I've been pondering these questions sometime, but I haven't talked to any other RX-8 owners about it.

Would a power increase have caused you to buy the RX-8 faster?

What if Mazda decided to increase power for the next model year? Would you sell your RX-8 and buy the next one?

Are you happy with the RX-8's stock powerband, even if it doesn't match those of its competitors?

On a personal level, I bought my car while learning the stock engine power was reduced from 247 hp. I felt indifferent about it. Whatever power my car has is fine. There's not too much or too little, and it's quite tame on the street. What I'm most impressed by is its ability to cut corners like a hot knife through butter. I'm sure there are more powerful cars that could do the same, if not better, but I can't afford such luxuries.

Power is great, and it makes a good conversation regarding bragging rights, but it's not everything. I'm glad I bought such a fantastic car, and the community that is built around the RX-8 is wonderful. I couldn't ask for anything short of perfection.

 

It could use more power, but then again I think that's going to be the answer for most any car you drive. I think my FD is nice but it could use a little more zip too.

 

Sure, I'd like more power, who wouldn't? But then, I'd like LeAnn Rimes too.

 

I've got 247 bhp (JDM, but don't think it makes a big difference from 238bhp), and am quite happy with the power. However last week, I got creamed by a BMW 545i, a family sedan of all cars. The car out-accelerated me by about 5 car lengths in the space of a few seconds. Damn. Turbo please.

 

More power? If you ask that.. of course you're going to get the response that we would want more HP. That's like asking people.. well, is one orgasm enough, or multiple?

 

For the money, I could have had any of the following:

-350z
-Evo VIII
-Sti

But I picked the 8 because it was stylish and had the best combination of everything.

At the end of the day though. after you get smoked by all of the above, you do kinda second guess your choice and wish the 13B did have a few more herbs.

 

My thoughts exactly... :D :D

 

well duh. we would all have GLADLY taken the extra hp's. but thats not the case. we got the car because its an awesome car @ whatever horsepower you end up with @ the wheels.... however, i really wouldnt mind having an extra 20, 30, 40+ horses to keep up with the jones'.

 

actually just a bit more torque would have been nice...but the car is plenty fast and "balanced" with the power that it has.

 

I drive in a large city. The current power can propel the car at faster than legal speeds quite easy. More power would be exclusively for drag racing or street racing, and I dont do either. I have a stage1, but thats been more for the fun of trying to learn than any power gains (as evidenced by me still messing with it after 2 sets of burnt coils and little else is the past 3 months.).

I'm happy with the car as is.

 

I want the original 247HP map for the pcm. I don't care if the cat fails at 60K- hell I'll replace it with my own money. Did the original 247HP map pass emissions? or was this 238HP map done to give the cat longer life?

I just completed the West Coast Caravan drive to Sevenstock7 and back, and racked up 2397 miles. I was able to keep up with the third gen's in the group, and at one scheduled stop one of the 3rd gen owners looked at me with amazment. So, the car's 9K redline helped me propel through the gears quit nicely, but any extra HP would be sweet... My $.02

 

I like it. It could use a little more put me back in my seat.. but as someones signature on here says.. "at the end of the day.. im still riding the one with the hotter body!" Those sti/EVO VIII/350z guys can have it. The 8 pulls more stares, thumbs up, and chicks than any of those others :D

 

I'm happy with the car the way it is....there's more to a car than the HP it has..............however more power couldn't hurt.

 

People will always want what they don't have. We can't help it. If we had 250 hp we would want 275 or 300. What we do have is a well balanced combination of power with world class handling and style. It is what it is...

Do not get caught up in hooplah about horsepower so much that you lose sight of the fact that 98% of time you are not racing anybody. Relax... Enjoy the moment. It is plenty fast the way it came from the factory.

P.S. - hell yes I'd be happier if it had another 50 horses!!! who wouldn't?

 

There's always going to be cars with more power, bt very few with more fun per dollar.

 

I would be happier if I lick myself like dogs do, but I don't break my neck trying to do it!

 

And so you got yourself a lizard...

 

I love this car. The power, the styling, and OMG the handling :D Here in Memphis you don't see many sports cars like the 8, or the Z. Most of the BMW's are driven by silver haired gentlemen so getting stomped is not an issue. There just aren't that many around to do the stomping. Hell I've only seen one other Rx-8 driving around town, and that was thismorning.

Of course 50 extra HP would be sweet, but I still love it the way it is.

 

lol That quote best explains the way I feel about this car and more power. But, just like every other post on this thread: I love the car the way it is.

Would I sell it for another with more power? It would have to be a good punch more since it already has more power than I need for all the normal day to day commute things. Oh, *AND* I'd only do it if the replacement handled just as well as this one does.

-Dennis

 

It's not really about HP, the car lacks TORQUE. 238 hp is just fine for its weight, but 159 lbs of torque is quite low. It really needs to be around 200 lbs or more.

But this car is greater than the sum of its parts. I'm happy with it just the way it is and wouldn't trade it unless Mazda came out with a BIG increase in hp AND torque.

 

Raise the torque without lowering the redline, and you effectively raise horsepower as well. The 159 lb/ft of torque shouldn't be a problem. That's what gearing is for.

I don't own an RX-8 by the way, so I don't know about how well its gearing works with the powerband, but there doesn't seem to be too many complaints.

 

I added strakes to mine...it added at least 100bhp and at least that in torque........

 

Well, I had some fun with some guys I pulled up next to at a traffic light last night. They (3 of them) were in an old VW VR6 (2.8L) which sounded "not so standard". Any way, they immediately got excited when pulled up next to them, when there were no other cars in sight.

I was quicker off the mark and held them off until I hit 4th gear, when they came sailing past like I had just hit the brakes. Seams 4th is the gear that lets us down most.

At the end of it, I thought "At least I made somebody's day". , I didn't feel too bad, knowing that I would have smoked him on a track and that my car looked a 100 times better etc. besides, you never know what the next guy has done to his car and there will always be someone else to smoke you at the lights.

Just love this car. It has huge character, 2nd to no other.... :D

 

i love this car, but i was disappointed the day i found out it was 238hp, i was expecting 247 but i've gotten over it and i love this car no less. i would love more power though. on a side note, my buddy playing Street Racing Syndicate on the PS2 said the 8 was the best handling car by far, but once he put in a turbo the car handled like crap.

 

Another 50 or so HP would put this car quite a bit closer to the performance of my 93 RX-7 in terms of acceleration. That would make this a truly all around GREATER car.