So, for those of you who saw the test... what did C&D have to say about the 8?

 

Great cornering capabilities due to the chassis, but the editors wanted more power at 3-4k RPMs.. they didn't like the fact you have to wind up the revs to a tad higher than a piston engine.

Otherwise, everything I wanted to hear, and a sub 6 second dash to 60 time which has been yelled about by so many

 

Awesome car -- only negative they was it could use more Power (torque) -- incredible handling and great quality -- very very smooth power.

 

"... mash the throttle from three thousand RPM in 6th and you have to look at the tach to tell you're accelerating..."

gimme a break, 6th gear is the cruising gear... isn't it suppost to be that way?? i wouldn't worry about it... blip the throttle, drop a cog, and you'll fly...
and just a reminder: it's 1.3L for god's sakes... this engine is fairly miraculous for what it gives you.

 

yeah 0-60 in 5.9 but they ask for more torque? name another 1.3l engine in another car with this much room that does the dash in 5.9. why was he trying to punch it in 6th?i think he meant that he wanted to be shoved in his back a little harder. it's so linear he didn't get the shove he's is used to with cars with "more" torque. some of those are even slower in the dash.

edit: and remember that was only csaba's critique i wonder what the other guys thought.

 

See this thread. It also includes links to downloads of the RX-8 segment.

 

I was thinking the same thing as zoom44. Like all NA rotaries, the torque curve, (or lack of one) and smoothness of the engine is such that the car is deceptively quick.

It sounds unlike my WRX, which I describe to people as having two speeds - slow and fast. It can be burdensome driving in traffic with the poor low-end throttle response and grabby clutch. It feels like the low compression 2-litre engine it is. Once above about 3800 RPM when you press the throttle down however, it really starts to pull hard, giving the satisfying push in the back.

I wouldn't mind if the torque curve was spread out a bit more, even if it doesn't provide the noticeable shove in the back. I just hope the Renesis has good throttle response from idle to get moving in traffic.

 

Also, I think it should be noted that the word "understeer" was not mentioned once during the entire segment.

<font size=+1>cough cough</font> <font size=1>350Z</font> <font size=+1>cough cough</font>

 

like i keep on sayin'... i dunno about that weight "distribution"... all the time it's looking more and more like they never meant to make the front end heavier, but also didn't want to have a whale with good balance...

 

Yeah, but its been mentioned in just about every other review =(

 

Forget about all that understeer nonsense - did you see how gorgeous the Velocity Red Mica paint looked in sunlight!!! And some people here dared to say it was a horrible colour...

Not that I am biased or anything.

 

Things like the following passage from EVO,

"the chassis balance is as near perfect as you'll ever experience"

have been mentioned FAR more than anything about understeer.

 

Great handling, refinement and a 0 to 60 of 5.9 secs. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie Now!!!