This car's handling is simply amazing. After two years, it still amazes me whenever she takes me into turns and corners.

Just couple days ago, I was just driving normally on the freeway. Out of blue, a G35 decided to tailgate me. With my Mazda pride, I lowered the gear and pedaled to the metal. The G35 was ready for it and stayed on my tail until a 30 MPH turn (which I've driven it hundreds of time). I cut thru the turn at about 80+ MPH and stayed in single lane. When I came out the turn and looked at the rear view mirror...G35 was about at least 10 car distance away and fish tailing at the end of the turn, only saved by its traction control. What a sweet feeling!

Zoom on

 

Sounds like a similar silutation that happened to me two+ years ago.

Except the car behind me slammed straight into a stop sign, ran it clean over, and the guy driving was actually son of the actual owner.

He had the audacity to tell the police I had hit his car - so they wound up at my house to interrogate me. When they saw the evidence of the stop sign sideways, and my car completely undinged - and no sign of our cars touching - they dismissed me and took care of the kid.

 

Javafuel,

My best buddy has a 350Z and I always leave him behind in the tight twisty roads. He always has an excuse. It's always the same... he always tells me "I wasn't pushing it!". Although when he tells me, I notice his nostrils are flaring. We've been on this road twice already, the third time I'll let him lead. I'll keep you posted... hehehe.

I guess that dude in the G35 has the same pride... he wasn't pushing it!

BTW... his 350Z will creep away from me once I am in 4th gear in a straight line "speed test". Torque/power helps! Well, he can have his moments... what are friends for? Bwahahaha.

 

You know, I was about to post something like this...

I haven't had the chance to really push my 8 on the corners too much but lately I've been trying to see what she can do. Let me tell you, once again I'm left impressed by this car.

Before you get into my neighborhood the road has a slight hill and then a incline after that. So, your going up a hill making a left and then a hard left once at the bottom of the little hill.

The past few times I've gone into that turn (to be safe and comfortable you should be going no more than 10mph) going about 30mph and it was just amazing how quick the RX8 reacts and how grippy it is. I know we get about .87-.89g's but it feels like it can do better than that.

I'm taking the little by little approach (since this is my first RWD car and every car handles different) to learn the limits of the RX8 but I now have learned (not just heard about) just how balanced and sure footed this car is.

It’s easy to forget on the routine (to work and home, to work and home) drive that the RX8 begs to be on a track and I have not witnessed it because I’m driving at the time, but I’ll bet that as big a smile as you might have…the RX8’s smile is even bigger when she gets to play.

This is truly a "sports car", wow....what a great buy my 8 has been!!!!

 

I can't wait until the weather gets better, so I can really test out this car. This thread just reaffirms the reason I bought the 8. Yay!

Keep the stories coming!

 

If you love it now, it likely will never get old for you. I went thruogh similar with my prior Mazdas. Everytime I thought I had seen all it could do, that old Rx-7 and that old Miata would do something to make me grin.

A corner well taken with the optimum line.

Listening to the engine sound bounce off tunnel walls..

Just little things like those.

 

Just remember if you lift the gas in a turn you might be looking at where you came from. Haven't had a good chance to drive the car really hard but. Rear wheel drive cars like throttle input to keep weight on the rear tires.

 

yea on/off ramps are the only legal place on the road where you can push the car the only other vehicle that can keep up with the 8 (maybe slightly better) in handling is the s2000. But it's only slightly better on some corners but the suspension is crazy stiff and as young as i may be my back kills in that car(And if my back hurts a bit I can only imagine how bad the pain is for ppl with real back problems!)


MrJynx

 

This happens to me alot.

I live right off of an on ramp going up to I-91. it's a pretty good straight away going up hill from the light and takes a nice sharp left turn for the on ramp to the highway. I always seem to get some *** in a maxima or altema trying to prove his sedan is really a sports car. I had one ride my *** (because , lets face it, our 159 lbs. of torgue is not going to let us escape from the nissan 3.5l). So I hit the gas and he stays on me until we hit the left turn and the 8 takes it very smoothly and confidently, not a squeal or protest. I look back into my rear mirror and see the maxima nose diving for the outside curb. He just barely kept it on the road. After that he didn't tail me again. A mustang learn the same lesson. A sports car is more then just speed...

 

Happens to me a lot, and in fact,

Just the other day I was traveling home on northbound CA 163 and hit the interchange to get on to interstate 8 with a 350z on my tail. Well the curve to the interchange is supposed to be taken at 35mph(I think) but I always take it at 70+. Let's just say that the 350z didn't have much luck on that curve because I looked in my rearview mirror and noticed that he was in the dirt by the end of the curve. I LOVE MY RX-8!!!!!

 

FYI, the fabulous 8 does .91 rubber tearing G's on the skid pad. The S2000 does .93 but it already has racing camber and super stiff suspension. A little tuning, and the 8 would fly by that thing easy.

 

Rule of thumb in NE --double the posted ramp speed + 10 --works well and even the Protege 5 can do it!

 

a little tuning and the S2000 would best that aswell.

 

.91...are you sure? I thought it was .87...but let's jus say .87-.91, either way it handles VERY WELL!

 

For the past few days, according to your posts, it seems you're looking to purchase one

 

i recently moved closer to work which made me sad because my drive to and from is only about 5 minutes now. however, now my route avoids popular streets and includes several awesome turns so i'm happy daily reminders of how sweet it is to drive an RX-8

 

Yeah, 8 could use a bit more power. A year ago, I was on Pasadena freeway 3 am.(a freeway was designed for Model T type of machines with many S turns, and crazy exits. If exit posted 5 MPH, it is 5 not 5.5.) Anyway, I was getting familiar with the car when an audi station wagon passed me by a high speed. A station wagon? surely I can catch it, I thought to myself. Lowered the gear and the hunt was on. To my surprise, not only I couldn't catch up to him, he was pulling away FAST. First thought was something is wrong with the 8, then I looked at speedometer...it was at 115 mph and a double S turn in sight. Braked hard and caught up to him half way thru the first S. It was a S4 (V8 4.2, 340 HP, you do the math). I tried to pass him at the end of first S, but he was all over the lanes with its traction control working hard. I gunned it as we went into the second S, passed him and gained a little space between us as we came out the turn. As soon as the road turn striaght, he just blow me away with pure raw power. Then I would caught up to him at the next turns. We went back and forth the entire way until I had to change to I-5. I high beam him just before I got on the interchange, he signaled back with hazardous lights. I think he was impressed or surprised that a 8 can actually passed him in the turns. Never saw him again, it was fun though.

Important: Always drive safe and consider safety of others on the road. I do most of my "testings" during middle of the night where the freeways/roads are empty. Also, I don't push the limit of the car, only push limits of my driving skill. Know your limits will keep you safe.

 

^Your type of story is what makes me wonder what this car could do with more power. If the 8 came with 300HP out of the box...considering how well it can handle, it would be a monster on the track.

Come on Mazda...stop ignoring the RX8!!!