RX-8 slow?

Mike3800 · 09-02-2005, 07:29 PM

Sooo... I admit to knowing virtually nothing about these cars besides the MSRP and the mfg's rated HP and TQ numbers. Without telling a racing story (I personally wasn't racing anyway), I can tell you I saw someone that appeared to be driving one at full throttle chirping in each gear, and.... it didn't appear to be very quick.... bad driver? Are they car mag hyped?

Braves299 · 09-02-2005, 07:50 PM

I believe it will do mid 14's in the quarter.

lironet · 09-02-2005, 08:09 PM

2004 Mazda RX-8 14.4 (6 speed)

Source: Motor Trend

mr_eh · 09-02-2005, 08:38 PM

chirping every gear = bad driver

honestly they are peppy but not too impressive in the performance department, especially vs the price of it

AMRAAM4 · 09-03-2005, 09:44 PM

The RX8 was never meant to be "fast". However, compared to any other "normal" car it if you take it on a road course it will turn a lap "faster" than a majority of cars out there. It is lightweight and has perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

MantaGreen97 · 09-03-2005, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMRAAM4

The RX8 was never meant to be "fast". However, compared to any other "normal" car it if you take it on a road course it will turn a lap "faster" than a majority of cars out there. It is lightweight and has perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

Was gonna say just about the same

Mike3800, the story of it's apparent lack of engine power feel seems to be common among people who have driven them, although the gear chirping might be also saying "bad driver" as you suggested. The car does lack low-end torque in a big way (so do cars like the S2000 though). However, the RX-8 still has many virtues and is still a very nice car, for what it was designed to be, IMO. (Incidentally I'd rather an RX-8 over an S2000 any day of the week & twice on Sunday

)

Mike3800 · 09-03-2005, 11:24 PM

Well... the one I saw was either rediculous slow or broken (as in it would be lucky to run a 16.0 in the 1/4) or the driver was an idiot. Perhaps he didn't know to tack it up high enough. Perhaps he was just screwing around (chirping tires etc...) and really didn't get on it like it sounded. Oh well.

The advertized HP numbers from only 1.3 liters of displacmnet is damned impressive.

AaronGTR · 09-04-2005, 08:10 AM

The rx8 is not very fast. It doesn't have that much horsepower and the torque is laughable. Most of the cars that are dyno tested also come in short of the advertised HP. Mazda actually had to do some kind of rebate or something for people that bought them when they first came out because they over-rated the hp.

It's a sweet looking car and the handling and braking are top knotch. It's just not much in a straight line, and it doesn't even respond to engine tweeks very well. In the july '05 import tuner they did a power pages with an '05 rx8. They added intake, exhaust, and hyper ground and voltage systems from sun auto, and only gained 7.1whp and 4.2ft/lbs and it cost them $1360! Basically the car needs boost for even a modest gain, and you're talking major cash for that. With the right suspension tweeks it can do a 76mph slalom though and get to 1.0G of cornering force. A tuned version holds sport compact cars' record as the second fastest slalom car they've ever tested.

Mike Jung · 09-04-2005, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronGTR

The rx8 is not very fast.
It doesn't have that much horsepower and the torque is laughable.
Most of the cars that are dyno tested also come in short of the advertised HP.
Mazda actually had to do some kind of rebate or something for people that bought them when they first came out because they over-rated the hp...

RX-8 power understated!

MantaGreen97 · 09-04-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Jung

RX-8 power understated!

Uhh shouldn't that thread title be overstated and *not* "understated"??? The word understated means that they've stated something less than is true (meaning they say the car has less horsepower than it does); overstated means the opposite. In fact, strangely the original thread creator (of that thread) even says Mazda overstated the power, which makes the thread title rather confusing.

From the thread info there it would seem that Mazda has overstated the power of the RX-8, not understated it. However this is nothing new, as the SAE's revised testing procedures have revealed that companies like Honda and Toyota have been overstating their horsepower for some years now. GM and Ford, on the other hand have had most of their cars hp understated.

Graxall · 09-05-2005, 04:29 PM

yea mazda is crazy with their rotary engines... rx-8 looks nice but isnt fast. As far as chirping the tires, If a civic can do it, any stick car can

GrahamKracka · 09-05-2005, 05:02 PM

yea..its not really that difficult to chirp tires with any stick car....

bigbenSC · 09-05-2005, 07:07 PM

Rotary engines without a turbo = slow. It's the chassis tuning that makes this car special, and the 4 door thing I guess.

