crispeed

Probably it's time for all the auto manufactures to rate their HP claims using a standard wheel dyno as to allow the buyer to verify they are getting what they paid for. It's becoming a habbit as of late for the manufactures to over rate thier HP ratings!

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

This is absolutely pathetic.

Theres no way i'd even entertain buying any new mazda (including an RX7/9)... not until i see the REAL figures from new owners that were braver than i am.

RX7 RAGE

iTrader: (22)

it's looken like the rx8 is a pile of trash after all....overrated on HP and Fuel economy.

t-von

iTrader: (8)

You know comments like that belong on the "ls1" forum (what a childish statement)! So your going to degrade the entire car based on hp & fuel economy figures? Have you even seen the car in person and noticed the build quality or for that matter even driven it yet?

RX7 RAGE

iTrader: (22)

yep, i drove chucks rx8 from rotaryextrme.com and it's a complete dog under 5k rpms.

rxseven

I can't speak for everybody but I would think HP and fuel economy are pretty important when looking for a $32k car not just craftsmanship alone. Poor fuel economy can only be excused if the car ample power. To fall short in both categories is disaster.

CCarlisi

I could overlook the rx8's shortcomings if had an attractive shape. As it is, it looks like a japanese Pontiac. . . . that is not a good thing imo.

[start off topic tangent]



If one more layer of vents and/or spoilers is added it will look like the family truckster of sports cars. I guess that can't be avoided when a sportscar front end is stretched over a PT cruiser size body. -so maybe it shouldn't be attempted


mmm that's quality. The power seat controls look like they were farted out of a toothpaste tube. Also notice how similar the two tone seats are to the BMW M coupe's. However, the M coupe's seats are made out of leather whereas the rx8 seats look more like low grade vinyl.


I always said these would look good in a FD. I guess someone was listening.

CCarlisi

Instruments:
another original touch . . . by Lexus.




lights:
The Mazda guys really seem to like the s2000.








Too bad the mazda motor doesn't have anywhere near the same fuel economy as the S2000, a reasonable expectation given the fact it has less power.

And of course the doors:




The parking brake lever is another highlight of the rx8 project. Nothing says quality like an injection molded one piece plastic parking brake handle without a boot.

At least the ski pole handle will make it easier to rip it out of the car.

Good job Mazda (golf clap).
[end tangent]

As a couple people on the rx8 forum have noted, even Mazda's revised output doesn't equate with the dyno numbers. I can't wait for the next installment

crazyfool

Well if you want the compare the renesis to the f20c, while it does suck as far as fuel consumption goes, the renesis does have the potential for power. In japanese article it dynoed at 201 ps to the wheels stock and 213 with just a catback. Im not sure but i dont think the s2k will make that kind of gains with boltons. I know it was Mazdas responsability to produce the numbers they advertised and not for the consumer to reach with aftermarket parts, but im just saying it can make the power. Also, from looking at the dyno results, all goes wrong at about 7200 rpm when the variable air duct opens. Instead of the torque flattening out, it dips about 12 ft-lbs instantly and then flattens. Anyway, mazda didnt change the japanese hp ratings, so it seems they may have been detuned for the US. I think Mazda screwed up but the renesis aint so bad.

rxseven

Well, official word from mazda is published in autoweek. Mazda admits to reprogramming the ECU at the docks to meet fed emission standards. They still maintain the 238HP number though. If the average rx-8 dyno results are 180-185 rwhp then they must have a different version of sae net hp. One thing to note is they want people to wait till after 5K miles to dyno the cars. Most dyno charts I have seen were closer to 1500 miles. I wish these guys would have taken compression readings before dynoeing their cars.

wwilliam54

Im jus wondering the hurt done to all these engines getting dynoed at 1 and 2k miles

rotarygod

iTrader: (1)

That was the single dumbest comparison I have ever seen. YOU design a car that takes no cues from any other vehicles on the road. Just to lay out some ground rules so you don't copy other designs;

It can't have wheels that function the same as other cars wheels.
It can't have doors that open like any other car doors anywhere.
It can't be upholstered in any way that would resemble anything that has ever been upholstered before.
It can't have an exhaust style (single, dual, side exiting, center exiting, etc.) that any other car has ever had before.
It can't have an instrument cluster that looks even remotely close to another style out ther past or present.
You can't use round taillights, square taillights or any other design whatsoever that has been used before. Can't even resemble it vaguely.

See how stupid that got!

