Bummer about no plans to bring back the 7!
 

I was hoping the Mazda pres was going to hint that the RX7 would be returned to North America for sale, but from the peice on the rotary News it doesn't look like it!

I was think of moving up to the FD's from my '91 at some point, I like my FC but the FD is just so sexy! Too bad they are so expensive for a 7-10 year old car!

I wonder how many would change to a FD from the FC if it was within reach financially?

I would. Just because I have only seen 1 in person and that was at the opening night for The Fast And The Furious. But I only know of 4 FCs including mine here.

If you dig further back thru new articles, you'll read that the RX-7 will come back if the RX-8 sells well. Mazda reps have repeatedly stated the RX-8 is not the replacement for the RX-7 as is doesn't follow the philosophy of a light weight 2 door, 2 seat, rear wheels drive sports car.

whoa....cool to read it, would this apply for us market only or for europe as well ? ;o)))

Depends on the market...
 

...and not just whether the RX-8 sells well. It needs to sell well in a specific niche of the marketplace. If it sells well just as a nice sports car, and competes well with other real sports cars in the market place, they're not likely to introduce any competition for their own product by bringing back the RX-7. However, if this opens up a door for many new types of customers (people who would not normally buy an RX-7/Miata/300ZX/etc, but purchase the RX-8 for the obvious reasons), there would still be reason for Mazda to attract the pure sports car lovers, and thus reason to bring back the 7.

While I do think the RX-8 is neat, for me I just don't see it as something I'd buy. With 3 vehicles already, it doesn't seem to give me anything. I have a car that gets great mileage (Civic), a fast car (my T2--DUH!) and a Ford Supercrew to haul stuff and blast through the snow. I don't see the RX-8 doing any category better.

I'm holding out for another RX-7-- whether a used 95 comes my way, or Mazda brings it back at some point in the future.

I'll agree though, this is a start for the return of the rotary.

Greg O.

the RX-8 is fwd???

if so.....BOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

No way! I surely hope not. I don't believe it is anyways. Any news on the Rx-8 anyways? Like pricing or a definite date it will be coming or anything? I want a new car, but am having trouble even deciding what I want, an SUV or a real sports car. If I got a sports car I would have to get an Rx something. Either 3rd gen or rx-8. I also was thinkin of the new 3.5L altimas. They run low 14s stock and hold 5 people in comfort. If the Rx-8 was in the same price range(ya right) I would get it. Highly doubt it though.

The RX8 is rwd I jsut saw an article on it on BBC America

WHAT! Low 14s stock!!!??? For an Altima!? I doubt it. I'll believe it when I see it!


-Derek

Then you'll never believe it :D

IIRC, someone saw a stock Altima break into the 14s. Like 14.8 or so. Still pretty damn good, but hell, with a 3.5 litre, 240 hp engine it'd better be fast! (esp. with its price tag!)

Brandon

If you don't ever want to believe it, stop reading car mags all together. Of course since you don't believe it, you probably haven't been reading too many to begin with. The new V6 240hp Altima has consistantly run low 15's with the slushbox and mid-high 14's with the 5 speed. Car & Driver, Road & Track, Autoweek, and the list goes on......

Don't click on these links either:
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadt...2/page001.html

http://www.motortrend.com/sept01/nissan/1.html

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2105.shtml

RX8 should be a mid 13 sec car out of the box

3000 pounds
240 hp
13.5 @ 100mph

ditch the cats and get a intake and good cat bat
were talking 260 hp

13.1 as a 50 shot of nos and your down in the 12's!!!

this NA is going to give stock FD's a run for the money
cuase with the NA its going to have the Torque right off the line.

i thought C&D said the rx-8 was going to weigh in at a hefty 3500 lbs. !:confused:

plus if the rx-8 happened to weigh 3000 lbs. it would not run a 13.5@100mph. i have run 13.5@101mph stock and according to hp calculators my car weighs with me driving about 2980 lbs. with 234 rwhp. so obviously my car has to be making more than 255hp@the flywheel to run that number(1.9 60' on street tires traction was there)so there is no way an rx-8 could run that number. you will lose more than 16hp through the drivetrain.

It was a typo.

recently got a confirmation letter from mazda regarding the rx 8. it will be a 2003 year model which means summer of 2002 we will see them. MSRP is somewhere around $28,500 us money.

Turbo cars allways make more torque than n/a engines. Ever drove a n/a engine then a turbo car? There is no comparision. CJ

I now think I will get the Altima. I seen them at the dealer & they are looking nice. Have dual exhaust too. And I will get a stick so I should be able to get straight 15s at least stock. Put some muffs & a hi flo cat & then we'll see from there.

No7Yet:

What are you talking about the price of the altimas? They are only low $20s & are fast, nice & look good.

I remember reading recently that the rx-8 was going to weigh in at something like 2850 and have 240 hp. If so, that's pretty solid in terms of hp to lbs, not great, but solid. Even if it does weigh a bit more (like 3000), it'll be geared nice I imagine and will be able to still perform like a decent sportscar.

Which brings me to the Altima gearing. Before you buy it, read a bit about the gearing. I'd personally rather have the maxima. I have no references in front of me, but the altima is geared to be a mild city car, not a performance car. That engine is DAMN DAMN SWEET, but the tranny it's hooked to isn't. Although, if they introduce it to the maxima's six-speed, it would be a sweet ride (assuming there was a little aftermarket suspension work done).

As every one of us knows, there's more to a good 0-60 or 1/4 time than just power. It's all about the gears.

My $0.02

Ya, I never really thought of it but the Altima is rated at mid 14s stock in the 1/4. Wonder if they would come up with a 6 speed option though.

My bad Ryde_or_die
 

I believe that I may have misled you a touch. Although I stand by the fact that the Altima is NOT bred to be a sportscar, I think that it is available with a 6-speed, as my bitch-ass friend pointed out to me in a discussion we had a few minutes ago. I apologize for that but still would recommend the Maxima (better performance) or the rx-8.

If you really wanted to go balls-to-the-wall, my other bitch-ass friend says the Pontiac Aztec is the way to go. No, the first ones that came out, with the 2-wheel drive. I've heard it's the most versatile vehicle on the planet. :D

Damn! Now I'm going to have to get even MORE mods for my FC to keep up with all these new cars! LOL :D I talked to my friend and he heard they were in the high 14s and low 15s too. I haven't heard much of anything about them yet. Still, high 14s and low 14s are quite a bit of difference, but fast nonetheless. Good luck with your choice, but I'd definitely go with the RX-8. It's a rotary, so I wouldn't be able to help myself.

-Derek

Ya I wouldn't be able to help myself if they were to be the same price. I still am thinkin about an SUV. Maybe a Pathfinder or a 4runner. Decisions decisions.

RX-8
 

Hey All,

Well let's put it this way. If I wanted a 240hp naturally aspirated engine with 4 doors, yeah there are many cars I could buy. If I wanted a sporty car with a 240hp naturally aspirated engine, I could buy a Honda S2000.

My 3 biggest beefs with the rx-8 are:

i) 4 doors. Sure...I'll take my kids in the back when I'm driving 160mph.

ii) Styling. Sorry, I think the fd3s is far more aggressive than the rx-8. Then again...the Detroit Auto Show had some weird styles so I guess it's consistent on the whole.

iii) Guts. Come on...if this is a sports car, why couldn't they turbocharge it. And from what I have heard the displacement is even smaller than the 13B-REW.

I guess Mazda just needs to be competitive in their market...against Toyota and Honda....which is why they have a car in the same class as each of these (current production).

Now I know why all my old Mazda friends are buying BMWs these days.


/F/