GregFarz78 · 09-05-2005, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrahamKracka

yea..its not really that difficult to chirp tires with any stick car....

I've seen people do it in base model civics its not hard to do I can chirp 3rd if I try hard enough

Mike3800 · 09-06-2005, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrahamKracka

yea..its not really that difficult to chirp tires with any stick car....

I know, it's just that ususally when someone does that they are going full throttle.

Graxall · 09-11-2005, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike3800

I know, it's just that ususally when someone does that they are going full throttle.

ehh no, its all torque factor. i bet if they made newer model ga's in stick we wud chirp the sh!t outta every gear cuz of the torque. 220 is nasty

... either way i get ur point

09-12-2005, 06:44 AM

I saw a video on TV a while back comparing the RX8 and 350Z. It was a track test, and the two ran the exact same track time and the RX8 ran 1/10 faster 0-60. But that's what the video proclaimed, so no dogging me on this one.

Graxall · 09-12-2005, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2003_GAGT

I saw a video on TV a while back comparing the RX8 and 350Z. It was a track test, and the two ran the exact same track time and the RX8 ran 1/10 faster 0-60. But that's what the video proclaimed, so no dogging me on this one.

hmm not sure asbout this one...but wat i do know is that 350z's should have more balls for the price they are

...

Greed4Speed · 09-12-2005, 03:50 PM

Being fast is relative. Compared to other NA small displacement cars, 14.4 isn't bad. Not to mention Motor Trand can rarely get accurate ETs. They're usually slower than others.

And I agree, chirping tires in standards is easy. I used to get 1, 2 and 3rd chirps in a Suzuki Samurai. Try that w/a stock 1300 cc engine and tall/wider tires. Couldn't do it every time though, but 2nd was a breeze.
Only standard I had probs getting to chirp in 2nd was a 3 on the tree 76 F-250 club cab long bed w/a 390 2bbl and a 250 lb bumper on the rear that was built to tow a boat.

Mike3800 · 09-16-2005, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greed4Speed

14.4 isn't bad.

It isn't a stock time on an RX8 either.

09-02-2005, 07:29 PM	#1
Mike3800 GAGT - Junkie AKA: Michael Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Northglenn, CO USA Age: 49 Posts: 3,394 Vehicle: 2015 Chrysler 200S AWD	RX-8 slow? Sooo... I admit to knowing virtually nothing about these cars besides the MSRP and the mfg's rated HP and TQ numbers. Without telling a racing story (I personally wasn't racing anyway), I can tell you I saw someone that appeared to be driving one at full throttle chirping in each gear, and.... it didn't appear to be very quick.... bad driver? Are they car mag hyped?

09-02-2005, 07:50 PM	#2
Braves299 WVU owns you AKA: David Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Derwood, Maryland Age: 36 Posts: 2,170 Vehicle: '99 GA SE 3.4, '06 Ram	I believe it will do mid 14's in the quarter. __________________ Carl Lee Combs July 8, 1944 - February 20, 2002 "Gone for now, never forgotten"

09-02-2005, 08:09 PM	#3
lironet GAGT - Member AKA: Don't Know Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Toronto, Canada Age: 42 Posts: 435 Vehicle: 08 Stang GT & 04 GA SE	2004 Mazda RX-8 14.4 (6 speed) Source: Motor Trend __________________ 2008 Mustang GT Mods: Pypes X-Pipe, Pypes Muffler-Delete Axle-Back, BBK CAI 2004 Grand Am SE Winter Beater

09-02-2005, 08:38 PM	#4
mr_eh Hi. AKA: xxx Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Staten Island, NY Age: 39 Posts: 4,405 Vehicle: 05 Srt-4 / 00GrandAmSE	chirping every gear = bad driver honestly they are peppy but not too impressive in the performance department, especially vs the price of it __________________ 4cyl ga se -> 431whp srt4 -> 600whp s14? wtf.

