Car and Driver Lightening Lap - RX-8 a distant third!
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Car and Driver Lightening Lap - RX-8 a distant third!
Just got my Nov issue of C&D. They have a new comparision test called the Lightening Lap. They call it a new performance standard for cars and their version of the Nurburgring benchmark. The test is on the Virginia International Raceway - 4.2 mile road course. Here are some of the results:
LL1 (under 30K)
car - best lap time (min:secs), peak speed (mph), max lateral g
1) 350Z Track - 3:12.5, 124.3, 0.9
2) Evo MR - 3:13.5, 124, 0.94
3) RX-8 - 3:19.0, 116.4, 0.86
4) Cobalt SS - 3:20.6, 117.1, 0.85
5) Mustang GT - 3:20.9, 119.3, 0.88
6) GTI - 3:25.1, 112.0, 0.82
7) Civic Si - 3:26.5, 111.6, 0.80
8) MX-5 - 3:29.3, 108.6, 0.83
The 8 beat the Mustang GT, but it is a good 6.5 secs off the Z's time. Too bad they did not have the S2000 in the test.
Other categories and final order:
LL2 (30 - 60K) - Elise, Corvette, Cayman S, GT500, Charger SRT 8 (3:18.2)
LL3 (60 - 120K) - Z06, Viper SRT 10, M6 (3:10.0)
LL4 (120 - 240K) - Ford GT (3:00.7)
LL1 (under 30K)
car - best lap time (min:secs), peak speed (mph), max lateral g
1) 350Z Track - 3:12.5, 124.3, 0.9
2) Evo MR - 3:13.5, 124, 0.94
3) RX-8 - 3:19.0, 116.4, 0.86
4) Cobalt SS - 3:20.6, 117.1, 0.85
5) Mustang GT - 3:20.9, 119.3, 0.88
6) GTI - 3:25.1, 112.0, 0.82
7) Civic Si - 3:26.5, 111.6, 0.80
8) MX-5 - 3:29.3, 108.6, 0.83
The 8 beat the Mustang GT, but it is a good 6.5 secs off the Z's time. Too bad they did not have the S2000 in the test.
Other categories and final order:
LL2 (30 - 60K) - Elise, Corvette, Cayman S, GT500, Charger SRT 8 (3:18.2)
LL3 (60 - 120K) - Z06, Viper SRT 10, M6 (3:10.0)
LL4 (120 - 240K) - Ford GT (3:00.7)
Last edited by sunilseru; 09-30-2006 at 03:24 AM. Reason: Added peak speed and max g
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Read that article over while i was givin plasma today...found it to be pretty insightful. To no surprise, they comment on how even up top it doesn't have much, but it's cornering and agility makes up for it's shortcomings. I thought it was funny that they ripped on the GT500, and how it pretty much fell apart by the end of it's runs.
If anything, its worth a read.
If anything, its worth a read.
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I'm pretty shocked the Z bested the Evo, and even more shocked that the RX-8 got whooped so badly. My subscription ran out and I haven't gotten the new one yet, do they just run one lap and use that as their time?
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Originally Posted by Ike
I'm pretty shocked the Z bested the Evo, and even more shocked that the RX-8 got whooped so badly. My subscription ran out and I haven't gotten the new one yet, do they just run one lap and use that as their time?
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Damn, I wish I had a scanner. Looks like a pretty good article. Still have to read it, just got the summary out here. They have all the performance breakdown by each sector - entry, avg, exit speeds etc... They ran each car multiple laps with different drivers (Csaba Csere, Mark Gillies, Robin Warner and Larry Webster) and listed out the best times each car produced that day. I am not shocked to see the 8 come in third, but the difference from the Z's time is a surprise...
Last edited by sunilseru; 09-30-2006 at 01:16 AM.
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Originally Posted by XSeT
da hell, the evo MR costs like 36k lol and i thought the Z costed more than 30k?
#8
http://www.virclub.com/vir/index.php...=23&Itemid=106
Must have been using a modified course. Full course is 3.27 mi as opposed to the 4.2 as stated.
Must have been using a modified course. Full course is 3.27 mi as opposed to the 4.2 as stated.
Last edited by tjbourgoyne; 09-30-2006 at 01:45 AM.
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Originally Posted by tjbourgoyne
http://www.virclub.com/vir/index.php...=23&Itemid=106
Must have been using a modified course. Full course is 3.27 mi as opposed to the 4.2 as stated.
Must have been using a modified course. Full course is 3.27 mi as opposed to the 4.2 as stated.
"The so-called Grand Course is 4.2 miles, making it one of the longest road courses in the US"
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The RX-8 did pretty good considering. I'm not surprised the EVO and Z whooped the 8. The horsepower advantage magnifies on the straights. Thank goodness the 8 is great in the corners. The Mustang GT performed worse than a Cobalt SS--must be that beam rear axle. Not testing the S2000 is really a bad oversight. I wonder if they could not get one from someone. I think it most likely would have slotted in the top 3.
