If you want another opinion other than your own test drive, the Mazda website links to the Car & Driver video describing why the RX-8 is (again) one of their 10 Best.

 

Well, allow me to suggest it’ll likely be a faster car than you are a capable driver. An example; every year I see guys showing up at track days with the latest, greatest, fastest 1000cc motorcycles, only to be passed by guys on 10 year old 350cc bikes. What is the point?

But is it fast? Define fast. If you define fast as a combination of power, braking, handling, response, etc. then I’d say the 8 is fast. I base this on the fact that if you were to enter it into solo 1, solo 2 or simply track day events, it’ll post very respectable times, all else being equal (i.e. drivers). If you define fast by drag-strip times, its not bad, but it’ll be at the lower end of comparable cars, therefore you can say it is slower by comparison.

I also ride sportbikes, so all cars are slow in a straight line to me. But, I do enjoy the sounds and feel of a good car engine, especially one with no strain at redline, even when that redline is over 9000RPM like our 8’s.

 

And if your in the right gear, the 8 will scream, can't tell you how many people got shocked because of being in the right gear and checking out on them leaving them to see tailights.

The 8 can be driven fast , if you know how to drive.

 

Exactly, You keep the revs up and you're good to go.

 

Depending on what you're used to that still won't make it fast for some people.

To the original poster:
Like Blueeyes said, you won't know til you testdrive it. If you've owned fast cars in the past it might let you down, if you're coming from something slow then it will feel fast. If you care about showing up other people on the streets with your fast car, buy something else.

 

"feel" has soemthing to it, but just taking the numbers for the RX8 (6.1-5.9 00-60 & 14.6-14.4 1/4 mile) it's more than fast enough for the street.

I've owned a NX2000 and Probe GT (V6) and of course it kills these cars so it sure "feels" fast to me, but I've also driven a C6 (0-50) and other fast cars and while I know my 8 is slower even when I go back to my 8 I don't feel slow at all.

Put it this way, when I want to pass...I do...regardless if the other person decided not to let me by. Learn to the drive the 8 and you won't think it's slow, not as fast as other cars yes, but slow...not at all.

Unless you are use to 12 sec 1/4 miles...the 8 won't feel slow and for everyday use, it's more than strong enough.

 

I too came from a fast 99 stang and a pretty healthy 2k2 maxima to the 8, before the stang , i had a stage III TTZ. So i had faster rides, but going from them to 8 wasn't painful at all...around town it has enough zip to get around. On the highway if your in the right gear, the 8 can get to triple digits pretty quick, and pulls healthy all the way to redline .

Even with 232Hp/ 159 torque , it still seems so much capable around town then when i drive my firends 04 RSX-S. I don't know what it is, but the S seems so slugish compared to the RX...seems like i really have to drive my friend S like i stole it to feel like i am moving in town. And i like his S too, its one of the nicest FWD cars i ever driven.

I don't know if its the less moving parts in the rotory which alows it to spool up its power faster or what, but i have no complaints about it, like i thought i was when purchasing the 8. Maybe the autotragic RX-8 maybe diffrent, but my 05 6-speed RX-8 gets up without driving like i stole it.

 

That's the rotary magic. They spool like a jet. I had an '84 Rx-7, 13B DESI. 130, 140 hp..somewhere around there. She'd still get to 140, and do it quickly, quietly and comfortably, with no drama. And that was an '84 with 175,000 miles. Wankels are curious little lumps, ain't they?

 

I was never a fan of the CamAro , even though my 99 Firebird was nearly identical. Just threw the name in their for support.

 

If I were to drive an RX-8 right now it would probably feel slow, I know other 14 seconds cars that I've driven recently that are about as fast as the RX-8 felt doggy to me. I'm not saying it makes the RX-8 slow, but your perspective is still a big part of what makes a car fast or slow.

 

Lol...Your very right, my buddy has a '02 Z-06 and has a '03 E55,wifes ride. The E55 is .2 seconds slower0-60(4.0,4.2), both cars hit mid to high 12's in the 1/4 mile. But when driven back to back, the Z-06 "feels" faster because it doesn't have all the sound deaden material and its sounds like a beast WOT,and feels like a F-16 jet just hit you from behind! The Merc E55 is whisper quiet, under WOT all you hear is a faint whine from the SC, yet you pushed back into your seat with all the creature comforts and full luxury. Yet guys who ride in both of his rides always tell him his E55 is slow," when in reality his E55 is just as fast as his Z-06!

So yeah , its all about perception......

 

My car sets off car alarms

 

My Stang use to do that.....especially when trolling in first gear and letting the engine wine down,flow masters were at there rumbling peak. That car was so abnoxious....in a cool way! LOL!

 

I am a rotary newbie, but a car enthusiast at heart. Yet this car and rotary engine still amazes me and sometimes even has me scratchin my head saying, how in the hell did they come up with this"..........

 

 

Don't you have a Evo or a Sti that is built? So wouldn't a built one of these cars be loud enough to set off a alarm ? Then again i never heard a built Sti or Evo ...most of the guys here just have large fart can mufflers with a air intake and a chip upgrade, but they sound like bubble machines...that flat four sure doesn't have the prettiest note at all IMO....

 

Man, my miata with Thermal Research catback would set off alarms. IN a parking garage? Floor it. Watch all the cars with shock sensors go into conniptions.



It's the bass that does it.

 

I knew a guy with a muffler-less Ford Festiva that used to set off alarms, back in '86.

 

Yeah, it's when I'm at low RPMs going through a neighborhood or parking lot. It's a pretty low rumble when at low RPMs, my whole garage vibrates after I leave since the car is usually still running due to my turbo timer. Yes I agree it's obnoxious, in a cool way, I love it

 

I have a BMW 330i and a RX-8. Both have about the same hp but the BMW's torque is much higher although I can't really tell a difference when driving them. I agree with the others, go test drive one and judge for yourself.

 

Evo, and about the only thing I miss about my WRX is the boxer rumble. To each their own... Mine is not built (unless you're looking for 500hp+ they don't really need to be), it's just modded and tuned.

 

sorry,
maybe.


translation.

in real life it comes down to you cant drive like you could in the 1970"s.

beers

 

Ok. So how could you drive in the 1970's? That was just before my time; I got my license in '79, and then I was mr. newbie driver in parents' big old station wagon...

 

Evo's are awesome....i wanted one for the longest , but wifey wouldn't let me go with it, she said its to boy racer for me.... BAH!

Are you going to let AMS tune and modify your ride? If i were you ...i would, seems like when people's Evo goes into the AMS speed shop, the car comes out a diffrent animal! I watched some videos of AMS Evo's just putting the hurt on some serious V8 big blocks that were built. Its almost a crime what AMS can do to a EVO!

 

AMS is who tuned it and they will continue to mod and work on it. When I was there that car you're refering to was in the shop and about to head back to its owner in Florida. It went from a little over 600whp which is what it had in the videos you saw, and is now making over 900whp. New videos of him destroying other cars should start floating around soon. It belongs to a guy named Chris that owns a carpet company and it's his daily ride save for a carpet van I guess

AMS also had their new time attack car in the works while I was there and it will be competing at One Lap of America this year. If they can manage to not break something I think the competition is in trouble. Though Ronald Adee had just placed an order for some custom parts from AMS, I don't think he'll be in an Evo this year, but it will be something sickeningly fast as usual.