09-03-2005, 09:44 PM	#5
AMRAAM4 Wiley 'Ol Veteran AKA: Bob (aka Hoss) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Azerbaijan Age: 45 Posts: 6,935 Vehicle: See My Signature Block	The RX8 was never meant to be "fast". However, compared to any other "normal" car it if you take it on a road course it will turn a lap "faster" than a majority of cars out there. It is lightweight and has perfect 50/50 weight distribution. __________________ 2016 GoMango Challenger SRT Hellcat 2014 Redline Pearl Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 2018 Bruiser Grey Dodge Durango SRT TRADED-2004 Black Grand Am GT,2004 Impulse Blue GTO M6, 2012 Mineral Gray Jeep SRT8, 2010 Bright Silver Jeep SRT8 LEASE TURN-IN-2006 Summit White TrailBlazer SS AWD (Vector CAI & tune) SOLD-2000 Silvermist Grand Am GT Supercharged,1994 Daytona Blue Single Turbo RX7 (427whp/330wtq), 2006 Spice Red GTO A4, 2013 Grabber Blue Shelby GT500

09-03-2005, 11:24 PM	#7
Mike3800 GAGT - Junkie AKA: Michael Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Northglenn, CO USA Age: 49 Posts: 3,394 Vehicle: 2015 Chrysler 200S AWD	Well... the one I saw was either rediculous slow or broken (as in it would be lucky to run a 16.0 in the 1/4) or the driver was an idiot. Perhaps he didn't know to tack it up high enough. Perhaps he was just screwing around (chirping tires etc...) and really didn't get on it like it sounded. Oh well. The advertized HP numbers from only 1.3 liters of displacmnet is damned impressive.

09-04-2005, 08:10 AM	#8
AaronGTR BlingWithBallz AKA: Aaron Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Detroit area, MI Age: 43 Posts: 12,254 Vehicle: 2000 Grand Am GT1 2dr	The rx8 is not very fast. It doesn't have that much horsepower and the torque is laughable. Most of the cars that are dyno tested also come in short of the advertised HP. Mazda actually had to do some kind of rebate or something for people that bought them when they first came out because they over-rated the hp. It's a sweet looking car and the handling and braking are top knotch. It's just not much in a straight line, and it doesn't even respond to engine tweeks very well. In the july '05 import tuner they did a power pages with an '05 rx8. They added intake, exhaust, and hyper ground and voltage systems from sun auto, and only gained 7.1whp and 4.2ft/lbs and it cost them $1360! Basically the car needs boost for even a modest gain, and you're talking major cash for that. With the right suspension tweeks it can do a 76mph slalom though and get to 1.0G of cornering force. A tuned version holds sport compact cars' record as the second fastest slalom car they've ever tested. __________________ The few, the proud, the boosted! 13.788 @ 103.73 mph (3/2011) 320 whp and 300 ft/lbs torque. (3/2011) See it here. the total package. Last edited by AaronGTR; 09-04-2005 at 08:12 AM.

09-05-2005, 05:02 PM	#12
GrahamKracka WannaBe Fat Kid AKA: Richard Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: San Antonio, Texas Age: 36 Posts: 1,517 Vehicle: 2005 Nissan Titan	yea..its not really that difficult to chirp tires with any stick car....

09-05-2005, 07:07 PM	#13
bigbenSC SC and Loving It! AKA: Ben Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, KY Age: 36 Posts: 1,772 Vehicle: 2005 SRT-6, 2001 GA GT	Rotary engines without a turbo = slow. It's the chassis tuning that makes this car special, and the 4 door thing I guess.

09-12-2005, 06:44 AM	#17
2003_GAGT Guest Posts: n/a	I saw a video on TV a while back comparing the RX8 and 350Z. It was a track test, and the two ran the exact same track time and the RX8 ran 1/10 faster 0-60. But that's what the video proclaimed, so no dogging me on this one.

09-12-2005, 03:50 PM	#19
Greed4Speed Duke of Duct Tape Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: FTW, TX Age: 49 Posts: 1,021 Vehicle: 2001 Grand Am GT sedan	Being fast is relative. Compared to other NA small displacement cars, 14.4 isn't bad. Not to mention Motor Trand can rarely get accurate ETs. They're usually slower than others. And I agree, chirping tires in standards is easy. I used to get 1, 2 and 3rd chirps in a Suzuki Samurai. Try that w/a stock 1300 cc engine and tall/wider tires. Couldn't do it every time though, but 2nd was a breeze. Only standard I had probs getting to chirp in 2nd was a 3 on the tree 76 F-250 club cab long bed w/a 390 2bbl and a 250 lb bumper on the rear that was built to tow a boat. __________________ I like Cobras, they taste like chicken. 01 GAGT1 w/156k miles 00 Camaro SS - AKA Rogue.

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