RX-8 gets 30MPG!?!?!?!?
 

I just got my January issue of Car & Driver, and lo and behold, there's a preview of the RX-8. They had nothing but praises for the car, which is what I expected.

but then toward the end of the article, I saw this:

http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/Zoom.../rx-8_spec.jpg

look at the EPA highway MPG estimate, 30 mpg!!!!

that makes the RX-8 as fuel efficient (or more!) than a 350Z!!! :eek:

oh yeah, and the estimated $27k base price is nice too :)

Yup, that's pretty awsome.

my 1st gen rx7 w/a 12a will get nearly 30mpg on the motorway ... not bad considering the power output tho'

power output and weight.....

now if only i had 27k.....
my 85 gsl stock with rb exhaust only got around 20 mpg, but i guess tahts cause i had the pedal to the floor alll the time, well cept when warming up. havent tested my new streetport 12a and holley but it seems to be getting about the same if not a little worse

I got 31 mpg for one tankful in my totally stock 86 base. The most I ever got before or after was 28-29. Of course, these were highway figures.

I see they managed to lose another 3hp at the upper end. Go fig. Remember when the estimate was 276hp?

Ren

its a high powered N/A car I bet the fact that the US has low octane fuels will loose a few BHP on the US models ... I wonder what power the euro spec car will put out .? .. you can get 98octane unleaded all over the UK now :)

Mike, do they rate the fuel the same there as they do in the States? Meaning RON+MON/2? We have 98 up here, too, but I think that's RON only.

Ren

I get 16 to 19 city and 23 to 25 highway in mine. I can see 30 mpg highway in that car.

Several things to note....

EPA mileage estimates are an educated guess based off of tailpipe emissions, not empirical calculation based on the way normal people measure fuel economy, you know, driving around and seeing how much fuel it uses. That's where the phrase "your mileage may vary" comes from. :)

It *should* have better fuel economy than a 350Z, the car is smaller and lighter.

MikeLMR, are you measuring in Imperial gallons (~4.5l per gallon) ? because if you're quoting US gallons (3.78l per gallon) then expect to be swamped with people wondering how you get such stellar economy. :) I've never had a rotary get better than 25mpg US / 31.25mpg Imperial on the highway, which is what most people seem to get. 30mpg US is 37.5mpg Imperial.

If it does get 30mpg I think they need to let me in the factory with a diegrinder... MAKE THE PORTS LARGER BABY!!!!

I get the same gas mileage in the city as the rx-8. I'm around 21 mpg suburb driving. I guess that the 30mpg is pretty amazing.