

I've read this many times when I did my research on the RX-8. I just came home 5 days ago with a auto RX-8, and really don't understand the "slow off the line" part. I mean sure, it'll probably get smoked by Lancers, S2ks, WRX STis, Corvettes, etc. off the line. Someone mentioned the auto was so slow that it wouldn't be able to pull ahead of the car next to you from a stop light if you needed to do a lane change for an upcoming turn. I sure haven't had this problem myself, and typically find myself pulling WAY ahead of the car next to me and the car behind me with normal throttle, in average traffic. I mean it's not like every single car on the road is going to predict your lane change and try to race you to make sure you can't make the lane change.

Case in point...it's fast enough for everyday use. Almost too fast in some cases...I always find myself going at 50 in 35 zones without knowing it!

 

I'm no expert driver, so take my test drive for what it's worth, but I tried the 0-60 on an open road (not perfectly flat, and not completely straight) with my AT (in tiptronic (sp?) shifting mode), revved up each gear to 6-7000 rpms and it still took me just over 11 seconds. I will concur that the pickup from stop is slow. I know I shouldn't have, but I did a little stop light racing against a Chevy Blazer (about 2 miles between lights) recently and I barely kept up. Sad sad sad. Maybe I need to learn how to drive all over again

For anyone else with AT transmission, have you noticed that 2nd gear seems to be the slowest gear? If speed is what we're after, I wonder if it's better to shift at something lower than 6-7000 rpm to get from 1st to 3rd more quickly...?

Mark

 

I don't do any stop-light drag racing...this is not the car for that. Once the car is up above 40 however (like getting onto a highway) it is a quick little sucker.

However, I do think it feels faster when I let the tranny do the shifting. In manual, paddle-mode, the shifts seem to bog down the engine too much...does this mode place the converter into a locked mode maybe? It feels that way. Anyway, by letting it shift by itself it hits the 'right' shift points and seems to keep the engine up into the higher power bands.

Just the way it seems to me...

 

Initially when i did my first test drives i did one on auto and then one on manual and IMHO the difference is staggering to say the least. So much that i think i wouldnt have bought it if i had to get an automatic.

 

If the auto tranny is anything like the one in my Acura TL that I just traded, I'm sure the car is quicker if you just let the trans do the work.

Question - in "manumatic" mode, does it allow you to pull to redline in 1st gear? If so, that should help you.

My TL, in "manual" mode (it was a 2001 - they've removed this "feature" in the current model) would auto-shift the 1-2 shift for you and it made it at an earlier shift point than if you were in fully-auto mode under WOT - go figure.

In the current model (which I test drove before I bought my -8), it pulls redline in 1st gear and will not autoshift it in manual mode - allows you to bounce off the rev limiter. If the RX-8 automatic allows that, be sure to pull to redline before the 1-2 shift for best acceleratioin.

 

I would say 0-60 is under 8 seconds, probably mid-7s...

Then again, what do I know, I only drive an auto.


BTW, do not buy this car (auto or manual) for 0-60 times. This is not what this car is all about. There are plenty of cars with much faster 0-60 times if that is what is important to you (straight-line speed).

 

I was under the impression from Car and Driver, that the manual RX-8 0-60 is actually 7.5 seconds if you don't drop the clutch at all. It's 5.9 if you drop it from 8000 RPMs.

If that's the case, then I'd assume the auto rx8 would be something around 8 seconds or more, depending on how the tranny works.

 

the reality is the only reason to get the auto is if you are handicapped (ie one leg) and you cant manage...

otherwise in regards to your wife she probably wants an auto so she can drive the way she always has...ie TALKING ON THE PHONE I ******* hate when people talk on the phone as they drive...you want to talk to a bunch of HARDCORE MANUAL GUYS...have your wife mull around the forums at www.standardshift.com she'll change her mind...I guarantee it

also read this article...it is sad really (bunch of lazy cellphone talking *****) http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosins...a01-271661.htm

G-d am I an *******

 

oh god, not ANOTHER one of these 0-60 threads........

 

If you even remotely think of clocking your 0-60 time, you *probably* should not buy an RX-8. You *definitely* should not buy an automatic RX-8.

Look for threads like 'my AT RX-8 is a dog off the line' etc..

 

7500 actually, and the low power engine is tuned for 7500 and below rpms. Saying that redlining at 7000(7500) defeats the purpose of a rotary engine seems odd, since 1st and 2nd gen Rx-7s redlined at 7000 and 3rd gens at 7500. It's all in the tuning, you could force the 4port motor to go to 9k but it wouldn't make any more power.without other modifications.

 

yawn mugatu is right

 

You can some one like put a "do not post" this crap or some thing?

 

To answer an earlier question, yes, when you drive the auto in the manual shift mode, you can take the revs to the red line, it responds in the same way as the manual tranny when going to the red line, you get the beep, then the rev limiter will kick in. Anybody that bought this car for 0-60 speeds will be disappointed. But how many of us actually bought our cars for that reason? Not me!

 

What's this obsession with 0-60?
Shouldn't e.g the 40-60, 80-100 etc. times or be more relevant in measuring a car's acceleration? How often do you race off the line? It's much more fun when you shift down 2 gears at 50 mph and go WOT.