KKMmaniac

Greetings:

It seems a lot of people on this forum are concerned the RX8 may not be powerful enough or quick enough for them. We gotta keep in mind, a lot of what we’ve heard about the final production version is speculation anyway. And, like most people, I’ve got my own opinion…

January of 2001 I put down a deposit on a new WRX wagon. The decision to buy this car was a no-brainer to me, as I owned an Impreza sedan at the time, and liked its solid feel, handling in slippery conditions, and just good all-around driveability. Take my old 2.2 litre automatic, put a five-speed stick in it, add 112 horsepower, and a performance tuned suspension, and it would have to be a considerably more enjoyable car to drive. And the ravings of the automotive press pretty much sealed the deal.

The WRX can be a blast to drive, but in the real world, the ever present awful traffic conditions usually make it burdensome. From a stop, you can really feel the weight, and the poor low RPM throttle response combined with a grabby clutch and notchy shifter make driving in traffic a real chore. (and yes I’ve owned mainly cars with manual gearboxes, so I know how to shift reasonably well) To stay in the powerband, the driver has to work hard, stirring the shift lever constantly. I often tell people the car has two speeds - slow or fast.

Handling is another thing, where again, you feel the weight and lack of steering precision. (although I know better tires would make a big difference here) Too much body roll, as far as I’m concerned.

Having said all that, I don’t think the RX8 will be the ultimate in neck snapping acceleration, maybe not even quite in the same league as WRX’s, Evo’s, or the Z, (at least the initial variants) but there is a lot to be said for usable and smooth power delivery, and turbo lag not being a factor. (The low torque figures concern me a bit however) Also, I don’t want to feel obligated to show people how fast the car can be!

So, I’m hoping, the RX8, taken as a whole, provides crisp steering and great handling, and linear throttle response. A good balance of attributes that makes it just plain “feel right” when driving. I think I owe it to myself to test drive a 6 speed, having heard good things about Mazda manual transmissions, but hell, I might even end up with an automatic, because again, I have to drive it in the real world, and the real world likes to make you stop just as soon as you get started much too often.

Toadman

Good post and welcome to the Brotherhood.

Hercules

Don't you mean the cult? :D

BryanH

Great post KKM. A lot of what makes a good fun car to me is the little things - the driving position, pedal throw, steering feel, stuff like that. My MR2 is quite fun to drive even though it's dog slow by today's standards (16.5 in the quarter mile, heh). It's responsive, direct. It's not the greatest thing out there but it still makes you have fun every time you drive it. It's that intangible quality that has made me attached to the car -- and it's something I look for in other cars. The Miata is one such car I've been fortunate enough to drive. If the RX-8 can feel that fun, as fast/large as it is, I'm in for a treat.

It looks like the RX-8 will be a well balanced machine. Very capable in all areas, spectacular in none. People might not suspect it. :D

KKMmaniac

Thanks!

Yeah, exactly BryanH. I once owned an '86 RX7 with the "S" package that was kind of a roach, but it was just a fun car to drive. (actually, the guy I sold it to at work is still enjoying it) The handling and steering was not only quick and direct, but the car communicated very well what was going on.

It surprised me a few times in that the natural reactions of the dumb driver, (me) allowed me to get out of some uhhh... situations beyond the limits of tire adhesion.

Grimace

Good post and welcome to the forum.
I'm curious though: have you ever tried the kartboy shifter bushings and a short throw kit in your Rex? I've heard that helps a lot. The WRX (sedan) is one of the cars I'm seriously considering along with the RX-8. (I'd get some 17's for the car for the summer with some better rubber than the stuff Subaru puts on stock to sharpen up the response). I'm used to having no-pop below 3000 RPM.

KKMmaniac

Grimace:

I've also heard good things about Kartboy bushings and short shift kits, however, all other things considered, I'd rather keep it stock and in good condition. I made my deposit on an RX8 this September, and I'm hoping for a decent trade-in when the time comes!

Quick_lude

I still can't believe manufacturers put on stock all season tires on high performance cars like WRX or RSX-S
I hope the RX-8 has the same satisfying overall "feel" as my prelude. I drove my friends Jetta Wolfsburg and the experience is night and day. From all accounts the RX-8 should have awesome input feedback and handling characteristics. Can't wait to take it for a test drive.

Rich

One of the things that makes me really excited about the RX-8 is that Mazda has done exactly what you said with the Miata. It's not the fastest car in a straight line and has low torque figures, but it's one of the most enjoyable cars to drive nonetheless. Mazda clearly has a grasp on the right formula, we just have to wait to see if it translates to the RX-8. The Miata has the soul. The RX-8 has the heart (rotary). Will it have the soul as well?

Jerome81

The tires are the WORST thing on my RSX Type S, by far. Every time I push that thing, I can feel the tires give way well before the suspension is done, and it drive me nuts (but I'm too cheap to buy new rubber before I wear the originals out :D ). At least it looks the RX-8, in HiPower guise won't fall to this.

As far as the comments about the WRX, I would agree for the most part. I do very much like the WRX, and had considered that or the RSX I ended up purchasing. What really set my mind on the RSX was, while the WRX was wicked fast, and grips like crazy, for some reason it just didn't have that "feel" I thought it would. Sometimes it felt very nice, but I always felt I could feel the heft and that the car many times didn't keep telling me to push it harder. While the RSX is slower, and doesn't corner as well, for some reason it puts a bigger smile on my face than the WRX did, and it ALWAYs tells me to keep pushing, keep revving, keep shifting, and it is loads of fun.

I do respect the WRX very much, and I almost bought one, but I can totally understand where your comments came from. Part of the reason I have always liked Mazdas is that they have always been more "fun" than just about anything else. Never the fastest, never the best handling, but the balance and feel they have do more in ways you can't describe than they do on a sheet of paper. For this reason, people who look at 0-60 and skidpad numbers etc never get it, and its a damn shame. I don't know how many people I've met or talked with on forums who dismiss the Miata as a girls car, but the second they take one for a drive they fall instantly in love.

That's what I'm hoping will happen with the RX-8...

Puppy1

I loved my CRXsi for the same reason. Everybody thought I should drive a larger and more expensive and more powerful car. They don't get it. For me it's all about the "fun to drive" factor. The only person I need to impress is myself, each time I turn the key.

The RSX is the idealogical sucessor to that same car. I've test driven it a few times and instantly felt right at home. But I'm married now, my wife insists on 4 doors. It was only by chance a year ago that while I was searching for more info on the web about the RSX type S I was still in love with, that I followed a link to this forum.

Haleluja! Praise Mazda! I have seen the light. With the RX-8, I can have my cake and eat it too!

All I want to do is sit in that car, turn that key (Although I would have loved the novelty of pushing the button), and head for the twisties. I know the driving experience will be the same or better.

Grimace

Maybe I'm way off base, but I always thought (and maybe I'm way off base here) that the Mazda MX-3 V6 was a great successor to the CRX. I've never driven a CRX Si hard (drove a few customers cars as part of a job, but with a great deal of respect for someone else's machine, and I've ridden in a buddies MX-3 V6 extensively, and there are definately similarities. Maybe the difference comes out when flogging both at the track? Can someone enlighten me one way or the other?