The RX-8 looks nothing like the S2000. The Saturn was not the first to have the small suicide style rear doors. Trucks were. If you think Mazda isn't original, who developed the double bubble roof on the sports car? Hint: think 3rd gen RX-7. Who copied them? Chevy with the Vette, Viper, etc... Don't like plastic in a car? Tough! They ALL have it. Look at '70's plastic in cars. That was crap. Don't insult the seat controls. What's wrong with them? Nothing. I can name several things that BMW and Mercedes do that I personally think look like crap too. You don't think BMW started the whole 2 tone interior scheme do you? NO! They copied someone else to. Every car out there takes inspiration from others. If you don't like it, I challenge you to design a better one. If the low rotary power level is an issue, go redesign the engine to match it without forced induction. I think the point has been made.

t-von

iTrader: (8)

Damn!!!!! Someone just got bent straight the hell over.

Mark'sMazda

Mazda didn't invent the double bubble roof, Ford did. It started as the "Gurney bubble" Ford had to add to the roof of GT40's for Dan Gurney to fit inside. Other Makes saw the idea, and adapted it, as a way to add interest to the boring, flat plane the roof was/is.

CCarlisi

Ha, that's his opinion and he's entitled to it. Although, calling my thoughts on the matter "dumb" shows little tact. Rotarygod, I think you're getting hung up on the specifics and missing my point.

The rx8 has an identity crisis. It's a medium-sized entry level sport sedan that is trying too hard to look like a small, expensive sports car. When I look at it I see a bunch of scratches on a piece of paper not a picture. That is why I focus so much on the details of it.

As for the motor I, like everyone else, was really excited about it. The problem is it hasn't lived up to any of the promises. The fuel mileage is no better than the FD's, yet it doesn't have the FD's horsepower or torque. If it was getting s2000 mileage I would be willing to sacrafice the power.

I don't have to design a better car myself; there are plenty of alternatives in the market already.

weaklink

Too true! All the folks who bought the rx-8.

peejay

Hint: it was an Italian company in the late 50's.


The problem with modern cars is they all look the same. They're either squinty-eyed blobmobiles (grand prix / stratus / rx-8 / etc etc etc etc etc) or they are scared-awake cat (fucas / celica / 350z / newer caddys / etc / etc / etc) and they are all seriously uglified.

People who say "X ripped off the RX-7 / RX-8" are either arrogant or ignorant or both. No RX-7 had a shred of uniqueness to its design when it was first introduced, and neither does the RX-8. That's a fact of life, there are only so many different things you can do and most of them are now effectively impossible because of modern rules, both determined by legislation and customer expectation.

F1blueRx7

iTrader: (5)

That's odd... I seem to remember seeing this style in the FD origionally... It's also been in the PT cruiser, I don't think lexus did anything origional here.

F1blueRx7

iTrader: (5)

I think the real test that mazda needs to overcome is not this hp issue, it's reliability. That's the true test. I mean look at the amount of EGR and Emissions related equipment on FC's... Just replacing the cat opens up so much performance over stock it's rediculous. I'm sure that the Rx-8 is the same way. I'm not concerned with what it is now. I, as many others out there, are more concerned with the potential the car has out of stock form.

These "Power" issues IMHO are most likely related to emissions restrictions. CA versions AS HISTORY SHOWS have more Emissions equipment then the rest of the country which may explain lower numbers on california cars. However, as I stated this is only speculation with only a past history to base my assumption on.

Jonesboro

Here's the link:

http://autoweek.com/cat_print.mv?content_code=00435633

DefBringer

jesus christ, look at that plasticy bullshit interior. Is that a Pontiac or a Mazda?

You know, the last thing Mazda needs right now is another crap engine to tarnish their reputation and it looks like they've delievered as expected.

12abridgeport

I never really cared too much for the car itself...way out of my reach. However, i was excited about the motor so it is really dissapointing it's turning out like that. I really hope that there is got to be some good explanation for why it's not performing the way it was supposed to, after all, it is the engine of the year!

neptuneRX

you all smoke some crazy *** weed because my friend has a rx8 reading 7000miles on it (drove from California to florida then to maryland... family trip) and he let me take it for a spin the other day, and it's a hell lot faster then my 88 rex. so if it's missing some hp here or there, I didn't notice.

DaedelGT

www.rotarynews.com has a post on the official word from Mazda regarding the HP on dynos. It's good news.

neptuneRX

be happy mazda brought the rotory engine back to the US. If you want to do any bitching you should become a toyota fan and bitch about why the supra hasn't come back yet. Frankly I'm happy that the rotory is back, and I'll have something new to kick around the endless amount of mustangs in the area. I can't understand why everyone is so bent over about a few hp here or there. The engine is suppose to have double the life of the 13B (from what I hear). and it's way better at the gas pump too. If anything I would bitch that they should have offered a RX7 gen 4 coupe with the ren. engine. That's my 2cents.