I just wish Mazda would work a little magic and ring a bit more HP out of this engine. Please no flaming!
I just wish Mazda would work a little magic and ring a bit more HP out of this engine. Please no flaming!
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Originally Posted by Rootski
Same as the Top Gear benchmark that puts the 8, 350z, and M3 at the same speed... it depends on so many factors, the test is almost meaningless.
Last edited by sunilseru; 09-30-2006 at 02:28 AM.
#13
The S2000 is dead. Why test it when a new version is comming out soon?
Mazda, where's our Super Charger.
I know you have one. Just had to stop by the other day to check it out again.
Love that Scoop.
Mazda, where's our Super Charger.
I know you have one. Just had to stop by the other day to check it out again.
Love that Scoop.
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Originally Posted by Razz1
The S2000 is dead. Why test it when a new version is comming out soon?
Mazda, where's our Super Charger.
I know you have one. Just had to stop by the other day to check it out again.
Love that Scoop.
Mazda, where's our Super Charger.
I know you have one. Just had to stop by the other day to check it out again.
Love that Scoop.
#15
Why didn't they test the Subaru?
Seems like a bias test.
They wanted the Z or EVO to win?
The guys around here say their EVO's top out at 90 some 100 some 120 max.
Are the straights long enough for the Z to gain ground due to the EVO's limitations?
Seems like a bias test.
They wanted the Z or EVO to win?
The guys around here say their EVO's top out at 90 some 100 some 120 max.
Are the straights long enough for the Z to gain ground due to the EVO's limitations?
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Originally Posted by Razz1
Why didn't they test the Subaru?
Seems like a bias test.
They wanted the Z or EVO to win?
The guys around here say their EVO's top out at 90 some 100 some 120 max.
Are the straights long enough for the Z to gain ground due to the EVO's limitations?
Seems like a bias test.
They wanted the Z or EVO to win?
The guys around here say their EVO's top out at 90 some 100 some 120 max.
Are the straights long enough for the Z to gain ground due to the EVO's limitations?
Last edited by sunilseru; 09-30-2006 at 03:25 AM.
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Originally Posted by Razz1
Why didn't they test the Subaru?
Seems like a bias test.
They wanted the Z or EVO to win?
The guys around here say their EVO's top out at 90 some 100 some 120 max.
Are the straights long enough for the Z to gain ground due to the EVO's limitations?
Seems like a bias test.
They wanted the Z or EVO to win?
The guys around here say their EVO's top out at 90 some 100 some 120 max.
Are the straights long enough for the Z to gain ground due to the EVO's limitations?
#18
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Originally Posted by sunilseru
Just added the peak speeds too. Not much difference between the Z and Evo when it came to peak speed. Only 0.3 mph.
Last edited by Ike; 09-30-2006 at 03:40 AM.
#19
Car and Driver has named the RX8 to their 10 Best list multiple times, I really doubt they have bias against the car.
The only thing that disappoints me is that the Charger SRT8 beat the RX8 by 0.8 seconds. Yeah, I know it has over 200 more HP and cost 15,000 more, but come on. A Charger beat the RX8?
The only thing that disappoints me is that the Charger SRT8 beat the RX8 by 0.8 seconds. Yeah, I know it has over 200 more HP and cost 15,000 more, but come on. A Charger beat the RX8?
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I think it was a 350Z Track, supposedly it has some aerodynamic enhancements, lightweight wheels, better brakes,and better suspension, over the standard Z. If the 8 was similiarily equipped as the z and mr, the gap would've been much smaller.
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Nothing embarrassing to me in those numbers. I bought my 8 for driving enjoyment; handling, comfort, style, speed, and value, more or less in that order. I drive on the highway, not the track. For the track I suppose I would have bought a different car.
#22
The RX-8
"The Mazda RX-8 turned 3:19.0, 1.9 seconds quicker than the Mustang, and the two cars were as different as steak and sushi. The rotary engine lacked punch coming out of the corners, even when we freely used its 9000-rpm capability. Its maximum straightaway speed was only 116.4 mph—2.9 mph below the Mustang's and even slower than the Cobalt SS's. On the other hand, the RX-8's taut suspension provided great body control and excellent cornering balance. Its brakes were powerful and fade-free. It turned in with sharp precision, and you could use power to rotate the car toward a corner apex. The sector times show how much the RX-8 liked the corners."
Last edited by New Yorker; 09-30-2006 at 11:08 AM.
#23
The Evo should have trashed the Z, something is odd there. A road course with any significant straights will put the 8 at a disadvantage, just the way it's made. As far as the Charger, that thing is a beast on the straights even for its 4,000lbs. It's only about 6k more than my Shinka so a big bang for your buck. I'd have considered it if it had a stick. Would have been much better for the family but real bad for my license I'm thinking.
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The EVO is a rally car based off a economy car, it has horrible weight distribution, there is only a 85lb difference in weight to the Z, and they were on a race track not a rally course, so of course it lost. The Z was built off a sports car platform and was built for race tracks.