Now if I put them in order of importance for me personally, it would be as follows:

1) 60 - 0 braking
2) slalom speed
3)skidpad g's
4) 0-60
5) 1/4 mile

Items 1-3 give me a car that I feel very safe in - I can avoid just about any mishap due to the great handling and braking characteristics of the 8. Respectable 0-60 and 1/4 mile times are icing on the cake.

Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I think people that get it might have the same list.

 

I think quoting this car as 35K when talking about performance is inappropriate. If you were getting this car just for speed, you wouldn't be spending 35K, because you wouldn't want the added weight of 6CD changer, moonroof, nav, etc etc. If you want to quote a price for this car re: performance, quote the MSRP of the base model 6-speed.

 

One thing on 0-60 times in the 8. Any very low or sub 6 second times magazines have posted (and several have), have been with 7000rpm clutch drops. Clutch and tire destroying launches. Read the articles, it was stated clearly in the ones that I read.
Less aggressive launches produce mid to high 6 second 0-60 times.
I am not worried about smoking people at the stoplight with this car. That is why I have a 300rwhp FD.

 

60-0 is incredably important! I've done a couple of 30mph stomps and one 50mph stomp to feel out the car. It is the fastest stopping car I've ever owned. The ordering of 2 and 3, and 4 and 5, is debatable, but 2 and 3 are related to each other, as well as 4 and 5 being related, and I agree that 2-3 is more important than 4-5.

 

i think it is because the quarter mile is the easiest and quickest way to compare the performance of cars.

 

It is an easy way to compare one facet of performance: namely, accelleration. That is all.

 

are you serious? if you bought a sports car and the least of your reasons for doing so is straightline performance then something is wrong. it sounds like your criteria (perfect daily driver and grocery getter) should have led you to an accord or civic. how can you buy a sports car and NOT care about performance numbers like 1/4, slalom, skidpad??

 

If all u care about is 1/4 time and 0-60 go get an srt-4. And that all u going to get from that car. And if u care about slamon get a Mazda speed protege. It has a 71mph slamon speed for a 19k car. However, if u want a good balance sports car that practicle for daily use, handly really good and quick enough accelleration to smoke most street car and looking good doing it , than the RX-8 is one of the best for under 40k. Heck, I got mine for 28500.

 

Are you implying that the skid pad #'s on the 8 are bad? I have seen various tests for the Z and they ran from .88 to .92, The EXACT numbers for the rx-8 (look up the skid pad on the C & D comparison between the G35 coupe, rx8 and cobra, .92 skid pad).

Also, the "lane change test" is better with the Mazda and brakes are FAR superior. The most important thing, the rx8 is more fun to drive. You FEEL the 350Z, you dont feel the weight of the rx8.

to each thier own. I have a 94 Rx-7 TT with 350 rwhp (ported engine, etc). In stock form it pulled 0-60 in 4.9, mid 13's 1/4 mile, .98 skid pad, 60-0 in 110 feet....etc. In EVERY way the rx-7 is superior to the Rx8 yet in everyday driving the rx-8 is more fun.